Dear Applicant

Case Worker – DIAL

It is exciting times at Gofal, as we have been successful in securing Big Lottery funding to deliver a uniqueand innovative project.The Dementia Integration and Link (DIAL) projectwill deliver support across two key delivery strands; these are supporting people with dementia, and supporting the carers of people with dementia.

1) Supporting people with dementia

The DIAL project will deliver support to people with dementia in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. This includes older people with dementia and those with early onset dementia. The support will be aimed at reducing social isolation, increasing confidence and improving mental and physical wellbeing.

This support will be delivered through the provision of ‘meaningful activity’ based on the individual interests and needs of the people being supported. All of the activities will be underpinned by the aims of encouraging social and community inclusion, promoting physical activity, stimulating the senses, facilitating reminiscence and preventing rapid deterioration of memory. Examples of the activities the project will provide include: walking, cookery, sports, reminiscence therapy, life history books, visits to familiar places, arts and crafts, gardening, yoga, outdoor activities, visiting a sensory garden, day trips etc.

The support will be delivered in a variety of settings to make the service as accessible as possible. These settings, as identified through Gofal's scoping exercise, include: ward settings, day centres, community settings and in people's homes (including personal houses, care homes, extra care facilities etc). Activities will either be delivered to a group, or on a one-to-one basis depending on the preferences of the people being supported.

2) Supporting the carers of people with dementia

The DIAL project will also support the carers of people with dementia and early onset dementia in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. This support will be delivered through:

  • the provision of respite for the carer whilst the person with dementia is being supported
  • the opportunity for inclusion of the carers in the activity sessions with the person they support
  • the facilitation of peer support groups for carers of people with dementia across Cardiff and the Vale.

The aim of this support will be to improve the mental wellbeing of the carers, up-skill them to engage those that they care for in a wider range of activities and will enable them to benefit from mutual support and advice from people with similar caring experiences.

Resources

The DIAL project will be delivered through a combination of dedicated staff members and trained volunteers. The team will include:

  • A Project Coordinator, who will spend 50% of their time on the DIAL project
  • A Senior Caseworker, who will work solely on the DIAL project and will report to the Project Coordinator
  • Two Caseworkers, who will work solely on the DIAL project and will report to the Senior Caseworker
  • A total of 35 trained volunteers (10 in year one, 15 in year two and 10 in year three) who will deliver the majority of the support sessions, reporting to the dedicated Caseworkers for the project.
  • A steering group, made up of key stakeholders, who will oversee the project at a strategic level and will ensure effective project delivery.
  • The project will also benefit from the support of Gofal’s central office functions including HR, Finance, IT, administration etc.

Beneficiaries

The main beneficiaries of this project will be:

  • People with dementia and early onset dementia (350 during project lifetime)
  • Volunteers on the project (35 during project lifetime).
  • Carers/family members of people with dementia (150 during project lifetime).
  • Local organisations that deliver services to people with dementia, e.g. the hospitals and care homes (10 during project lifetime).

Gofal

Gofal is a mental health and wellbeing charity providing a range of services to support people who are experiencing or who have experienced mental ill health – something that will affect 1 in 4 of us in our lifetime. We also lobby and campaign to improve mental health policy, practice and legislation and to increase public understanding and awareness of mental health and wellbeing.

Thank you for your interest in working for Gofal and please find enclosed the following:

1)Information on Gofal and the post you have applied for

2)Role Expectations, Person Specification and Competency Framework

3)Application Form

4)Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

The closing date for receipt of your application is Monday 13th June 2016. Please do ensure you return your application by this date and time. Gofal cannot be responsible for any applications received late and any applications that arrive after the deadline will not be considered.

Shortlisting will take place week commencing Monday 13th June 2016. We will contact you as soon as possible after shortlisting to inform you of the outcome.

Interviews will be held week commencing 20th June 2016.

Applications will be considered against the person specification and shortlisted candidates invited to interview. We therefore recommend that you read our Guidance notes (available on our website) before you complete your application.

Once again, thank you for your interest in Gofal and we look forward to receiving your application.

Yours sincerely

Anna Johnson

HR Administrator

About Gofal

Thinking differently about mental health and wellbeing

Gofal has been providing mental health and wellbeing services to people in Wales since 1990. We have come a long way since our first services opened in Bridgend, supporting the resettlement of people from the long stay psychiatric wards of Parc and Penyfai hospitals into homes in the community. We now operate across eleven local authorities in Wales and have a turnover in excess of £4million. We support over 2,000 people every year, employing around 130 people.

