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30 HOURS PER WEEK
CADMHAS has been operating since 2007 and provides community advocacy, statutory advocacy (Independent Mental Health and Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy) and Relevant Person Representative services across North Wales and Powys.
We are looking to recruit one Community Mental Health/ Duty Advocate to join our apprenticeship scheme, working primarily in the Conwy and Denbighshire region.
Our apprenticeship scheme is open to applicants of all ages (over the age of 16) and will require the successful candidate, unless already obtained, to follow a Level 4 Independent advocacy qualification, which requires attending college virtually approximately two days per month. Welsh speaking is highly desirable for this role. Applicants must hold a grade C or above at GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Maths. If you do not currently meet this requirement, you will be required to complete Essential Skills qualifications in English and/or Maths as part of the apprenticeship programme. The remaining time will be split between completing course work and practical case work.
Responsible To: Your Line Manager and the Director of Services, who is responsible to the Board of Directors of CADMHAS.
Working with: CADMHAS staff and volunteers. Service users of CADMHAS. Colleagues in both statutory and non-statutory agencies.
Location: Based at home -working within the community in Gwynedd and Anglesey.
Hours of work: 30 hours per week
Area of work: Primarily in Gwynedd and Anglesey, but required to work throughout the region to provide cover when required
Aims of the post: To work as a community mental health advocate with adults.
Remuneration: The starting salary for the post is £25,447 per annum pro rata raising to £26,961 pro rata on completion of the Diploma in Independent Advocacy. The cost of this will be borne by CADMHAS. Pro rata per annum for 30 hours is £20,632.
CADMHAS will comply with the employer pension duties in respect of the Employee in accordance with Part 1 of the Pension Act 2008.
Hours: A full-time working week is 37 hours; (excluding lunch hours). This role is 30 hours per week. Overtime is not payable but time off in lieu may be taken at a mutually convenient time. Very occasional evening and weekend work may be necessary.
Annual Leave: Holiday entitlement is 30 days per annum, inclusive of all Bank Holidays.
Funding: Funding for the post is from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Other information: There will be a probation period of 3 months commencing from the first day of employment. The post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Advocacy:
- Deliver confidential, independent advocacy services for individuals with mental health need, taking the advocacy charter into account at every stage and interaction.
- Support client’s by representing their interests with the statutory/voluntary/ private/ sector. The advocate supports the client in representing their views, without judgment and will avoid presenting their own views or offering advice.
- To have an understanding that a client’s mental health needs may influence how service is delivered, making adjustments to practice where necessary to accommodate these needs,
- Aiding clients in a wide variety of situations, e.g., making complaints, changing a GP or statutory worker, negotiating a change in treatment, housing (homelessness), accessing services etc.
- Provide balanced, unbiased information about other organisations and how to access services relating to mental health, medication, therapies, and providing support to access these services where required.
- To adjust communication and working styles as appropriate when working with clients, taking consideration for each individual’s requirements for accessing support,
- To present accurate information to clients, such as their rights and potential consequences to empower the client and support their decision making processes,
- To be prepared to respond appropriately to concerns for safeguarding in compliance with the All Wales Safeguarding procedures.
- Follow CADMHAS policies and procedures to ensure own safety whilst working as an advocate within the community, primarily within Conwy and Denbighshire. Advocates access a variety of locations throughout these areas to meet with client’s, including specialist units, community settings such as public libraries, and limited home visits, dependent on client needs.
- To work in collaboration with other advocates at CADMHAS and advocacy services within the area to ensure that eligible clients are provided with appropriate advocacy and support.
Duty:
- Use of advocacy knowledge, together with knowledge of the local area and organisations within it to triage new referrals for community advocacy,
- To build a respectful repour with referring organisation and remaining up to date with changes in local service provision,
- To contact potential clients to talk through their current needs, signposting individuals where appropriate or identifying individual advocacy issues,
- To work as part of a duty team to maintain accurate communication records between staff members and departments within CADMHAS,
- To provide temporary cover on duty requirement in a wider geographical area when required.
Administration:
- Develop a working knowledge of administration systems relating to CADMHAS.
- Maintain and safeguard all information and property held in the CADMHAS base.
- To present written reports when requested.
- Use of Word, Excel, Outlook, Microsoft teams, shared database and shared Microsoft SharePoint.
General:
- To promote CADMHAS in networking event and any other public relations work which will positively promote the scheme, its work and philosophy.
- Priorities for the work of the advocate will be in line with the service’s development and work programmes. The advocate’s work will be closely monitored on the Board’s behalf by the Senior Advocate.
The following tasks will be carried out, depending on the time available, and under the direction of the line manager.
- Represent the views and interests of CADMHAS on various committees as requested and agreed by the Manager,
- Participate in the collection of local information and gathering data required for the evaluation and monitoring of all aspects of the project.
- To support with training and development of new staff and volunteers.
- To support with awareness raising where deemed appropriate within the regions.
The duties outlined above are not exhaustive but serve as a guide to the current and major responsibilities of the post. In view of this the job description will be reviewed on a regular basis and may need to be altered.
Such changes will be in consultation with the post holder.
Learning and Development
- The post holder will be expected to hold, or have a willingness to achieve within 18 months, the Level 4 Diploma in Independent Advocacy.
- CADMHAS will support the postholder to attend (on average) two virtual college days per month. Apprentices are also entitled to use up to 15 study days throughout the term of the course. There may be occasional requirement for the postholder to complete written work for college during non-working time.
- A GCSE or equivalent qualification in Mathematics and English at C grade or higher, or the willingness to work towards the equivalent is required for the completion of the Level 4 in Independent Advocacy.
- The post holder will be expected to attend such training events identified as being of value to their role either by the Senior Advocate, higher management or themselves through supervision and appraisal.
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
The following are considered to be essential criteria for this role:
- An understanding of advocacy and how this differs from other areas of supportive job roles.
- An understanding of mental health issues and some of the barriers experiences by individuals with such needs in accessing support services,
- The ability to provide representation and support for clients in a wide variety of settings, to a wide variety of professionals and organisations,
- A commitment to, valuing each client as individual and an understanding to the importance of empowering service users to input their views and wishes where appropriate;
- Experience of working as part of a team and working independently, with the ability to organise casework effectively,
- Must hold current full driving licence and have access to a vehicle that can used for business use during the working day,
- A willingness to develop with the organisation,
- Ability to use word processing packages, input information into a database and carry out research on the internet,
- A reliable internet connection for home working (A minimum of 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload speed required per person, working from the same address),
- Flexibility and enthusiasm.
The following are considered to be desirable criteria for this role:
- Experience in the field of mental health in a paid/voluntary capacity or as a carer or user of services,
- The ability to communicate effectively in Welsh is highly desirable,
- Understanding of social care systems, legal frameworks, and advocacy principles.
- Experience in the voluntary sector,
- Experience and understanding of the complexities in working with clients’ with history of trauma related experiences,
- Experience of delivering advocacy.
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