Job Title: Work and Learning Coach Department: Client Services

JOB DESCRIPTION

April 2016

Job title: Work and Learning Coach Department: Client Services

Team: Crisis Skylight Merseyside Job holder: Vacant

Reporting to: Progression Manager

Aim

Develop and deliver a high quality coaching and Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) service for homeless and vulnerable adults experiencing unemployment
Develop learning and skills partnerships and deliver outreach working with hostels and other local agencies and providers
Develop and manage a mobile Careers library
Using a coaching methodology, work with up to 25 clients at any one time

Dimensions

Support and manage volunteers as required within classes

Circumstances

35 hours per week
Based in Liverpool, with services delivered in partners’ facilities or community venues across Merseyside. Access to own transport is essential and the successful candidate should be prepared to travel widely across Merseyside
Some evening and weekend work will be required and time off in lieu will be given in accordance with Crisis TOIL policy
A satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required for this role. CSM works with young people aged 16 and 17 and so the check will also establish the successful applicant’s suitability to work with children as well as vulnerable adults.

Salary

£29,872 per annum

Background

Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.

Crisis Skylight, our award winning and accredited education, training and employment services, offer practical and creative workshops with formal learning opportunities that lead to qualifications and finding work.Crisis has established Skylight centres open in London, Newcastle and Oxford and operates outreach services in Birmingham, Coventry, South Yorkshire and Edinburgh. We have been delivering outreach services in Merseyside since 2011.

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

Please note that the team structure is subject to change.

Principal accountabilities

Coaching and IAG

Provide information, advice and guidance on personal development, training, learning and employment opportunities, including referral to suitable provision outside Crisis Skylight services.
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 learning 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.
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.
Support tutors with Individual learning plans and progression reviews.
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.

Partnership Working

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

General accountabilities

Actively encourage and support member involvement within Crisis,
Develop and maintain an understanding of Crisis’ 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.

Person Specification

Essential

The applicant must holdthe equivalent of NVQ3 in Information, Advice or Guidance (IAG) or above
Experience of delivering one-to-one IAG and / or jobsearch support and / or managing a caseload of clients.
Understanding the barriers unemployed people face in accessing training and employment.
Understanding of homeless people and the causes and impacts of homelessness.
Excellent communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills.
Good interpersonal skills, able to develop and maintain working relationships with a diverse range of providers and individuals.
Proven organisational skills including an ability to prioritise, be self-motivated and have good time-management skills.
Ability to deliver effective training on subjects such as CV skills, application skills etc to unemployed people.
A capacity both to work on your own, in teams and a willingness to reflect upon and develop own practice.
Access to own transport with ability to travel across Merseyside
Knowledge of and ability to comply with safeguarding procedures
Commitment to Crisis’ purpose and values including equality and social inclusion

We encourage applications from all sections of the community particularly those with personal or previous experience of homelessness