Independent Advocate

The post-holder will provide independent advocacy in the Southern Trust area across various settings, including in the community, people’s homes, and hospital settings including mental health wards.

The Independent Advocate will undertake one to one work with disabled people. The post holder will utilise their skills and experiences to provide advocacy and short-term support to disabled people to deal with specific questions or issues relating to health and social care.

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 Office.The post holder does not directly line manager any other posts.

The key duties and responsibilities of the post are set out below:-

1 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.

2 To work with people with learning disabilities in a range of settings including the community, supported living and in hospital or assessment centres.

3 To work within the Advocacy Network Northern Ireland Code of Practice for Independent Advocates.

4 To take on advocacy cases as allocated by the Advocacy Manager and prioritise workload based on contract criteria.

5 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.

6 To ensure that the outcomes of advocacy interventions are measured by ensuring that feedback is obtained and evaluated on each advocacy case.

7 To provide accurate and comprehensive information to people with learning disabilities to enable people to make informed choices. To make referrals to specialist agencies and individuals when appropriate.

8 To work in partnership with all other appropriate agencies and individuals across all pathways of care to ensure correct levels of support are in place.

9 To maintain accurate records on all cases and ensure they are held securely to maintain confidentiality. Keep all records up-to-date and ensure that information is submitted to the Manager within appropriate timescales.

9 To adhere to Disability Action’s Child & Vulnerable Adult Protection policies, lone working policies, data protection policies and health and safety policies.

10 To take responsibility for personal safety in and out of the office in accordance with the Risk Assessment Policy.

11 To work collaboratively with other staff within Disability Action who may provide technical advice and support.

12 To provide advocacy support in crisis situations, often involving factors such as detention, homelessness and family breakdown.

13 To adhere to agreed corporate quality standards.

14 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 some 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 disabled person, 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 third level or professional qualification in health and social care or law or equivalent.
• At least two years’ experience of delivering advocacy services.
• Accredited Level 2 Award in Independent Advocacy (City and Guilds) or equivalent.
• A sound knowledge of different advocacy models and their implementation.
• Competent understanding of Mental Health Legislation and best practice, including guardianship, deprivation of liberty, and best interest welfare interventions.
• Demonstrated experience in a human rights based approach to supporting people with disabilities.
• The ability to plan, manage and control a range of different work areas while under pressure.
• 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.
• The ability to challenge individuals and organisations in an assertive and constructive manner.
• A practical understanding of the health and social services in Northern Ireland and their interaction with other statutory and voluntary agencies.
• 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.)
• The ability to on occasion work additional and/or unsociable hours.
• Lived / personal experience of disability.
• Experience of casework management.
• Knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting the rights of people with disabilities and a commitment to the promotion of equality and human rights.

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 desirable criteria (if applicable) reflect that which would be advantageous for the successful applicant to possess. If the eligible field of applicants remains too large after the initial ‘eligibility’ shortlist, the desirable criteria may be applied to further shortlist.

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.

Tuesday / 23 April 2024
3:00pm

Portside business park, Belfast - please note this is our Head Office Address only
BT9
Belfast
BT9 7LD

Portside business park, Belfast - please note this is our Head Office Address only BT9 Belfast BT9 7LD