Our Vision

Good mental health and wellbeing for all

Our Mission

To have a positive lasting impact in all that we do by:

  • Working together to provide services that we can be proud of
  • Demonstrating outstanding practice in relation to staff mental health and wellbeing, learning and development
  • Challenging the way we all think about, talk about and respond to mental health and wellbeing in all areas of our lives
  • Using our profile, influence and voice to improve the lives of people living with or at risk of experiencing mental ill health
  • Increasing the range and reach of our services through targeted and sustainable business growth
  • Spending our money where it will have the maximum impact

Our Aspirations

Gofal aspires to:

  • Work with integrity and dignity
  • Inspire and support people to exceed their expectations
  • Develop a culture that is embracing and respectful of difference
  • Communicate honestly and openly
  • Be an organisation that is ambitious, creative and determined
  • Create environments that are collaborative, supportive and empowering
  • Be respected for our knowledge and expertise

GOFAL

DIAL Case Worker

DIAL Dementia Integration and Link Project

Location:Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

[with requirement for travel throughout other Gofal areas of operation]

Salary:£18685 per annum.

Contract: 3 years from start date (subject to probationary period)

Hours:37 hours per week.

Holidays:26 days annual leave plus bank holidays.

Holidays increase by 1 day for each year of service up to a maximum of 30 days.

Pension:Pension in the form of a money purchase pension scheme:

-4.5% non-contributory employer contribution

-5.5% paid if employee contributes 1%

-6.5% paid if employee contributes 2% of more

Other Benefits:Income Protection

Life Assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Opportunities for flexible working

Training and personal development opportunities

Job Purpose:

  • To provide a range of social, emotional and practical support for people experiencing mental ill health and dementia, enabling them to manage their responsibilities and self-manage their mental health/ dementia and wellbeing to live independently.
  • Provide a range of one to one support to beneficiaries in furtherance of individual and project aims.
  • Work with the DIAL Project team to recruit, train, mentor, supervise and support a team of volunteers
  • Facilitate and support group work activities and provide advice on reminiscence activities to Service Users and Volunteers.

GOFAL

Role Expectations

Post:Case Worker

Service:DIAL

Reporting to:Project Co-ordinator/ Senior Case Worker

Office Base:Cardiff office base with requirement for travel throughout areas of operation.

Date:May 2016

Role Expectations:

Service Delivery

1.To receive/ promote referrals into the service and carry out initial assessments to ensure suitability for the project.

2.To assess, develop and review plans to support and promote mental health and wellbeing.

3.To carry out assessments of need and develop and review activity plans to be used with beneficiaries, including use of any adaptations.

4.To provide support directly to beneficiaries as necessary and appropriate.

5.To work with the team to ensure that volunteers and beneficiaries are appropriately matched.

6.To case manage all beneficiaries allocated to you and the volunteers you are supporting.

7.To ensure that all relevant paperwork for beneficiaries and volunteers is maintained up to date.

8.To ensure appropriate support is provided to beneficiaries to help them achieve goals set, and to review and update plans accordingly.

9.To work within agreed models of support with particular reference to the recovery star.

Working with Volunteers

  1. To work with the team and external partners to recruit and train volunteers.
  2. To attend meetings and events to promote volunteering opportunities.
  3. To contribute own skills and knowledge of reminiscence based activities to induction and further training of volunteers.
  4. To manage a case load of volunteers providing one to one and group support and

mentoring to volunteers.

  1. To ensure all relevant paperwork relating to volunteers is complete.

Liaison

  1. To provide dementia appropriate activities and advice to Service Users and volunteers.
  2. To forge links with the LHB, care homes, day centres and similar settings in order to develop partnership opportunities for running group based activities.
  3. To develop links with local charities, local businesses, training providers and other specialist support providers in pursuit of project aims.
  4. To work with beneficiaries and their carers to identify goals and aspirations.
  5. To liaise with other Gofal services and appropriate external organisations to identify opportunities to meet needs and aspirations of service user and carers
  6. To share knowledge and skills with other Gofal services and partner organisations as appropriate.
  7. To identify and provide access to more specific advice and assistance as required.

Administration and Quality

1.To ensure that all case notes are maintained as accurate and up to date.

2.To ensure that colleagues are kept up to date with all relevant information.

3.To produce reports as requested within area of responsibilities.

4.To ensure that key information and outcomes are recorded.

5.To ensure that IT systems are used effectively and in line with organisational procedures – eg. Use of e-mail and database systems.

6.To provide all relevant information to head office and external organisations as required.

Organisation Expectations

To carry out all duties in a manner that reflects Gofal’s Aspirations:

  1. Work with integrity and dignity.
  2. Inspire and support people to exceed their expectations.
  3. Develop a culture that is embracing and respectful of difference.
  4. Communicate honestly and openly.
  5. Be an organisation that is ambitious, creative and determined.
  6. Create environments that are collaborative, supportive and empowering.
  7. Be respected for our knowledge and expertise.

