Job Overview
Elmore Community Services works across Oxfordshire with individuals who have complex needs and mental ill health and who have often fallen through the gaps of existing services. Our assertive outreach model and supportive team approach help people improve their lives and strengthen their connection to their communities. This combined OSH/Rise and Shine Outreach Caseworker role provides community outreach and brief interventions to people who have recently accessed crisis support through OSH, alongside short-term support for older adults with mental health and complex needs through the Rise and Shine Project.
The postholder will work closely with Oxfordshire Mind Safe Haven and the Rise and Shine Project to identify referrals and deliver effective, recovery-focused interventions that respond to unmet need. One and a half days per week will be spent supporting Rise and Shine clients, and two days per week will be spent supporting OSH clients. The two contracts are part of the same Projects team and are based within Elmore’s floating support service area. The role supports people with a wide range of needs, including mental health, substance misuse, isolation, benefits, housing and community engagement, helping clients to identify goals, build on strengths and access longer-term support where needed.
Duties
Manage a caseload of allocated clients and liaise with OSH and Rise and Shine colleagues to identify individuals who will benefit from brief intervention or short-term outreach support.
· Provide creative, flexible and person-centred interventions that enable individuals to develop self-management strategies, improve wellbeing and access suitable support in the community.
· Support clients to identify and work towards goals relating to mental health, housing, benefits, social isolation, substance misuse, community engagement and access to longer-term support.
· Support individuals to identify their crisis baseline, recognise changing needs and determine when and how to access services appropriately.
· Develop and maintain effective partnerships with OSH, Rise and Shine and relevant external agencies by attending and contributing to meetings as required.
· Actively manage and update client risk assessments in line with Elmore’s risk assessment policy and procedure, and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
· Act as an advocate for clients to ensure that their voices are heard.
· Maintain a wide knowledge of external multi-agency services to facilitate and support client access to appropriate provision.
Requirements
Experience:
1. At least 18 months’ experience working with people with support needs related to mental health, social isolation, drug use, alcohol misuse, homelessness, offending behaviour, antisocial behaviour, or challenging behaviour (essential)
2. Experience of providing brief interventions or short-term person-centred support to individuals with complex and/or multiple needs, including older adults where relevant (desirable)
3. Experience of working in partnership with other agencies and liaising with statutory and voluntary sector care providers (essential)
4. Experience of working independently and managing own case load (essential)
5. Experience of risk assessment and management, and safety planning (essential)
6. Experience of using a case management database and keeping accurate case records (essential)
7. Experience of working in an often-demanding environment as part of a team and coping effectively (desirable)
Skills and Abilities:
8. A clear understanding of the issues faced by people with support needs in a community setting, including those experiencing mental health crisis and older adults with complex needs (essential)
9. Knowledge of adult and child safeguarding issues and the roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies (essential)
10. Ability to respond flexibly, creatively and persistently to a range of challenging casework issues (essential)
11. Ability to build effective relationships with clients, especially clients who are difficult to engage, providing support respectfully and without creating dependency (essential)
12. Knowledge of appropriate services that Elmore clients may need support to access (desirable)
13. Strong written and verbal communication skills (essential)
14. Ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel and a readiness to learn new ICT skills (desirable)
15. An understanding of relevant legislation that affects clients including Homelessness, Mental Health Act and welfare benefits (desirable)
16. Car driver with full licence and access to vehicle for work use (desirable)
Values:
17. Commitment to the ideals of quality and fairness in delivering support to vulnerable people, and the meaningful involvement of service users (essential)
18. Good understanding of the principles of equality and diversity and how to apply them in our context (essential).
The postholders must be eligible to work in UK and no sponsorships available. Each appointed candidate will need an enhanced DBS back before employment can begin.
Closing date 17th June and interviews to be held 29th and 30th June.
Please send a Covering letter stating how you meet the requirements along with a current CV through indeed or to recruitment@elmore.org.uk
We understand that some people may want to use AI to assist them in compiling their application for a role at Elmore. We would encourage you to speak directly about your own experience so we can best understand how you personally are suitable for a role, and ask that you are transparent about if and how you have used AI in your application.
Pay: £20,595.80 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Free flu jabs
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Private medical insurance
- Sabbatical
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
