Employment Coaching Project

Jointly run by CAPE and ECIL

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB DETAILS

Job Title:Employment Coach

Managed by:Ealing Centre for Independent Living (ECIL)

Accountable to:Chief Executive, ECIL

Hours:21 hours per week

Location:1 Bayham Road, West Ealing, London, W13 0TQ and Outreach locations

Remuneration:One year, fixed term contract

£25,000 per annum, pro rata

DBS:An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this role, the cost of which will be covered by ECIL

There are two posts being advertised within this project. This post relates to supporting disabled people from the pan-disability community in the London Borough of Ealing.

JOB BACKGROUND and SUMMARY OF ROLE

This is a one year, fixed term project with Ealing Council, Ealing Centre for Independent Living (ECIL), the National Autistic Society (NAS), Women’s One Stop Shop – including Community Activities Project Ealing (CAPE) and Recovery Intervention Service Ealing (RISE). The Women’s One Stop Shop supports women with mental health needs, offending behaviour, experience of domestic abuse, sexual violence and substance misuse, including women working in the sex industry. In addition, support and advice will be available from Job Centre Plus.

The project targets improving access to the labour market in Ealing for people with physical disabilities, long term conditions (such as diabetes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), people with autism and people with severe and enduring mental health needs. These groups often face the greatest barriers, including lack of accessible transport, poor access within workplaces, as well as stigma and discrimination which can result in lack of self-belief and low confidence.

Client focused, one aspect of the project will focus on identifying and supporting women with complex and multiple issues including experience of domestic abuse, sex working, hazardous drug and alcohol use, and mental health needs. These women find it difficult to access services; their lifestyles may be chaotic. The complexity of the needs can also make it hard for services traditionally set up to serve a single issue to meet those needs.

In Ealing, 22,885 people have disabilities or long term health conditions and the estimated number of adults in Ealing with autism is 2,758. Mental health problems have a greater impact on people’s access to work than any other group of disorders. 40% of people with a mental health problem lasting more than 12 months were in employment in 2014/15.

JOB PURPOSE

The emphasis will be on individual coaching and support, on a one to one basis and in group sessions. This approach has the strongest evidence base for those facing the biggest challenges. The project will also provide group training sessions and peer support and will work closely with employers to enable them to make appropriate adjustments so that people can access job opportunities, secure employment and remain in work.

The work will include:

-enhancing the provision of employment training and coaching to ECIL clients

-being an integral part of the multidisciplinary team working towards the rehabilitation/ recuperation and ongoing development of client skills

-observing changes in clients, both physically and mentally and record/ report appropriately

-assisting clients to develop skills, confidence and alternative coping strategies

-being active in assisting clients to achieve goals set at reviews

-working in conjunction with the CAPE Employment Coach

ECIL and its partnering organisations will proactively identify disabled clients who can benefit from the service.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • To provide one to one coaching and support
  • To coordinate and manage a group training programme, including:
  • Confidence building
  • Assertive and effective communication skills
  • Identifying individual assets and goals
  • To coordinate and manage Peer Support and Network
  • To create, manage and maintain an Employment Support volunteer bank
  • To identify those women with multiple and complex needs who could benefit from the Employment Coaching project
  • To design and run a Job Fair with identified partnersTo work closely with local employers to facilitate access to employment (including work tasters and experience along with awareness training for disability, mental health and autism) and to support job retention
  • To provide advice, information and signposting for employers and people using the service (for example Equalities Act 2010; Access to Work Scheme)
  • To train a number of volunteers to support the individual Employment Coach roles

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications - desirable

  • Degree level or equivalent in Advocacy and/ or Coaching

Experience

  • Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role(statutory and voluntary)
  • Knowledge and experience of developing and supporting people back into work or training
  • A proven track record of assisting clients to overcome barriers to employment to ensure that outcomes are sustainable
  • Ability to liaise with a wide range of stakeholders including partnering organisations, employers and community organisations

Skills and knowledge

  • Good knowledge of the benefits system relating to employment
  • Experience of nationally recognised employment assessments
  • Challenging behaviour training
  • Excellent IT and computer skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Good interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with a diverse range of people
  • Has, or can show capacity to develop, a good knowledge of local companies and organisations in the London Borough of Ealing
  • Numerate and literate, able to supply reports as required
  • Good presentation skills

Personal attributes

  • The post holder will need to develop positive relationships with local employers and should have a collaborative approach
  • Ability to enthuse and persuade, against a background of competing priorities
  • Ability to build rapport with clients
  • Methodical approach to gathering and reporting evidence
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • A good awareness and understanding of the issues that can affect people with physical disabilities, long term conditions, people with autism and people with severe and enduring mental health needs
  • You will need to be an approachable, professional, flexible individual who can deal tactfully and sensitively with others, manage a demanding workload, and be a good team player
  • A full, clean driving licence and use of a car would be an advantage

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