Project Worker

Glasgow Association for Mental Health is an independent Scottish charity that provides community-based support to the people of Glasgow and their communities. The services and opportunities we offer help people who are recovering from mental health problems live the lives they want to live. We also support Carers, including Young Carers, and promote the equality, inclusion, and human rights of people who have been affected by mental ill health.

We work with people in ways that encourage hope (belief that recovery is possible), learning, and self-confidence. We recognise that people are the experts in their own lives and their own health. They are experts by experience and have the right to make their own choices and decisions. We recognise that the effects of inequality, stigma, and discrimination make recovery more difficult than it should be and undermine people’s sense of wellbeing. As an organisation, we work to ensure that both as a service provider and as an employer, we avoid discrimination and promote fairness and inclusion for everyone.

The role of the Project Worker will contribute to the effective delivery of our community-based support services ensuring that they meet key service objectives and the expressed needs of service users and carers. The Project Worker will encourage the people we support to lead the life they want to lead by adopting a recovery-focused approach to practice which encourages and supports people to build confidence, self-esteem, and to increase and develop life skills to plan for their future.

The Project Worker will provide first line management to the Assistant Project Workers.

• To provide first line management to Assistant Project Workers using established supervision and performance management systems.
• To contribute to the personal development of self and the team of Assistant Project Workers in conjunction with the Team Coordinator/Project Leader.
• To implement agreed systems, procedures, and practice for assessments, plans, and reviews in conjunction with the Team/Coordinator Project Leader.
• To contribute to the development of systems to manage risk to self, others, and team members.

• To work in partnership with the service user or carer to identify support goals and to regularly review user-defined outcomes under the supervision of the Project Leader.
• A key task will be to promote social inclusion and recovery by facilitating opportunities for service users and carers to build networks of support so that they are more connected with their community and have links with other people and resources that are important to their health and wellbeing.
• To work collaboratively with the service user to ensure that they can fully participate in their individual support strategy, the direction of GAMH services, and the organisation as a whole by encouraging involvement in GAMH forums and groups.
• To support service users and carers to increase and/or develop interests, skills, and capabilities to enable them to participate fully in their own communities.
• To encourage service users to build meaningful networks within the community through participation in support opportunities and activities and enabling access to mainstream community-based resources and services.
• To support service users to sustain their tenancies and build a sense of home.
• To participate in and facilitate other support opportunities as directed.
• To use the team approach to plan and offer support as identified in the Personal Support Plan in partnership with the service user and other stakeholders.
• To implement agreed team working practices which ensure participation of all team members and encourage effective and safe practice.
• To contribute to the development, implementation, and review of support plans with service users and carers.
• To work in partnership with service users and carers, key people, and others within and outside GAMH to promote service user and carer’s choice about their support.
• To review with the Assistant Project Workers the outcomes of agreed support and service arrangements and to provide feedback to the Project Leader on individual and team performance based on objective assessments.
• To work with team members to ensure compliance with systems, procedures, and practice that support positive outcomes for service users and carers.
• To use organisational procedures to challenge poor practice and to record and report any issues of poor and malpractice to the appropriate person.

Follow agreed GAMH policies and procedures to manage risk to self, others, and team members. Promote the protection of carers including ensuring that you can access and understand information about the legal and organisational requirements for the protection of adults and children. Act in accordance with GAMH Safeguarding policies and procedures that support the safeguarding of individuals from harm or abuse at all times.

Work effectively and follow lone working practices which encourage effective and safe practice. Ensure that you are aware of and comply with GAMH policies, procedures, and practices designed to protect the health, safety, and security of all employees.

GAMH complies with all aspects of data protection and takes seriously its duties, and the duties of its employees, under the General Data Protection Regulation 2016. The GDPR (2016) applies to personal information that is processed. This includes obtaining personal information, retaining and using it, allowing it to be accessed, disclosing it, and, finally, disposing of it. The Carers Support worker will be expected to adhere to the organisations Data Protection and Data Management Policy. Will ensure that records and reports are stored and shared within confidentiality agreements and according to legal, work setting, and other agency agreements and requirements. Will ensure that records and reports are accurate, concise, objective, understandable, and legible.

To take responsibility for and keep up to date with current practice and maintain records of your own personal and professional development, according to legal and organisational requirements. To ensure that the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Codes of Practice are complied with at all times. To participate in out-of-hours work. To carry out any other duties and responsibilities consistent with the post as directed by the Project Leader.