Plymouth CAB- Benefits Support Service Co-ordinator & Specialist Caseworker

Job Description

Job Title: Benefits Support Service Co-ordinator & Specialist Caseworker

Salary Scale: £23,500- £25,957 plus 3% contribution Scottish Widows

Working hours: 37 Hours per week

Responsible to: Assistant Advice Services Manager.

Overall purpose of the post

We are seeking a specialist welfare benefits caseworker who would relish the challenge of establishing, training and developing a team of volunteers to deliver welfare benefits support for Advice Plymouth. A training programme has been designed and a process in place but the suitable applicant will be expected to review the arrangements and working other managers continuously monitor and improve the quality of the service.

You will be a highly organised person and able to monitor and manage the workload of volunteers making sure that deadlines are met in a systematised way.

In addition you will be suitably trained, qualified and experienced to provide a specialist welfare benefits caseworker service yourself

If you would like to discuss this further please contact Sarah McNeice on her e-mail or telephone (01752) 676090

Application forms are available online at Please email your completed application forms to .

We like to receive typed applications by e-mail please as this demonstrates your IT skills.

Closing date: Wednesday 14th August at 12 noon.

If you have not heard from us by 20th August you can assume that your application on this occasion was unsuccessful. Thank you for taking the time to apply. If shortlisted you will be contacted by e-mail on 15th August 2013

Interviews: Monday 19th August 2013, Floor 2 Cobourg House.

Plymouth CAB

Benefits Support Service Co-ordinator & Specialist Caseworker

Context of the role;

Plymouth Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Plymouth Guild, Age UK Plymouth and Routeways are working together in a joint contract with Plymouth City Council to provide a joined up quality information and advice services across Plymouth, Advice Plymouth. We have been successful in obtaining an Advice Services Transition Grant over two years to develop Advice services in Plymouth, this post is part of this development work.

Role: Set up, train and co-ordinate a team of volunteer Benefits Support Advisors.

Key Work Areas and Tasks:

  1. Coordinating Benefits Support
  • Recruit and train a team of volunteer benefits support workers working with Advice Plymouth Training and Volunteer Manager & Bureau Volunteer and Apprentice Manager.
  • Supervise and support the volunteer benefits support workers.
  • Provide technical support and act as consultant to the volunteer advisors.
  • Ensure own training and support needs around the new and emerging benefits system is kept up to date.
  • Ensure that benefits support is an integral part of the Advice Plymouth Service.
  • Develop and maintain standards of service delivery.
  • Ensure the advice given by volunteers meets the Advice Quality Standard Mark.
  • Ensure that appropriate systems are developed and maintained for case recording, statistics, follow up work and quality control.
  • Conduct annual appraisals of volunteers.
  • Advise line manager on staffing and service delivery issues.
  • Attend Advice Plymouth team meetings.

Casework

  • Undertake specialist benefits casework in most complex cases, managing a caseload in accordance with Bureau policy and procedure
  • Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning
  • Negotiate with third parties as appropriate
  • Ensure income maximisation
  • Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals etc. as appropriate
  • Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate
  • Make home/outreach visits as necessary

Social policy

  • Assist with social policy work by providing information about clients' circumstances
  • Alert other staff to local and national issues

Professional development

  • Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to Benefits Advice and undertake appropriate training
  • Read relevant publications
  • Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
  • Prepare for, conduct and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/management team meetings as appropriate
  • Maintain close liaison with relevant external agencies

Administration

  • Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production
  • Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to bureau work and undertake appropriate training

Other duties and responsibilities

  • Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service
  • Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the CAB service
  • Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues

Person specification:

  • Recent and ongoing experience of advice welfare benefits case work at a senior and complex level.
  • Experience of supervising, training and developing volunteers
  • Experience of prioritising the work of others
  • Ability to lead a team delivering advice
  • Ability to deliver training in welfare benefits & coach volunteers
  • Ability to demonstrate how you keep your knowledge up to date
  • Ability to work with other supervisors to deliver a seamless service on behalf of Advice Plymouth
  • Ability to analyse and interpret complex information
  • Understanding of the importance of support, development and motivation
  • Effective oral communication skills, including presentations to groups, and writing skills
  • Ability to prioritise own work and the work of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a pressured environment
  • Ability to use IT in the provision of advice and the preparation of reports and submissions
  • Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively
  • Ability and willingness to work as part of a team
  • Ability to monitor and maintain recording systems and procedures
  • Understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
  • Willingness to undertake Training for the Advice Quality Standard

