Job Description
Job TitleJob Coach (Journey Guide)Salary / GradeA28- A31
DepartmentStudent Services and Progression
Immediate Line ManagerLead Job Coach
DateAugust 2016
Hereward is one of the 25 partners who are working as part of the Accelerate partnership project. This post is funded by the Big Lottery and the European Social Fund and is aimed at supporting individuals in Coventry and Warwickshire to overcome barriers to employment.
Main purpose and scope of post
- To offer high quality, personalised support for clients with disabilities and/or other disadvantages which enables learners to seek, access and retain employment experiences with the long-term view of accessing paid employment and increased independence.
- To develop and nurture employability skills of clients.
- To support clients and employers in the employability process.
Responsibilities and accountabilities – General
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive culture that embeds theCollege’s values, and ensures that clients and staff feel valued, safe and supported.
- Presenting a positive, “can do” attitude and taking personal responsibility for own actions.
- Committed to a culture of continuous improvement and ensuring that own contribution to the role and the College is of the highest standard.
- Represent the College positively and effectively in dealings with external parties.
- Take responsibility for own continuing professional development as agreed in the appraisal process.
- Responsible for taking all appropriate measures to safeguard vulnerable people and promote their welfare.
Responsibilities and accountabilities – Detailed
Client engagement
- Develop clients’ skills and knowledge of themselves, expectations, needs and areas for development in relation to the world of work.
- Assistclientsto aspire to paid employment and advise clientsof the financial and social benefits of work related activities.
- Provide accessible information including better-off calculations to learners to enable them to make informed decisions and choices related to work related activities.
- Complete appropriate paperwork for client entry and exit of the project.
Support for clients
- Support clientsand employers to overcome any potential behaviouralproblems at work and identify interventions in and outside work to support individuals inovercoming employment-related and personal issues.
- Refer individuals to additional sources of support within the Accelerate projectwhen problems andissues are outside own competence or authority
- Where necessary support clients whilst they are on employment experience with written, practical tasks.
- Prepare learners emotionally and socially for work and assist them to be socially included at work with advice, social skills strategies and by creating a network of support.
- Where necessary, transport clientsin your own vehicle to and from places that offer opportunities to develop the clientsor promote their independence and transition.
Identifying the needs of clients
- Support clientsto identify their experiences, skills, needs, talents and employment preferences through initial assessments and profiling.
- Support clientsin preparing their curriculum vitae in a format that is accessible to them, prepare for interviews/working interviews.
- Identify specific support strategies or technologies that may be required to facilitate the employment experience for learners.
- Prepare clientsemotionally and socially for work and assist them to be socially included at work with advice, social training strategies or by engaging natural supports.
Action planning, target setting and monitoring
- Liaise closely with key staff to ensure that the employability process is planned and effectively linked to Individual targets.
- Be responsible for producing a jointly agreed employability action plan in direct partnership with clientsand support clientsin planning future career progression.
- Oversee the completion of employment experience monitoring reports from the clientsand employer perspectives.
- Provide feedback to clientsand team leader regarding individual client’sprogress, issues or effective support strategies.
- Monitor and review progress of employability experiences and targets on an on-going basis, updating and maintaining a database as appropriate.
Developing employability skills
- Develop and lead employability sessions with clientsand support clientsto achieve agreed desired objectives.
- Encourage the autonomy of the clientin making decisions, and their responsibility in implementing them.
- Enable clientin supported employment opportunities to be productive and integrated into their workplace.
Employer engagement
- Approach and develop working relationships with local and national employers to create work experience opportunities for each client.
- Broker paid employment opportunities for clients, including working with employers to understand and necessary adjustments need for the client.
- Liaise with employer supervisors to ensure quality and successful placements.
- Analytically complete risk assessments of all placements offered.
- Feedback information to employer supervisors which may enhance the quality of the clients’ experience and help them to reach their potential.
- Support the Job Coach team with identifying potential employers and placement opportunities.
Team working
- Communicate effectively with the wider Job Coach team and partners within the Accelerate project.
- Attend regular team meetings and feedback on the progress of the clients and employer engagement.
- Attend regular Accelerate project meetings and network with members to ensure continuity and effective of support for clients.
- Support the allocation of clients on to the appropriate provisions through effective liaison with other members of the Accelerate project.
Develop own supported employment practice
- Be responsible for developing and maintaining skills and knowledge to competently perform own role through research and training as identified during the appraisal process.
- Challenge own and others’ assumptions about the employment choices that learners can make.
College Wide Strategic View
- Work within and support the Colleges’Employability and Enterprise Strategy.
- Comply with College policies and procedures.
- Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested by your line manager.
Person Specification
Job TitleJob Coach (Journey Guide)Selection Criteria[i]
A= Application Form I = Interview T = Test/Personality Profile / Essential/ Desirable / Method of Candidate Assessment
A, I or T
Experience
- Working with and supporting individuals with disabilities and/or SEN
- Working in an educational establishment or supported employment organisation
- Working with a variety of different employers or sectors
- Engaging employers and creating working relationships
- Supporting individuals to obtain employment, job brokering or to develop their employability skills
Educational/ Vocational Qualifications
- Level 2 numeracy and literacy
- Appropriate academic or vocational qualification equivalent to a level 3 with willingness to work towards a level 4 qualification
- Training in supported employment or systematic instruction (TSI)
Skills
- An ability to develop positive working relationships with individuals at all levels (internal and external) to promote the College
- Highly developed communication (written and verbal skills), presentation, external liaison and networking skills
- Good organisational and time management skills
- A systematic approach to work with excellent problem solving skills
- Good IT Skills including Microsoft Office and knowledge of using a MIS database
- Possess a valid driving licence with no more than 3 penalty points issued
- Have access to your own vehicle
Approach
- A positive and proactive attitude
- A strong commitment to client success
- A commitment to excellence
- Ability and determination to promote equality and diversity throughout all aspects of College life, including employment and service delivery
- The ability to motivate and encourage others, inspire trust and a sense of common purpose
- Ability to work effectively through teams and a critical and sensitive understanding of the roles of other staff
- Able to clearly demonstrate understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and a commitment to promoting the welfare of vulnerable people
Prepared by Student Services and Progression Manager / Date Aug 2016
1
[i]The selection criteria are for guidance only and alternative methods may be used to assist the selection process.