Islington MIND Policy Unit

JOB DESCRIPTIONSocial Networking Caseworker

Reporting to:Community Support Service Manager for day to day work.

Accountability:The Social Networking Caseworker will be employed by Islington MIND and will be accountable to the Islington Mind Management Committee and the Director.

Islington Mind is a voluntary organisation that is concerned with the welfare of people with mental health problems, living in the London Borough of Islington. Its projects include a Community Support Service, Counselling Service, Dual Diagnosis Carers Service, an Enablement Service, and Advice and Information service. The post of Social Networking Caseworker is part of the Community Support Service. The post holder will promote recovery and social inclusion in Clients recovering from mental health problems by helping them to identify and participate in mainstream activities such as: education; faith and cultural activities; arts and culture; sport and exercise; neighbourhood/community activities etc. Funding at present exists for only twelve months for this post.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Main purpose of job: To promote recovery and social inclusion in service users of the Community Support Service by facilitating their participation in mainstream activities. The aim is to achieve the following outcomes: assisting in maintaining and improving their recovery; build self-confidence; improve physical well-being; improve social networks beyond mental health services; improve personal skills including educational attainment and reduce dependence on mental health services where appropriate. Please note that this service is not involved with employment support.
Supporting clients with complex housing, benefits ( both DLA and more importantly Employment Support Allowance - including advocating at the Appeals process) and liaising with health partners.

Tasks:

Working with clients

i.Receive referrals from the Community Support Services team and act as named Caseworker for a caseload of up to 35 clients. You will be working intensively with clients with multiple and complex needs

ii.Use a person-centred approach to help Clients identify their interests, desires and understand their needs. Then help them access any suitable community activity that has been identified together with the client, which will support their recovery, personal development needs and encourage their social inclusion.

iii Supporting clients with complex housing, benefits ( both DLA and Employment Support Allowance - including advocating at the Appeals process) and liaising with health partners.

iv.Work in partnership with clients to help them create an individual development plan. These must be realistic, contain clear goals and be delivered within an agreed time frame.

v.Provide intensive support initially. This is to be achieved by supporting clients to access and successfully engage in the opportunities identified in their personal development plans.

vi.Provide ongoing support to help clients maintain their recovery through theirdevelopment plan. This to be achieved by regularly contacting clients to review progress and assisting in the provision of any additional support necessary to help their completion of their individual development plan.

vii.Provide written and verbal reports for regular 3-monthly reviews with client and Service Manager as well as attending final meeting to report on discharge strategy after two years or earlier if client is ready.

viii.Offer minimal low level advice to clients on broader social care issues such as housing and benefits issues eg. completing initial forms.

ix.Maintain records and report back using Excel, databases, Word and other IT packages for a caseload of up to 35 clients.

x.Be available, including occasional weekends, evenings and bank holidays.

Working with Community Partners

a.Identify community activities including sport and exercise, family and neighbourhood, faith and cultural communities, education and arts and culture, liaise with providers and develop links.

b.Liaise with professional such as Rehabilitation and Recovery Teams (RRT), Care Co-ordinators, Community Development Workers (CDW’s), GPs, social workers etc. and negotiate on behalf of clients.

c.Market and promote the Community Support Service to all of the above by giving presentations, distributing literature throughout Islington.

d.Identify mainstream services and opportunities on an individual basis, and in groups such as confidence building, motivation, documentary film making, IT skills, podcasting, self development, numeracy, literacy, photography etc

Administrative and General Responsibilities

i.Keep detailed file notes, create and write up support plans with Clients, write reviews which will be informed by outcomes that you will measure in consultation with clients using the Recovery Star method.

ii.Record data, in writing as well as inputting data on our Charitylog database.

iii.Generate own correspondence using Word and own presentations using PowerPoint.

iv.The Community Support Service is endeavouring to raise more of its own revenue by letting its rooms for hire. This is often at evenings and weekends and staff are required to be available to take turns in doing this. Time off in lieu is offered to staff to make up for evening and weekend working.

v Organising and helping to prepare the lunch when necessary.

vi Deal with disputes, if they arise, including helping to devise appropriate procedures for the exclusion of disruptive individuals if necessary.

vii Counselling clients on a personal basis when necessary, especially those who may be very distressed or facing a crisis.

viii Ensuring that the centre is kept properly cleaned.

ix Welcoming new clients referred by statutory and other agencies, and helping them adjust to the centre.

General

i.To work as a member of a team, communicating with others in writing and face-to-face, taking part in staff meetings and team meetings.

ii.To maintain quality standards in accordance with Islington Mind’s policies and procedures.

iii.To accept line management and supervision from the designated line manager and to engage constructively in this process.

iv.To accept the need to learn from experience, to actively take part in reflective practice, to change where necessary, develop new skills and keep up to date with current practice and undertake training as directed by the designated line manager.

v.In addition to the tasks and duties outlined in this job description, to perform such other relevant and appropriate duties within the general framework of the position, as from time to time may be determined by the Community Support Service Manager and Director.

vi.All staff will be responsible for respecting and maintaining personal and professional boundaries concerning relationships with clients, volunteers and other staff. All Staff are also required to act in a professional and responsible manner which does not have a negative impact on the service or the organisation as a whole and which is in accordance with the policies and procedures of Islington Mind. It is the responsibility of all staff to inform a member of the senior management team immediately if clients, volunteers or staff do not comply with the above.

To assist the Community Service Manager in developing and maintaining policies, systems and procedures related to the service.

To attend fortnightly staff meetings and team meetings, and regular supervision and appraisal meetings with the Community Support Service Manager.

To uphold all Islington MIND’s policies and procedures including Confidentiality and Equal Opportunities policies

Hours of Work:28 per week

Location:Based mainly at the Mind Hub, 48 Despard Road, Islington, London N195NW

Islington Mind Policies

a.External Relations

The post holder may only submit written material or speak to the press in accordance with the Islington Mind guidelines for contact with the media.

b.User Participation

Islington Mind is committed to encouraging full participation of service users in the planning and running of all aspects of its work. All staff are expected to assist and encourage users to take full responsibility in the day-to-day activities of the project.

c.Equal Opportunities

Islington Mind is committed to an Equal Opportunities Policy and is opposed to discrimination on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, race, colour, national origin, age, religious beliefs, marital status, disability, health status (e.g. HIV status, epilepsy, experience of mental distress etc.), responsibility for dependants, trade union activity, or on any other unreasonable basis. All employees are required to work within this policy.

d.Confidentiality

All employees of Islington Mind are expected to respect the rights of clients to privacy and confidentiality as far as possible within the constraints of legal requirements and the safety of other people.