Desirable

  • Experience of leading a team delivering advice.
  • PTTLS training qualification


Notes for applicants on completing the application form

  • The form should be completed in black ink or black ballpoint pen or typed. This will make it easier for photocopying purposes.
  • Please do not send in your CV. It will not be considered if you do.
  • One of your referees should be your present or most recent employer. If you have not been employed or have been out of employment for a long time, please give the name of someone who knows you sufficiently well to confirm the information you have given and to comment on your ability to do the job. This should not be a relative or purely personal friend.
  • The enclosed person specification lists the minimum requirements for this post. When short listing for interview the selection panel will only consider the information contained in your application form and will assess this against the person specification.
  • The selection panel cannot make assumptions about the nature of the work you have done or your experience from a list of job titles. It is therefore important that you use the space provided to demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Paid and voluntary work are not the only experiences worth quoting. Other life experiences and skills may be just as valid.
  • If you are short listed for interview, the selection panel will ask you questions based on the person specification which will cover the areas in more detail.
  • The following applies only to advisers, and not to other posts. Sections 25 and 26 (1) (d) or (g) of the Immigration Act 1971 are concerned with the following offences: assisting illegal entry, falsifying documentation or obstructing the authorities investigating immigration offences. If you have committed one of the offences above you may still be able to be an adviser; however, we would have to contact the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner in order to discuss the issues.


APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

Michelle Coppola-Cookson

HR Department

Plymouth Citizens Advice Bureau

2nd Floor, Cobourg House,

Mayflower Street,

Plymouth, PL1 1QX

CONFIDENTIAL

Please complete this form and return by email to Michelle Coppola-Cookson .

We wish to ensure that comparison between applicants is fair and in line with the Association’s Equal Opportunities Policies. The information you provide on this form is the only information we will use in deciding whether you will be short listed for an interview. It is therefore essential that you complete the form fully and that you clearly demonstrate how you meet each point on the person specification. Please note that CVs are not accepted.

Position applied for:

Surname: / First Name:
Address: / Telephone numbers:
Home:
Postcode: / Work:
Email : / Mobile:

May we contact you at work?

When would you be available to take up the post?

Please refer to the accompanying letter for the interview date.

Do you have any problem with this date?

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Please list any education and/or training (including short courses) that you have undertaken:

Dates
(ie Sep 03-Jul05) / Education/ Course/ Training
(including details of school/college etc) / Qualification
(including grade i.e. ‘A’ Level grade A)

REFERENCES

Please give below the name and address of two referees who can comment on your suitability for the post. These should not include relatives or purely personal friends. If you have been employed we would normally seek a reference from your present or most recent employer.

First Referee: / Second Referee:
Name: / Name:
Employer/Position held: / Employer/Position held:
Address: / Address:
Postcode / Postcode
Email : / Email :
Telephone number: / Telephone Number:

Can we contact this referee prior toCan we contact this referee prior to

interview? Yes/No interview? Yes/No

PAID AND/OR UNPAID WORK EXPERIENCE

Please include your current/previous employment (including job training schemes), voluntary work, community activities, school placements, time caring for dependants etc. Please put in date order, starting with the most recent.

Dates / Name of Employer / Organisation / Nature of work / Position held

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

In this section we would like you to give specific information in support of your application, taking each point of the person specification, demonstrate how you have all the necessary skills and abilities. Please note that there may be more or fewer points on the person specification than are listed on this form.

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Please continue on separate sheets if necessary.

Have you ever committed an offence under sections 25 and 26 (1) (d) or (g) of the Immigration Act 1971?

(For further information please refer to the ‘Notes for applicants’ sent with this form.)

Data Protection Act 1998

As part of the recruitment procedure we may collect and store sensitive personal data about you. We are required by law to obtain your consent to such data being recorded. It is our policy to store data relating to recruitment procedures for a minimum 12 monthsafter the date on which it is submitted, for internal auditing purposes. Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially.

Sensitive personal data is defined as information relating to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality or sex life, offences and/or convictions.

