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Ref no:
254021
Published:
12/01/2022
Closes:
25/01/2022
Location:
62 Summer Street, AB10 1SD
Salary:
£24,007 - £25,839 per year
Contract Type:
Permanent, Temporary
Position Type:
Full Time
Hours:
36.25 hours per week

Job title: Lead Practitioner – Direct Access Service

Responsible to: Service Manager - Direct Access Services

Salary: £24,007 - £25,839 (scale points 28-30)

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Contract: Fixed term 1 year.


MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

  • To support the Service Manager in delivering the Direct Access Service the provision of crisis intervention and ongoing housing & food provision support and advice to Service Users attending the Direct Access Service.

JOB ACTIVITIES

  • Work with Service Users to provide daily crisis intervention and ongoing housing and food provision support through the Direct Access Service in accordance with the requirements of Aberdeen Cyrenians.
  • Form, develop and maintain relationships with service users, key working Service Users, on an intensive basis to reduce chaotic behaviour, re-integrate into society and sustain their tenancy.
  • Engage with and support service users to support and assist in the community reintegration.
  • To encourage service users to make appropriate practical arrangements regarding accommodation, employment, education and training needs.
  • Assess and review service users’ circumstances through accurate & appropriate information gathering.
  • Ensure that the basic needs of service users are addressed and met (food, shelter, warmth, bathing, clothing, etc.).
  • Provide service users with ongoing support in their tenancies, liaising and working with a range of agencies on their behalf.
  • Assist service users in identifying external sources of support and to engage with other agencies in relation to improving their lifestyle (including accommodation situation, economic well-being, health, quality of life, practical skills, social functioning, general outlook and reduction in risky behaviour).
  • Intervene in a crisis to effectively pre-empt and/ or de-escalate accidents and incidents.
  • Support the Lead Practitioner to engage in partnership working by liaising/working with a range of agencies on behalf of service users, including social work, housing, health, police, courts, utility companies, debt agencies, Department for Work & Pensions, other voluntary sector organisations and other professionals such as lawyers, etc. to ensure a seamless service is delivered.
  • Advocate on service users’ behalf and generally assist them with communication issues.
  • Work with service users to tackle debts, to manage budgets and maximise their income.
  • Provide emotional support to service users.
  • Assist service users with substance misuse/mental health issues using a risk harm minimisation approach and engage the support of other agencies as required.
  • Ensure that services users’ views remain paramount and ensure that potential obstacles such as literacy & numeracy are assessed and addressed.
  • Assist in protecting service users from abuse and work with other agencies in this regard.
  • Liaise with DASAP/VAW Projects to manage the specific support needs of women.
  • Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required.
  • Induct new staff into the service and provide mentoring support and guidance to direct reports and less experienced staff.
  • Supervision of support practitioners.
  • Deputise for the Service Manager as and when required.

SYSTEMS

  • Maintenance of paperwork – Utilisation InForm System to record all information in relation to Service User Management. Writing letters on behalf of service users, report writing, H&S checks, diary entries, hours worked on tasks, etc.
  • Day-to-day operation of service (budgeting, appointments), meeting attendance.
  • Service finance (petty cash).
  • Computers/IT systems – Word, Excel, email, databases.

REFERENCES

  • Aims & Values Policy
  • Resettlement Policy
  • Improving Employability Policy
  • Health & Well-being Policy
  • InForm Guidelines
  • Child Protection Policy
  • Support and Protection of Adults at Risk of Harm

QUALITY STANDARDS

  • Working to the appropriate Care Inspectorate standards.
  • Working to the appropriate Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator standards.
  • Working to the appropriate CJSW standards and working in partnership with the commissioner.
  • Working to the appropriate Environmental Health standards.

GENERAL TERMS OF REFERENCE

  • In carrying out the above activities, the Lead Practitioner will:
  • Work on their own and as part of teams, both within Aberdeen Cyrenians and with partnership organisations;
  • Maximise their own performance and contribution;
  • Ensure they comply with internal and external regulations, procedures and other requirements pertaining to the service;
  • Maintain the good reputation of the organisation;
  • Keep abreast of developments and legislation relevant to the service’s range of activities;
  • Seek to improve their knowledge and skills by both formal and informal means;
  • Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required.

BASIS, VALUES AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

  • To respect and work according to the mission, aims and values in all aspects of the job and be responsible for the demonstration of these in the course of the daily work.
  • To respect and work according to our Equality and Diversity Policy and ensure its promotion in the course of daily work


Requirements

Essential

  • A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent.
  • Literacy and numeracy at a level to maintain all the appropriate paperwork, write reports and support plans and give budgeting advice.
  • Able to use computer applications such as Word, databases.
  • An understanding of social issues such as criminal justice, homelessness, mental health, substance misuse.
  • A minimum 6 months experience in a social care/ support environment in a voluntary or paid capacity.
  • Experience of working with disadvantaged people.
  • Interpersonal understanding – listens and understands expressed feelings; demonstrates concern for others; encourages others to express themselves.
  • Emotional awareness – manages strong emotions and responds constructively; keeps own feelings in check; deals with stress.
  • Service user orientation – strives to meet and surpass service users expectations; maintains appropriate contact until problem is resolved; makes self available to service users at critical periods; able to advocate on behalf of service users.
  • Flexibility – adapts easily to changes at work; modifies behaviour in response to a situation; sees the merits of differing viewpoints.
  • Initiative – takes responsibility; looks ahead and anticipates what needs to be done; is able to assess and manage risks.
  • Team working – contributes fully to team work; establishes positive relationships with the team.
  • Working within Professional Boundaries – Demonstrates professional curiosity; accepts responsibility for own work; seeks and uses professional support; understands the principle of confidentiality.
  • Leadership – gives recognition and credit; generates enthusiasm and commitment.
  • Developing others – assumes responsibility for addressing service users’ skills; encourages initiatives in problem solving and making choices.
  • Driving/clean licence
  • Able to respect the aims and values of our work including a commitment to work with those with the most challenging needs to ensure that they have every opportunity to avoid further exclusion.

Desirable

  • An understanding of legislation/practice pertaining to the work.
  • Experience working with offenders


Other information

It's important to us that we recruit people who share our values and who want to make a difference. Our interview process is designed to get to know you better and to find out why you want to work for us. If you are nervous, please don't be - there are no right or wrong answers.

Because we work with vulnerable people, we have a responsibility to safeguard them. We undertake background and reference checks, and it is a term of employment with us that all employees register with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups ("PVG") scheme operated by Disclosure Scotland.

We guarantee an interview to candidates who have lived experience within the areas of society and the issues that we support and those who are care experienced, subject to meeting the minimum criteria for the role.

We're an equal opportunities employer and value diversity - exclusion has no place in our workplaces. If you need us to make reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend an interview with us, just let us know.

We regret that due to current Home Office rules, we are not able to sponsor applicants for this role, so you must be eligible to live and work in the UK without sponsorship.

The closing date for this position is 5pm on Tue 25th January 2022.