Vacancy advert for Community Connector project posts
We are recruiting for Community Connectors (based in North Manchester and nearby neighbourhoods of Bury and Rochdale) We would particularly welcome candidates who currently live or work in these areas.
Salary £21,636pa for full time (2 full time posts, job share available) Bottom of Form
Breakthrough UK, a leading disabled peoples organisation based in North Manchester, is seeking to recruit highly motivated and resourceful individuals to join our team as Community Connectors.
You will deliver our ‘Let’s Have A Good Week’,Community Connecting service in the North Manchester area, and will work disabled people to improve their independent living skills.
You will work with individualson their journey towards independence and inclusion byusing a person centred approach to identify goals, skills, interests and aspirations. You will liaise with organisations, services and activities in the neighbourhoods to advocate and support individuals to connect into activities and opportunities. You will support individuals to evaluate and record their journey.
Applicants will be able to demonstrate skills to support individuals in an empowering and person centred way. You will have a strong personal commitment to equality, social justice and inclusion and an understanding of disabling barriers in society.
You will be resourceful and able to work effectively on your own initiative and as a team member contributing to achievement of shared goals as well as individual targets.You will recruit and support volunteers and facilitate group sessions as appropriate.
Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check.
Applicants must submit a fully completed Breakthrough Application Form. We do not accept CVs.
Application Forms can be downloaded from our website at requested by email to by telephone to 0161 234 3950.
Deadline for applications is9am on Monday 22nd May 2017 and applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 5pm on Tuesday 23rd May. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held on Wednesday and Thursday 24th and 25th May 2017.
Job Description for post ofCommunity Connector
Salary: £21,636 pa for full time (2 full time posts, job share available)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Annual Leave: 36 days per annum (including Bank Holidays) for full time, pro rata for part time
Main workplace: Kevin Hyett Suite, Abraham Moss Centre,Crumpsall
Responsible for:Volunteers
The overall purpose of the role is to work from a person centred approach to enable people to fulfil their full potential and work towards independence in their communities. This will involve placing disabled people and their families firmly in the centre and working with collaboratively with them and their families wider partners and local people who are also developing or have in place existing social action and community solutions to develop a ‘Good week plan’.
The Community Connector will:
- Work with individuals in order to assist them to articulate their desired outcomes and provide a time limited service to enable them to achieve those outcomes within their own communities.
- Work with the disabled person to develop effective community links and networks that will: -
-Increase an individual’s knowledge of the opportunities in their local community and circles of informal support available in their communities.
-Empower, via the provision of information & and brokered involvement in local opportunities
-Reduce social exclusion
-Promote independence - and develop independent living skills
-Promote volunteering & employment
- Providing support to enable people to meet their own identified needs and achieve their own outcomes
- Develop and support Peer Support Groups
- Developsustainability plans with each individual
- Track and evaluate outcomes with each individual
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- To identify disabled people who would like to engage with the Having a Good Week project
- Engage with disabled people to identify and articulateindividual interests and aspirations to support the involvement and contribution to their local community.
- To provide 1:1 personalised and person-centred support using a range of tools and techniques for goal setting and action planning for a ‘good week’.
- To facilitate and deliver group activities to support behaviour change and skill development to support good week planning
- To provide choice by researching community opportunities
- To work with disabled people to ensure awareness and understanding of opportunities available to them in their local community to facilitate an informed choice.
- To support disabled people to research their local community.
- To support disabled people to attend activities
- To work proactively with partners, other providers, community groups, leisure, social and other community activities to identify and remove any disabling barriers that prevent inclusion of local disabled people.
- To liaise with BUKs Pathways programme to identify opportunities to develop independent living skills for those people engaged in Community Connections.
General Work requirements
1. To work within Breakthrough UKvalues, ethos and vision.2. To work in accordance with all policies and procedures of Breakthrough UK
3. To attend training in the Social Model of Disability, Motivational Interviewing, delivering all interventions in line with the principles of these methodologies.
4. To work in accordance with all relevant legislation
5. To participate pro-actively in regular supervision and annual performance appraisal
6. To undertake any other duties as required, appropriate to the post
7. To pro-actively work to continually improve personal competencies and professional practice including Breakthrough’s Core Competencies (see Person Specification below)
Person Specification for post of Community Connector / Means of Assessment
1 / Personal Values: All applicants must display a genuine commitment to equality of opportunity and an understanding of the barriers that prevent full participation in society by marginalised or excluded groups and how these barriers can be removed. / Application form and Interview
2 / General Skills and Knowledge Required for role
2.1 / A good understanding of: (a) equal opportunities issues, (b) the need to treat people with equal respect,(c) social model of disability,(d) barriers that disabled people face to independent living (e) Equality legislation and best practice / Application form Interview
2.2 / Excellent written and verbal communication skills (where necessary through sign language interpreters or with communication equipment). / Application form Interview
2.3 / The ability to work methodically, maintain standard procedures and design and implement new processes and procedures when needed. / Application form Interview
2.4 / The ability to solve problems with minimum supervision and take ownership and responsibility when required for specified areas of work. / Application form Interview
2.5 / The ability to work flexibly to meet business needs. / Application form
Interview
2.6 / The ability to work to tight deadlines and be able to achieve individual, team and organisation targets, whilst maintaining a high quality of service to customers. / Application form Interview
2.7 / To provide support to work colleagues to assist with problem solving. / Application form Interview
3 / Client Engagement and Support: / Means of Assessment
3.1 / Ability to motivate and inspire clients to reach their full potential and realise their employment aspirations. / Interview
3.2 / To provide accessible information, support and advocacy to disabled peopleengaged with the project / Application form Interview
3.3 / Ability to establish a constructive rapport with clients and external stakeholders. / Application form Interview
3.4 / Ability to research community opportunities and develop positive relationships with providers/ organisers and other people in the community. / Application form Interview
4 / Core Competencies: / Means of assessment
4.1 / Understanding of the Social Model of Disability and independent living, and how to promote and apply it / Application form Interview
4.2 / Ability to manage own professional development and keep up to date on: disability issues, the environment in which Breakthrough UK operates and other areas of equality and diversity / Interview
4.3 / Ability to critically appraise own and organisational performance. / Interview
4.4 / Ability to promote the organisation to, and engage with, a wide audience of internal and external stakeholders. / Interview
4.5 / An appreciation of value for money. / Interview
4.6 / Vision to identify new markets and business opportunities and make them happen. / Interview
4.7 / Leadership and motivational skills, including self motivation. / Interview
4.8 / Ability to work flexiblyandas part of a team. / Interview
Version 2, 05-05-17