Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity providing unique support to people with severe and enduring mental ill health. With over 50 years’ experience across Scotland, we believe people affected by poor mental health and illness deserve the highest quality of support in the community and that every person has the right to be valued and to share in the opportunities, challenges, and joys of everyday life.
About the Role
As an Outreach Worker, you will be based in Lochaber supporting people affected by mental illness. Focusing on one-to-one support, you will carry a case load to develop and review personal support plans to help achieve person-centred and National Health and Wellbeing outcomes. You will support people in their homes, communities, and in the registered Change Mental Health Resource Centre based in Fort William. You may also support group and other activities in the Resource Centre – although one-to-one support will be your main focus.
You will support the Locality, Service and Area Managers in their strategic role to meet national and funder criteria and liaise with other statutory and third sector agencies to make appropriate signposting as needed and to raise awareness of Change Mental Health services. You will work closely with partners in the community to identify gaps in the service where they arise and implement solutions in partnership with your line manager.
You will work autonomously, being able to judge when to refer to your manager and take a lead role in developing the service.
Benefits
* 24/7 access to an award-winning Employee Assistance Programme providing free legal, financial, and medical advice as well as support with life’s challenges.
* A 35-hour working week, enhanced sick pay & season ticket loan.
* A great work-life balance with a flexible and blended working environment.
* Access to purchase a Blue Light Discount Card.
* Cycle to Work Scheme.
* Enhanced sick pay and leave entitlements.
* Professional development including funded opportunities.
Please note all applications must be received by midday on Monday the 3rd of March. Interviews are due to be held the following week.
We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.
If you consider yourself to have a disability, please inform us of any arrangements that we may make to the interview process.
We reserve the right to close this advert earlier or later than stated. Please don’t delay your application to avoid any disappointment.
Are you a creative and motivated individual with the passion and drive to support people with a recent diagnosis of dementia to live well in their community?
If so, you can be part of a National Team of Post Diagnostic Support Link Workers (PDS Link Workers) providing high-quality, person-centred support to people living with dementia and their families for a minimum of a year following diagnosis in line with the Scottish Government’s minimum guarantee.
The aim of the PDS National Service is to enable people to live well with dementia and is centred around Alzheimer Scotland's 5 pillar model so that people move on to a period of supported self-management.
The model includes understanding the illness and coming to terms with the diagnosis, peer support, connecting and maintaining links with their community along with planning for future care and decision making to develop an outcome-focused plan to support their future hopes, desires, and aspirations.
Supporting our Wester Ross Highland locality, the post will be based within the Community Mental Health Team at The Health Centre, Ullapool. Alzheimer Scotland’s PDS Link Workers are required to be effective team workers and have the skills to build and maintain relationships with colleagues both within Alzheimer Scotland, the NHS and other stakeholders.
Skills in using digital platforms are essential as we use a blended approach to support people that involve some virtual meetings and online groups.
Applicants must hold a recognised relevant professional qualification, have a good understanding of dementia and how it affects people and their families along with excellent communication skills, a warm flexible approach, combined with skills in empathy and relationship building.
In addition, you should have skills and knowledge at the Enhanced Level of the Promoting Excellence Framework or be able to evidence you are working towards its completion.
This post requires a full driving license and access to a car.
What you’ll do
You will be responsible for supporting people living with dementia to achieve good outcomes using a range of therapeutic interventions, resources, and activities as appropriate. Working as part of the Registered and Commissioned Services/Community Connections team, you will have responsibility for ensuring that services are of the highest quality and meet Alzheimer Scotland’s vision for unique therapeutic, highly person-centred support.
You will work with the wider team and Day Services Manager to ensure safe practice and delivery of high-quality, person-centred, therapeutic Registered and Commissioned Services/Community Connections, ensuring practice complies with Alzheimer Scotland’s policies. You will contribute to evidencing, reviewing and continually improving the quality of the services and will participate in internal audit and Care Inspectorate inspections.
You may operate within a building-based Day Care or as part of a Community Connection team delivering Community Groups and Outreach services across an allocated area. At times, this will involve working without supervision in the absence of the Day Services Manager.
You will work with the wider team to evidence that services meet Alzheimer Scotland’s Quality Guarantees, Scotland’s Health and Social Care standards and other quality frameworks including those of the Care Inspectorate where relevant. This includes ensuring that the activities and support offered meet the identified personal outcomes of those attending the services.
What you’ll have
The successful candidate will have a good understanding and/or experience of working with or supporting people living with dementia and their families. This will include an understanding of the benefit of high quality, evidence-based therapeutic activity, ongoing evaluation, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
Knowledge and understanding of the Health and Social Care Standards and SSSC codes of practice and the Care Inspectorate and their role in registered services.
Understanding and knowledge of dementia, mild cognitive impairment and Brain Health and experience of working with or supporting people living with dementia and their families.
The successful candidate will have a recognised professional qualification in health, social work or related field, to SCQF Level 6 (SVQ 2).
#J-18808-Ljbffr