This role will be office based in Kent and will require travel across South East, in particular Maidstone and Tonbridge

Main purpose of job:
SCDA has recently secured funding through the Big Lottery and ESF to provide intensive and ongoing practical employment support for disadvantaged people with long term health issues or disabilities to move into sustainable volunteering, education, training or employment. The project will follow the principles of social prescribing to enable SCDA to engage with those who will benefit from it the most. Effective relationships with the medical and health sectors are central to the success of the project.

Overview of the Role & Team:
The Community Connector is responsible for providing intensive 1:1 information, advice, guidance and support to an allocated caseload of participants to address employability skills and secure sustainable volunteering, work trials and employment, including supported employment. Also to support the participants re/engagement with their community through signposting, referral and, when appropriate, accompanying them to the activity in line with their individual support plan.

Liaising with Project Navigators and the Project Manager to ensure the support provided is led by the participant and their support plan. To ensure referral to other services is aimed at meeting the participant’s needs and is moving them towards re/engagement with the community or into employment.

Working Environment:
• To be able to travel to various locations in and around South East area easily and economically
• Work from outreach centres as required throughout South East

Personal Attributes:
• A flexible approach to meeting participant needs
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Good understanding of data protection requirements
• Clear understanding of participant confidentiality
• Good understanding and experience of MS Access, Excel and Word
• Able to work effectively as part of a team and on own initiative
• Be confident in dealing with participants, partners and funders and be able to respond at all levels
• Tact, diplomacy
• Resilience to withstand peaks in workload
• Emotional resilience to work objectively and professionally with vulnerable people
• Understanding of or willingness to learn about the needs of a wide range of socially excluded people.

Skills & Experience Required:
Essential
• Minimum two years’ experience, paid or unpaid, working with individuals accessing opportunities, ideally relating to work and learning
• Experience working with clients who are facing barriers to work and learning (specifically long term health issues and disabilities, including learning disabilities.)
• Experience of working to prescribed targets for delivery in terms of job outcomes achieved and sustained etc
• Able to maintain accurate records for participants and monitor progress
• Able to communicate effectively at all levels
• Able to make assessment of need on a one to one basis
• Organisational, IT and time management skills of a high order
• Able to develop an approach to your work which displays a good understanding of equal opportunities
• Able to gain a rapid understanding of all partners services, and promote their vision, aims and values in a positive manner
• Accustomed to multi-tasking
• Full driving licence and access to own vehicle for travel to outreach centres

Desirable
• Appropriate professional qualification or degree
• Level 3 or equivalent qualification in “Advice”, or willingness to undertake this qualification and commitment to study in own time where necessary
• Knowledge of the benefits system
• Experience of lone working policies and practice
• Up to date knowledge of good employment practices which support the placement of clients with barriers to work e.g. disability discrimination, flexible working.
• Familiarity with routes into, and the opportunities available, within Adult Education

Benefits:
RBLI offer 25 days holiday per annum pro rata, a Group Flexible Retirement Plan, Life Assurance and Childcare Vouchers.

If you wish to be considered for the above role, forward your CV and covering letter including a supporting statement to recruitment@rbli.co.uk.

* RBLI reserves the right to remove a vacancy at any time prior to the published closing date.
RBLI is an equal opportunities employer.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE