JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION
| Job Title: | Freedom Project Case Worker |
| Responsible To: | Freedom Project and Support Manager |
| Salary: | £21,322-£24,432 depending on experience (Equivalent to new NJC pay scale points 16-21) |
| Working Hours: | 37.5 hours a week |
| Location: | Salford |
| Duration: | Permanent Full Time |
Role Purpose
Working directly with our Freedom volunteers and Mustard Tree clients, assisting on our Freedom and support services functions. This role ranges from assisting with the reactive crisis support of people walking in and referred by agencies. Also supporting our regular clients who are sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness, as well as providing structured support for people volunteering on our Freedom Project as they work towards their own goals for progression. Maintaining a high standard of face-to-face customer service, this role will represent the values of the charity both internally and externally, leading by example and contributing to the overall development of the service.
This role requires flexibility to work across both our Manchester and Salford sites as agreed.
What you will be doing: Job Description
- Provide advice and emergency support to visitors including rough sleepers.
- A minimum of one day per week is dedicated to onsite support at reception for people walking in with ad-hoc requests.
- Manage referral appointments for emergency support in line with the processes and procedures, providing dignity when completing the referrals.
- Manage conflict by maintaining a calm, courteous and professional manner when dealing with difficult situations.
- Maintain clear communication within the support and Freedom teams, as well as with other teams.
- Coordinate referrals and liaise with external agencies and colleagues to provide pathways into the Freedom Project
- Establish pathways through Mustard Tree into employment, education, and training.
- Conduct initial meetings and enrol Freedom trainees onto the project including risk assessments and documentation.
- Working with the team to develop and deliver the induction process of new Freedom trainees.
- Manage a caseload, schedule diary and deliver up to 20 x 121 sessions per week.
- Provide telephone update sessions as well as face to face sessions.
- Provide drop in and group activities within the structured programme.
- Use regular outcome measures and tools at every structured one to one session as well as writing case studies and reports as required.
- Co-ordinate training and education sessions for Freedom trainees within Mustard Tree
- Build and maintain strong relationships with local employers and job centres, encouraging their support of the Freedom Project through placements and training.
- Signpost clients onto appropriate agencies, create profile of key contacts and support trainees in areas such as housing.
- Understand/contribute to safeguarding and risk management using incident and safeguarding forms, incident tracker, attending annual training and escalating concerns to
- Ensure effective discharges including person-centred Progression Plans, informed and helpful feedback/references and monitoring next steps as Freedom graduates leave the programme.
- Attend training, research, and keep up to date with relevant legislation and local provision of statutory services including housing, mental health, domestic violence, benefits and budgeting.
- Work to an evidence-informed model of support including Motivational Interviewing through training, external supervision, and peer support.
- Establish and maintain working relationships and pathways with local statutory agencies, charities, and other 3rd sector organisations.
- Carry out administrative tasks associated with role.
- Provide a point of contact for staff to raise queries and concerns around working with Freedom trainees and helping to mediate any issues.
General Work duties:
- Work within health & safety guidelines and Mustard Tree policies and procedures
- Supporting other staff and departments and providing practical relief cover for work-streams
- Take responsibility for professional development, attending training courses as required.
- Leading by example, embodying Mustard Tree values and represent the charity as required.
- Contribute towards being an environmentally responsible organisation as part of day-to-day activities including recycling and supporting ‘paper-lite’ practices.
- Other tasks and duties relevant to the role as required by the organisation.
What we are looking for: Person Specification
| Specification | Essential / Desirable |
| 2 years’ frontline experience in 3rd Sector directly supporting people generally, or vulnerable adults in particular | Essential |
| Experience of delivering a person-centred approach and empowering others to set goals | Essential |
| Good verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to proactively listen, and use effective questioning techniques. | Essential |
| Effective time management, self-management, diary planning and organisation skills | Essential |
| Adaptable and able to work well with a diverse range of people | Essential |
| Ability to use initiative and work independently, as well as be a strong team player | Essential |
| IT literacy including Microsoft Word and Excel, and good administration skills | Essential |
| Understanding of health and safety regulations, safeguarding and incident management | Essential |
| A Levels or equivalent academic level | Desirable |
Competency – Role Specific |
Requirements of Competency |
| Technical Expertise – The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in an expertise area. | · Effectively applies experience, knowledge and understanding to solve a range of problems.
