Assessment and Support Worker
Job description and person specification
Purpose of the Job:
Citizens Advice Sheffield was set up in October 2013. We provide generic and
specialist advice and statutory advocacy services via telephone, digitally and in
person.
We aim for excellence. Our ambition is to be among the best advice and
advocacy services in the country, and one of the leading voluntary and
community organisations in Sheffield. We campaign for change to social policy
to improve the well-being of the people and communities we support.
Part of what makes us distinct and innovative is our Advocacy service, which
was set up in 2002 and has grown significantly since that time. The Advocacy
Service currently provides the following modes of independent advocacy:
- Generic mental health advocacy
- Advocacy under the Care Act 2014
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Relevant Person’s Representative
(DOLS RPR) service
- Rule 1.2 Representative service (for Community DoLS)
- NHS Complaints Advocacy
- Generic advocacy for people with learning disabilities
- Generic d/Deaf advocacy
As an assessment and support worker, you will be joining a team (including
independent advocates, advisers and administrators) delivering services to
some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Your role is to provide
the initial point of contact both for individual clients and people from agencies
seeking to make a referral.
Main duties and responsibilities
Our assessment and support worker is required to:
• Welcome clients and referrers to the service via the telephone and email.
• Enable clients and referrers to explain their needs and requirements
• Explore clients’ circumstances, support needs and - communication
preferences
• Assess clients’ needs and - direct them to services which may be able to
meet these needs
• Develop knowledge to-signpost clients to relevant services
• Efficiently gather information required and enter on to databases
• Create and maintain comprehensive client and service provision records.
• Provide services in accordance with all relevant quality standards
• Ensure that service and individual performance standards and targets are
met
• Work in partnership with others in the best interests of clients
• Identify and report evidence to support social policy campaigns.
• Maintain internal database and produce monitoring reports
• Any other duties deemed necessary for the delivery of the service
Professional learning and development
Assessment and support workers are required to undertake learning and
development including keeping up to date with guidance, policies and
procedures and attending internal and external training as required.
Person specification
Essential:
Knowledge and experience in
● The delivery of excellence in customer service across digital and
telephone channels including requirement for accurate record
keeping.
● Experience of working with others to deliver a service.
Skills and abilities
● To be able to learn and interpret complex information and convey it in
an understandable way
● To communicate clearly with clients (including those
facing barriers), colleagues and representatives from
other agencies
● To support and empower clients
● To have strong IT skills and have the ability to quickly and
accurately record information, including the ability to talk and
type.
● To be able to use information technology including databases
and monitoring tools to support advocacy provision
Aptitude
Commitment to:
●
Working flexibly and to adapting to changing needs and
priorities
● Team working and partnership working
● Reliability and excellent time keeping
● Attention to detail and the importance of “right first time”.
● The delivery of service and individual performance
standards
● Valuing diversity
● The goals and values of Citizens Advice Sheffield
Qualifications and training
● Successful completion of all mandatory training requirements
Desirable:
● Experience of working in a social care environment