Location / Kilkeel
Service / Department / Operations
Reporting to / Team Leader
Terms and Conditions
Hours
Salary Range (FTE)
Holidays (FTE)
Employment Status
Probationary Period
MindWise Grade
Notice Period (weeks) / 37.5 hours per week
£15,655 - £18,095 (spine points 9-18) (Pro rata for job share)
25 days (rising to 30) plus 10 public holidays (Pro rata for Job share)
Permanent
6 months
G
4 weeks
Service / Department Description
MindWise supported housing services provide safe and supportive accommodation for people experiencing complex needs. Our service’s aim to encourage tenants to live life to the full as independently as possible in their own homes. MindWise’s core values convey our commitment to ensuring that all those who use our services do so within a recovery framework - support is based on a person centred, step up step down approach.
This is a new service operating in the Kilkeel area, 48 Newry Street, Kilkeel, BT34 4DN, in partnership with CHOICE, SHSCT and NIHE. The service aims to offer long term domiciliary care and support to 14 frail elderly people (over 65’s), experiencing problems associated with advancing age, associated frailty and dementia. MindWise will also support transitioning tenants into and where appropriate out of the service and extending support housing support to the wider community and across NI where appropriate.
MindWise’s responsible aim is to provide long term housing support to meet the individual tenants needs. Housing support is guided by the Supporting People Guidelines 2012.
Job Purpose
· To enable older people to live independently in the community.
· To ensure support needs are met and independence maximised.
· Deliver a housing led ethos in supporting clients to maintain a home of their own,
· Involve clients in the development of the services
· Provide a high quality supportive environment (QAF)
Duties
To:
· To develop housing related support plans for Tenants that will:
a. enable the individual to achieve their optimum ability and quality of life
b. develop the individual’s capacity to live independently in the community c. develop their skills to maintain a tenancy.
· To ensure the active engagement and participation of tenants and relevant others (families, advocates, carers) in the development and review of support plans and risk assessments.
· To enable tenants to prioritise specific areas of need and risk, identify both short and long term needs and ensure the frequency of reviews reflect these needs and risks identified and are reviewed at least annually or more often as required.
· Ensure the level and intensity of supports: dependent on assessed need, personalised to the individual tenant; relative to the level of risk posed to the individual, community, staff and related to the outcomes identified.
· Work to build on the tenant’s strengths to cultivate and encourage independence including recognition and management of risk,
· Ensure only eligible Housing Related Support tasks are offered to tenants, eligible meaningful activities include: access to social/leisure activities, access to religious activities, promote positive relationships (friends, family, others), feeling safe (use of assistive technology, maintenance and repairs, security and access), maintaining independence, budgeting and benefits, engaging with professionals, housekeeping.
· Strive to address the needs of complex clients and reduce exclusions.
· Seek to develop a good knowledge of local community resources and opportunities and ensure effective links and joint working arrangements with organisations that can help tenants to achieve their individual outcomes.
· To ensure that tenants support packages are tailored to the individual’s needs and risks - On average individual support packages will be between 6-8 hrs p.w. week or less than12 hrs. However, there may be exceptions to this. hours of 8am– 8pm – thereby focusing on integration into wider mainstream activities, exception to the rule is provided for 24/7. In addition, 24 hour On Call support is available to meet the Tenants complex needs. Tenants will also have access to a full range of services through the community/day services available.
· To report outcomes achieved at a client level and service level, reported against the five high level outcomes: Have economic well-being; Enjoy and achieve; Be healthy; Stay safe; Make a positive contribution. Noting outcomes are subject to change pending the NI Framework being agreed.
· Work in partnership with CHOICE, SHSCT, NIHE, tenants, relevant others and the wider community.
· Assist with general office administration.
· Participate in the monitoring requirements of the service by producing statistical and written reports accurately and concisely.
· Contribute to the day to day financial recording (for example petty cash) and monitoring of the service within MindWise financial regulations.
· To work as part of a team to constructively share views and suggestions to improve the service.
· Ensure Volunteers receive appropriate supervision, guidance and support.
