Job description

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:

- General 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
- NHS Complaints Advocacy
- Generic advocacy for people with learning disabilities

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

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Fixed term contract
Part-time hours: 35 per week

Salary: £20,930.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexitime
• Sick pay
• Wellness programme
• Work from home

Day range:

• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Shift:

• Day shift

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Sheffield, S1 4FW

Application deadline: 06/03/2023
Reference ID: ASW 0223