For the purposes of the Act the Data Controller is Ann Kinahan, PlymouthCitizens Advice Bureau.

I declare the information given on this form is correct to the best of my
knowledge and acknowledge that by signing this form I give my consent to
sensitive personal information being recorded and stored.

Signature ______

(Please either sign above or tick this box to acknowledge and confirm acceptance)

Date:

Equal opportunities monitoring form

Confidential

Please return this with your application form. It will be separated from your application before short-listing. The selection panel will not see this form, which will be used for monitoring purposes only.

Post applied for

Surname/family name

First name(s)

Gender

Age

Ethnic Group Please indicate your ethnic group.

White / Mixed / Asian or Asian British / Black or Black British / Chinese or Other Ethnic Group
British
Irish
Other White / White and Black Caribbean
White and Black African
White and
Asian
Other Mixed / Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Other Asian / Black
Caribbean
Black African
Other Black / Chinese
Other Ethnic Group

Disability

Do you have a disability? / No (please indicate)

Where did you hear about this vacancy?

Thank you for completing this form

Plymouth Citizens Advice Bureau

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY

The CAB service is committed to equal opportunities for all. Everyone involved in the service must commit themselves to the CAB's Equal Opportunities Policies. This includes the commitment to taking positive action to achieve the effective implementation of the policies.

The equal opportunities policies aim to ensure that excluded groups and those facing discrimination feel welcome within the CAB service and feel able to use and contribute to its services.

The implementation of its equal opportunity policies is the responsibility of all those within the CAB service, including Citizens Advice, volunteer and paid bureau staff and Bureau trustee boards. It is recognised however, that those working at a management level have a specific duty to set the standard and to lead by example. The service is working to integrate the policies into all contracts and conditions of service and into all aspects of its advice service.

The service recognises that it is part of a society that discriminates unfairly and unjustly against some individuals and groups. Discrimination results in disadvantages and lack of opportunities. Discrimination can be either institutional (where discriminatory policies and practices have become incorporated and integrated into the organisation or institution), or individual, or both.

The CAB service is resolutely opposed to discrimination and its effects. It works to challenge and eradicate discriminatory policies and practices from its service. It aims for the service to act equitably and justly.

The service recognises that harassment is a major form of discrimination. It is opposed to all forms of harassment and views any form of harassment as a serious disciplinary offence. The service has, after extensive consultation with bureaux, developed and approved a model Dignity at Work policy aimed at tackling harassment within the CAB service.

The CAB service accepts that equal treatment of persons from discriminated against groups is insufficient to achieving equal opportunities and that positive action is also required. The service is therefore committed to positive action as a means of removing barriers to services and employment opportunities for those from discriminated against groups.

Discriminated against Groups

As part of its commitment to equal opportunities, the CAB service recognises that persons within the following groups experience discrimination: -

  • Disabled people
  • People living with HIV/AIDS
  • Black and minority ethnic people
  • Lesbian, gay and bisexual people
  • Women

People also experience discrimination on the basis of their belief & religion, gender and age.

The service has developed policies and practices designed to remove barriers to services and employment faced by people from these groups. The sensitive and sensible adoption and application of these policies and practices will benefit all CAB staff and clients.

The CAB service is mindful, when implementing its equal opportunity policies, that people who experience discrimination do not all share the same needs and interests. Amongst disabled people there are black people, lesbians and gay men for example. There are differences within groups who experience discrimination, and overlaps between them. The service recognises that, for example, positive action for black disabled people may be different from positive action for disabled women.

Appropriate Language

In describing people, groups and activities, the use of language plays a pivotal and ever changing role. It is important to use words that the people and groups themselves identify with. This helps develop respect between people, and it guides how we approach and resolve issues. People sometimes use incorrect or offensive language without meaning to, usually through lack of up-to-date knowledge or understanding. This is not a problem if corrected at an appropriate opportunity.

For specific guidance on appropriate use of terminology, contact:

  • Citizens Advice Self Organised Equal Opportunities Groups
  • or the national equality bodies such as the Commission for Racial Equality, Stonewall, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission, the Employers Forum on Age etc.
  • a glossary of equality and diversity terminology for use in the CAB service will be developed in 2005.

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