· Liaise with mental health professionals and other agencies on behalf of people who use our services.
· Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as allocated by your Line Manager.
· Maintaining the hygiene and health and safety aspects of the communal and office areas
Employees of MindWise are required to promote and support the vision, mission and values of the organisation and:
· Carry out duties and responsibilities in compliance with MindWise policies and procedures; legislative and the regulatory frameworks.
· Operate within the NI Frameworks for Safeguarding and Protecting Adults and Children - Committing to a zero tolerance of abuse.
· Adhere to the NISCC Standards of Conduct and Practice
· Adhere to Equal Opportunities and the Equality and Diversity policies throughout the course of the employment.
· Ensure the ongoing confidence of all stakeholders including service users and the public in MindWise service provision.
· Engage in fundraising activities.
· Act in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
(*This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be exhaustive and is subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines. Those in all job roles are expected to adopt additional tasks when required; these tasks will be in keeping with the general profile of the role).
MindWise does not permit smoking by staff and volunteers in work. MindWise will protect staff, volunteers and others from passive smoking.
MindWise wishes to encourage applications from people with disabilities and commits to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and to consider them on their abilities.
MindWise Staff Competencies / BehavioursNB: Underpins MindWise Values and applicable to ALL staff
Competency / Behaviour / Description
Communicating effectively / Fosters open communication, listens to others, speaks effectively and prepares written communication so that messages are clearly understood
Creative thinking and innovation / Develops fresh ideas that contribute to and provide solutions to organisational, service and client needs
Building and maintaining effective working relationships / Contributes to and builds successful working relationships with individuals, team members and key stakeholders
Personal Development (willingness to learn) / Displays an ongoing commitment to learning and self-improvement
Adaptable and Flexible / Adapts to changing Organisational and service needs, conditions, and work responsibilities
Dignity and Respect / Earns others’ trust and respect through t honesty and professionalism, helping to create a work environment that embraces and appreciates diversity
Person Specification
REF / AREA / ESSENTIALü / DESIRABLE
ü
1 / EDUCATION/ PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
QCF Diploma Level 2 Health and Social Care (or equivalent) / ü
(shortlisting)
QCF Diploma Level 3 Health and Social Care (or equivalent) / ü
(shortlisting)
2.0 / EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE
A broad knowledge of, and experience in, providing housing related support services to Older People, able to clearly evidence experience of meeting the needs of Older People; including those with Dementia and Mental Health problems whilst working towards achieving outcomes and strategic targets.
AND
One year’s experience providing direct support to over 65 year olds with complex needs in a paid or voluntary position.
OR
Demonstrate a minimum of 1 years’ experience of providing support in a paid or voluntary capacity in another care setting. / ü
(shortlisting)
Working knowledge and evidence of successfully developing and implementing Housing Support Plans to achieve the desired outcomes. / ü
(shortlisting)
Knowledge of working with multidisciplinary teams / ü
(interview)
Must be able to demonstrate experience of working with computer packages, the internet and emails. / ü
(interview)
3 / COMPETENCIES
Motivated and empathetic to the needs of those whom use the service. / ü
(shortlisting + interview)
Flexible and adaptable to meet the complex and changing needs of the tenants. / ü
(shortlisting + interview)
Good verbal and written communication skills. / ü
(shortlisting + interview)
Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team / ü
(shortlisting + interview)
4 / ADDITIONAL
The successful candidate will be required to undergo a check via the Access(NI) Service and the Independent Safeguarding Authority before commencement of employment. / ü
(interview)
Willing and able to participate in a flexible rota – whilst the main support hours will be between 8am -8pm Mon-Fri, some support may be required outside of these times. / ü
(shortlisting and
interview)
Participation in a service specific on-call rota / ü
(shortlisting and
interview)
Be registered with or eligible for registration with NISCC / ü
(shortlisting & interview)
5 / VALUES & BEHAVIOURS
Ability to demonstrate alignment with MindWise’s core values and organisational behaviours. / ü
(interview)
MindWise reserves the right to use the desirable criteria for short-listing.