Gofal

Person Specification

Post: Case Worker – DIAL

Essential / Desirable / Assessed through
Experience
Experience of working in the health and social care field, providing support, assistance and advice to individuals /  / Application/Interview
Experience of working with people affected by mental health problems /  / Application/ Interview
Experience of working with people with dementia / 
Experience of providing support to people in the community, including in people’s own homes. /  / Application
Experience of liaising with housing and health services /  / Application
Qualifications and skills
Qualification relevant to the work – ie NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care /  / Application
Full current driving licence and access to your own transport /  / Application
Ability to communicate in Welsh /  / Application
IT skills including basic word processing and use of databases to input information /  / Application/ Interview
Knowledge and Understanding
How mental health problems can affect an individual’s life /  / Application/ Interview
The range of mental health and housing services available /  / Application/ Interview
The welfare/housing benefits system and how to apply for the various benefits /  / Application/ Interview
How health and social care services can contribute to people’s lives /  / Application/ Interview
Ways to involve service users in the further development of the project /  / Application/ Interview
Competencies
Role model behaviours of integrity and dignity to other team members /  / Interview
Support the team to deliver at its best /  / Interview
Role model behaviours underpinned by respect of difference /  / Interview
Adapt communication to the audience /  / Application/ Interview
Identify the best outcomes, solve problems and overcome barriers to achievement /  / Interview
Identify new opportunities to seek and share experience with others /  / Interview
Proactively identify own development needs and take action to meet them /  / Application/ Interview

Applicants for the post of Case Worker – DIALwill be required to demonstrate evidence of competency at levels 1 and 2; please refer to the Competency Framework below:

Competency Framework

Gofal aspires to:Work with integrity and dignity

Level 1: Demonstrate integrity and dignity in all interactions with others

  • Maintain appropriate personal boundaries in all interactions with service users, colleagues and external contacts
  • Express opinions genuinely and honestly, while being mindful of the impact on others
  • Take responsibility for reflecting on own behaviours
  • Maintain confidentiality and be trustworthy in relationships with service users and colleagues
  • Bring to the attention of line managers, any situations where standards of integrity or dignity are believed to have been breached.
  • Make every effort to deliver on commitments made.

Level 2: Role Model behaviours of integrity and dignity to other team members

  • Give feedback to colleagues where behaviours are noticed which do not demonstrate integrity or dignity
  • Help others to understand their responsibilities to act with integrity and dignity
  • Actively seek feedback to understand own personal impact on others, and use personal insights.

Gofal aspires to:Inspire and support people to exceed their expectations

Level 1: Support colleagues to deliver at their best

  • Role model positive and constructive behaviours to service users and colleagues
  • Share knowledge, skills and learning to help others to be at their best.
  • Work in a way that supports and promotes the wellbeing of others.
  • Participate openly and constructively in team meetings
  • Work co-operatively with others, supporting colleagues to deliver their best to service users
  • Actively engage in own supervision and appraisal, preparing and participating fully
  • Maintain high quality standards in file and record keeping
  • Notice and acknowledge great contribution from others

Level 2: Support the team to deliver at its best

  • Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to change
  • Support colleagues in managing the emotional impact of their work
  • Actively seek out information to share, which will help the team in its work
  • Take a role in mentoring team members who need help or support
  • Actively suggest ideas for improvement for the team
  • Bring the great contribution of colleagues to the attention of others

Gofal aspires to: Develop a culture that is embracing and respectful of difference

Level 1: Demonstrate respect of difference in all interaction with others

  • Have a reputation for being a great listener
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the value of equality and respect for diversity
  • Show an awareness of the different needs of people from different backgrounds, cultures and life experiences
  • Seek to understand the perspective of service users through genuine interest and questioning
  • Demonstrate an open mind with people who may have a different viewpoint.
  • Use language which is positive and non-judgmental towards others

Level 2: Role model behaviours underpinned by respect of difference

  • Give support to others where they may be finding it difficult to deal with issues of equality or

difference

  • Share experiences and knowledge which can help others embrace difference in their work and livesand take every opportunity to learn more about equality issues
  • Challenge behaviour which does not demonstrate a respect of difference
  • Work to resolve conflict where it is observed

Gofal aspires to:Communicate honestly and openly

Level 1: Communicate in a clear and concise way

  • See communication as a two way process, actively seeking out communication, as well as actively listening to the message delivered.
  • Use a communication style which is appropriate to the listener
  • Use words appropriately, communicating in language which matches the organisation’s values.
  • Using observation, be able to judge the listener’s response and adapt communication accordingly.
  • Use written and IT based communication to explain key points clearly and effectively, and in appropriate detail.
  • Role model honesty and openness in communication with others, using genuine care in the delivery of messages and challenging colleagues to do the same.

Level 2: Adapt communication to the audience