JOB DESCRIPTION

August 2013

Job title:Work and Learning CoachDepartment:Client Services

Team:Crisis Skylight MerseysideJob holder:

Reporting to: Progression Manager

Aim

  • Develop and deliver a high quality coaching and IAG service for homeless and vulnerable adults experiencing unemployment.

Dimensions

  • Develop learning and skills partnerships with local agencies and providers.
  • Outreach working at hostels or other partner organisations.
  • Support tutors with Individual learning plans and progression reviews.
  • Using a coaching methodology, work with up to 25 clients at any one time.

Circumstances

  • 35 hours per week.
  • Evening and weekend work will be required.
  • Based in the Rope Walks area of Liverpool with services delivered in partners facilities across Merseyside;
  • A satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau is required for this role. Crisis Skylight Merseyside also works with young people aged 16 and 17 and so the CRB check will establish the successful applicant’s suitability to work with children as well as vulnerable adults.

Salary

  • £26,463 per annum.

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The role

Working within Crisis Skylight Merseysidethe Work and Learning Coach(WALC) will support unemployed clients to develop skills, increase employability and gain/sustain employment through training, one-to-one information, advice, guidance, ongoing jobsearch and other support. The WALC will deliver flexible customer driven services in liaison with employers, partners and other key stakeholders. The WALC has particular responsibility for:

  • Providing information, advice and guidance (IAG) on learning, employment and training and coaching clients to help them access these activities.
  • Co-ordinating support for vulnerable adultsto successful follow sustainable education, employment or training routes.

Organisational chart

Principal accountabilities

  • Provide information, advice and guidance on personal development, training, further education and employment opportunities in order to support learner progression.
  • Agreeing individual action/learning plans with clients, reviewing progress against these and maintaining an ongoing caseload of clients being supported to achieve these plans.
  • Use appropriate assessment tools to identify attributes, circumstances and barriers in order to inform the client’s guidance and support needs.
  • Manage a caseload of clients, which includes recording information on progress and monitoring outcomes to ensure progression.
  • Organise and deliver programmes to motivate clients to engage with and progress into further education or sustainable work.
  • Support clients in pro-active job search. This may involve training in jobsearch skills as well as provision of jobsearch workshops and one-to-one support in making applications.
  • Recruit, training and support Learning Champions in each partner organisation, who are tasked with encouraging their peers to enrol into the Skylight programme.
  • Meet performance targets as agreed with line manager and reporting against targets in agreed format in a timely and accurate fashion. This will include adherence to quality standards.
  • Development, upkeep and accurate maintenance of all administrative and monitoring systems required for effective delivery of the project. These will be agreed with management and reflect the requirements of both Crisis and/or our funders.
  • Visit and liaise with opportunity providers and other agencies to collect information appropriate to support the work with learners.
  • Work with voluntary, statutory and community agencies to ensure a coherent approach to overcoming barriers to learning and employment faced by homeless learners.
  • Attend meetings with other professionals concerning homeless learners.
  • Establish and maintain effective relationships and communication channels with relevant employers, stakeholders and partners in order to support project and organisational objectives.
  • Outreach work at hostels or other locations as necessary.
  • Working closely with the CSM colleagues to pro-actively identify Skylight members that with coaching support will be ready to progress to further education or employment.
  • Understand, comply with and promote Crisis policies and procedures, including:

(i)Health and Safety Policy.

(ii)Equalities and Diversity policy.

(iii)Maintaining confidentiality of information about staff, service users, partners and other individuals/organisations coming into contact with Crisis in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1984.

  • Other duties as reasonably requested by line management.

General accountabilities

  • Develop and maintain an understanding of the Charity’s work and the needs and circumstances of homeless people.
  • Comply with Crisis policies and procedures, including Health and Safety policies, for which all employees owe a duty of care both to themselves and others, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • Carry out duties that may reasonably be required in the light of the main purpose of the job.
  • Respect and meet professional standards published by the Institute of Fundraising and the Fundraising Standards Board

Person specification

Essential

  1. At least equivalent of NVQ2 in IAG
  2. Evidence of continuing professional development e.g. through work training
  3. Experience of delivering one-to-one IAG and / or jobsearch support and / or managing a caseload of clients.
  4. Experience of working with and / or supporting unemployed adults in a community setting
  5. Understanding the barriers unemployed people face in accessing training and employment
  6. Understanding of equal opportunities and diversity and how to translate policy into practice
  7. Excellent communication skills – written and oral
  8. Good interpersonal skills, able to develop and maintain working relationships with a diverse range of providers and individuals
  9. Sound organisational skills, able to: prioritise, work under pressure, work flexibly, work on own initiative, work flexibly and meet deadlines.
  10. Ability to use MS Office, (including Word, Excel, & Outlook as minimum) & internet
  11. Ability to deliver effective training (CV skills, application skills etc)
  12. Ability to work as part of a team
  13. Ability to complete paperwork to a high degree of accuracy including monitoring and data entry.
  14. Commitment to Crisis ‘purpose and values including equality and social inclusion.

Desirable

  1. Trained in a ‘coaching’ methodology
  2. Experience of delivering training to unemployed adults
  3. Knowledge of training and employment support programmes available in area
  4. Knowledge of relevant DWP benefits information and the ability to apply that knowledge
  5. Understanding of homeless people and the causes and impacts of homelessness.

We encourage applications from all sections of the community particularly those with personal

or previous experience of homelessness.

JOB DESCRIPTION