Special Educational Needs Employment Advisor

Daily Duties

• Maintain a caseload of Special Educational Needs clients offering one to one support to help clients find, remain, or retain employment

• Provide one to one advice & guidance where an initial assessment and an action plan identifying clients aspirations and barriers are identified

• Coach and mentor clients and offer a range of employment support interventions that will support them to find, remain or return to work. This would involve developing CVs, supporting with job search and interviews

• Work closely with local employment support agencies such as the job centre, recruitment consultancies, training, and work placement providers to offer suitable opportunities

• Work closely with employers to support clients to remain in their jobs by negotiating reasonable adjustments at the workplace

• Provide 1-2-1 support to clients to enable them to return to work after absence or other reasons

• Work closely with local employment law professionals and trade unions to offer clients and their employers with information about their employment rights and responsibilities

• Identify and maintain good working relationship with employers and prospective partners
• Work closely with local agencies to identify appropriate job vacancies

• Advocate on behalf of the client with prospective employers, aiming to identify work solutions that will overcome or minimise difficulties within the workplace
• Signpost the client, where necessary, to other agencies who will be able to provide advice on benefits or support that the client may be entitled to
• Where appropriate, work with other agencies the client is already being supported by, to deliver a more effective support service

Administration/General

• Ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed on time, including questionnaires, reports, and minutes for each client engagement and that these are regularly updated using the IYSS (database system) and protocols
• Ensure good communication, planning and workload management
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure that information is stored according to BELS data policies.
• Maintain appropriate records/case notes and be administratively self-servicing
• Attend training appropriate to the work role and as required by the role/organisation/line manager
• To keep up to date with accurate information on local resources, facilities, training, and employment
• Always provide a culturally sensitive service and work within an anti-discriminatory framework
• Participate in staff meetings, supervision meetings, appraisals, training, team development sessions and other meetings as required
• Undertake all duties in accordance with BELS policies, with reference to the Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety policies, and work towards their continuing development and implementation.
• Liaise with the Programme Manager to ensure that all publicity material is compliant with BEL’s guidelines.
• This list is not exhaustive, and you will be required to carry out other duties as necessary in the fulfilment of the role.

Person Specification

• Customer Service NVQ level 2 minimum or equivalent or be prepared to work towards this
• Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience
• NVQ level 3 in Advice & Guidance or equivalent or be prepared to work towards this
• Qualification in Human Resources or equivalent work experience
• Experience of delivering training/presentations
• Demonstrable experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team and establishing good working relationships with other provider organisations, e.g., legal advice, job centres and HR
• Experience of engaging and working with employers in supporting people to gain and retain employment
• Experience of using client database systems and IT systems
• Experience in offering advice around employment issues including welfare benefits
• At least 2 years case load management experience
• Understanding of the barriers to employment people for young NEET people and those with learning difficulties have and how to overcome them
• Understanding the challenges faced by employers when supporting employees with common mental health difficulties
• Knowledge and awareness of the impact of mental health issues on individuals
• Self-starter who is enthusiastic, energetic and solution focused
• Ability to work well under pressure and deal with conflicting demands and plan, prioritise and manage deadlines and workloads
• Ability to provide 1-2-1-person centred employment advice
• Ability to actively listen to clients’ needs and offer advice in a non-judgemental way
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written
• Self-reliance, resilience, and a flexible attitude to the working environment
• A respect for difference and an understanding of and commitment to anti-discriminatory practices
• The ability to work independently as well as within a team and foster good working relationships
• An understanding of and commitment to safeguarding and best practice
• Willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service

Tagged as: Any other/NA