· Possesses an in-depth knowledge and skill in a job specific area. · Develops value driven solutions to new or highly complex problems that may not be solved using existing methods or approaches. · Is sought out as an expert to provide advice or solution in their job specific area. · Keeps informed about cutting-edge developments and skills in the job specific area. |
| Self-Confidence – Faith in one’s own ideas and capability to be successful, willingness to take an independent position in the face of opposition | · Is confident of own ability to accomplish goals.
· Presents self-crisply and impressively. · Is willing to speak up to the right person or group at the right time, when they disagree with a decision or strategy. · Approaches challenging tasks with a “can do” attitude |
| Personal Credibility – Demonstrated concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable, and trustworthy | · Does what they commit to doing.
· Respects the confidentiality of information or concern shared by others. · Is honest and forthright with people. · Carries their fair share of the workload. · Takes responsibility for own mistakes, does not blame others. · Conveys a command of the relevant facts and information |
| Flexibility – Openness to different and new ways of doing things, willingness to modify ones preferred way of doing things | · Can see the merits of perspectives other than their own.
· Demonstrates openness to new and existing organisational structures, procedures, and value. · Switches to a different strategy when an initially selected one is unsuccessful. · Demonstrates willingness to modify a strongly held position in the face of contrary evidence |
Competency – Company Wide |
Requirements of Competency |
| Approachability – the ability to maintain and develop an approachable demeanour | · Listens and responds constructively to other team members ideas.
· Offers support for others’ ideas and proposals. · Is open with other team members about his/her concerns. · Expresses disagreement constructively by emphasising points of agreement, suggesting alternatives that may be acceptable · Reinforces team members for their contributions. · Gives honest and constructive feedback to other team members. · Aids others where they need it. · Works for solutions that all team members can support. · Shares his/her expertise with others. · Seeks opportunities to work with teams to develop experience and knowledge. · Aids, information, or other support to others to build or maintain relationships with team |
| Providing Motivational Support – The ability to enhance others commitment to their work | · Recognises and rewards people for their achievements.
· Acknowledges and thanks people for their contributions. · Expresses pride in the group and encourages people to feel good about their accomplishments. · Finds creative ways to make people’s work rewarding. · Signals own commitment to a process by being personally present and involved at key events. · Identifies and promptly tackles morale problems. · Gives talks or presentations that energise groups. |
| Persuasive Communication – The ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that make an impact and persuade their intended audiences | · Identifies and presents information or data that will have a strong effect on others.
· Selects languages and examples tailored to the level and experience of the audience. · Select stories, analogies, or examples to illustrate a point. · Creates graphics, overheads, or slides that display information clearly and with high impact. · Presents several different arguments in support of a position. |
| Customer Orientation – The ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying ones external and/or internal customers | · Quickly and effectively solves customer/client problems.
· Talks to customers (Internal and external) to find out what they want and how satisfied they are with what they are getting. · Let’s customers know they are willing to work with them to meet their needs. · Finds ways to measure and track customer/client satisfaction. · Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers/client |
| Stress Management – The ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain self-control in the face of hostility or provocation | · Remains calm under stress.
· Can effectively handle several problems or tasks at once. · Controls responses when criticised, attacked, or provoked. · Maintains a sense of professionalism under difficult circumstances |
| Decisiveness – The ability to make difficult decision in a timely manner | · Is willing to make decisions in difficult or ambiguous situations when time is critical.
· Takes charge of a group when it is necessary to facilitate change, overcome an impasse, face issues, or ensure that decisions are made. · Makes tough decisions |
How to apply
Please send a copy of your CV and a cover letter outlining why you are interested in the role to recruitment@mustardtree.org.uk.