Independent Advocate

Job Description Job Title: Independent Advocate (Southern Health & Social Care Trust Area or Region Wide) Responsible To: Advocacy Manager Location Home working, in the field, Newry Office, Derry Office Salary : £31,872 pa (Band 5) Fix term : until March 2025 Hours: 35 hours per week- flexible and bank options available Disability Action is the largest pan-disability organisation and charity in the UK and Ireland. We are a Disabled persons led organisation (DPO) advocating for the rights of d/Deaf and Disabled people. We provide services which are developed for and by d/Deaf and Disabled people. These services include: employment support services, human rights and independent advocacy, campaigns, community integration and digital connectivity, transport, information and advice, mental health and wellbeing and disability specialist support. Main Purpose of the Job: The Independent Advocate will provide independent and confidential advocacy to disabled people. The post holder will utilise their skills and experiences to provide advocacy for disabled people to deal with specific questions or issues relating to health and social care. The Independent Advocate will undertake one to one work with disabled people. Reporting Arrangements & Management Responsibility: The Independent Advocate is responsible to and reports to the Advocacy Manager and will have the option of home working, working in the field and the Newry or Derry post holder does not directly line manager any other posts. Key duties and responsibilities: The key duties and responsibilities of the post are set out below:- To act as an advocate with Trust service users and arrange and attend meetings as appropriate. Building the independence of service users, including supporting service users in speaking up or acting for themselves or, at times when they are unable to do so, speaking or acting on their behalf if they wish this to happen. To work with people with learning disabilities in a range of settings including the community, supported living and in hospital or assessment centres. To work within the Advocacy Network Northern Ireland Code of Practice for Independent Advocates. To take on advocacy cases as allocated by the Advocacy Manager and prioritise workload based on contract criteria. To ensure, where appropriate, that there is ongoing consent with the service user and maintain written and accurate records that reflect their will and preferences and explanation of how and when this was obtained. To work with people with learning disabilities to enable people to make informed choices. To make referrals to specialist agencies and individuals when appropriate. To work in partnership with other agencies and individuals across pathways of care to ensure correct levels of support are in place. To maintain accurate records on all cases and ensure they are held securely to maintain confidentiality and that information is submitted to the Manager within appropriate timescales. To adhere to Disability Actions Child & Vulnerable Adult Protection policies, lone working policies, data protection policies and health and safety policies. To undertake any other duties as may be required from time to time by Disability Action in line with the status of the post. NB: - The organisation reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions of employment at its discretion in circumstances where such variation is in the interests of improving the efficiency of the organisation's business. The organisation also reserves the right to review, revise, amend or replace policies / procedures from time to time reflecting the changing needs of the business. 3 PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION This personnel specification indicates the essential and desirable qualifications, experience, skills, abilities, knowledge, values and/or attitudes that you require to carry out the duties of this post. When completing your application form it is therefore important to indicate how you meet each of the criteria listed below by providing detailed specific examples (including dates) that relate to your academic, professional, voluntary or personal life. Within its value base Disability Action recognises that certain disabled people may not have had the opportunity to achieve certain qualifications, or may be unable to meet other criteria such as possession of a driving licence. If you feel that you, as a person with a disability, have experienced these barriers we would encourage you to tell us about it and to tell how your other skills and attributes prepare you for this post. This will help us to make any necessary reasonable adjustments and / or positive action measures to the recruitment process. (a) Essential Requirements Experience of delivering advocacy in a paid of unpaid capacity. Accredited Level 2 Award in Independent Advocacy (City and Guilds), Third Level qualification or equivalent. 2 years advocacy experience paid or unpaid will be considered as an equivalent. Evidence an understanding of managing a caseload. An understanding of the challenges faced by people who are facing disadvantage. The ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team. Excellent (a) interpersonal skills, (b) oral communication skills and (c) written communication skills. Understanding of the complexities of attaining the perspective of people who lack mental capacity in decision making. Understanding of equal opportunities policy. Ability to keep up to date accurate and accessible electronic and paper case records. Possession of a full driving licence and access to a car for business travel. (If the effects of a disability preclude an individual from holding a driving licence then they should indicate how they can meet the mobility requirements of the post i.e. the ability to travel throughout Northern Ireland, during normal working hours and on some occasions at evenings and weekends.) (b) Desirable Requirements Lived experience of disability A social work qualification. An understanding of the complexity of the Northern Ireland Social Care System. NB: - Criteria based selection is used as a means of ensuring that the best candidate is selected on the basis of their ability to do the job required. This method of selection requires individuals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills or competence through completion of an application form and, if shortlisted, by attendance at a structured interview. Criteria based selection tests applicants against a set of criteria, which have been drawn up and agreed as being necessary for a specific post. The criterion details the knowledge, skills and competences that an individual will need to possess to be effective. The Personnel Specification details the criteria for the post. The essential criteria reflect what an applicant must possess in order to apply. Essential Criteria may thus be regarded as eligibility criteria. Individuals must demonstrate on their application that they satisfy all of these criteria fully in order to be shortlisted. The aim of the application form is for you to demonstrate your ability to meet each of the criteria and you must provide specific examples including dates of how you meet these criteria.