Senior Community Coach

POST TITLE: Senior Community Coach

GRADE:

DSO level 2
Spinal Points 20-24
unqualified
Spinal Point 22-26
qualified to NVQ Level 3
or equivalent

LOCATION: Derwentside/Sedgefield area Community

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• The post holder will be supervised on a day-to-day basis by the Community Team Manager/Support Manager/Locality Manager.

DESCRIPTION OF ROLE

• To work towards improving life chances for people with learning disabilities through a ‘person-centred approach’. To supervise coaches on a daily basis to provide appropriate care and support to adults with learning disabilities who wish to access community resources. To focus on citizenship and opportunities for people with a learning disability.

CONTEXT OF THE POST

• The post holder will be a member of the Community/Day Services Team within Adult Services Integrated Learning Disability Service that is based upon the Valuing People principles of choice, rights, independence and inclusion.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SPECIFIC TO THIS POST

• To provide appropriate levels of Personal care to people with a learning disability, within Care facilities or at locations agreed with the service users.
• To undertake supervision and appraisals for all community coaches/staff under your direction.
• To monitor and manage staff absence and to comply with all staff absence procedures.
• To monitor the performance of the community coaches/staff under your control, ensuring the outcomes for people with a learning disability are being achieved. Ensure community coaches/staff are appropriately matched to services users to facilitate their development.
• To control the budget established for your group of community coaches/staff and report performance on a monthly basis to the community team manager.
• To support people in community based activities, choices and interests, including the use of public resources and transport.
• To monitor the quality of service delivery for the areas you are involved and report the performance regularly to the Community Team Manager/Support Manager/Locality Manager.
• To provide transport and or arrange, for some service users when accessing community resources where necessary.
• To help facilitate ‘social inclusion’ by assisting Community Coaches/staff to support people to develop their own networks of community support.
• To facilitate the development of ‘local community links’ with others, e.g. voluntary agencies, local councils etc.
• To complete and review risk assessments, working with individuals, other community staff, Commissioners, parents/carers and other providers of services.
• To facilitate and review Person Centred Plans for people with a learning disability and directly contribute to the realisation of service user plans, Care Plans, Person Centred Plans and action plans, where appropriate.
• To co-ordinate the maintenance of appropriate records where necessary, i.e. monitoring and recording, communication charts, outcome logs, service user personal support information and other documents that will emerge as development continues.
• To be responsible for Health & Safety checks/monitoring/dissemination of information as required.
• To identify and, where necessary, undertake any appropriate training/development for staff.
• To participate in service user reviews with commissioning colleagues
• To operate in line with the philosophy, aims, objectives and standards of a service which promotes equal opportunities for all.
• To work with other professionals in the delivery of the service.
• To monitor the adherence of community coaches/staff to appropriate policy, procedures and guidelines relating to learning disabilities services and Durham County Council.
• Take responsibility for and dealing appropriately with any emergency that may arise, including adherence to the protection of Vulnerable Adults from Abuse policy.
• To promote the principles of Rights, Independence, Choice and Inclusion as outlined in the Government White Paper ‘Valuing People’.
• To work the contracted hours over a flexible week to meet the needs of service users, which may include some evening and/or weekend work.
• Work to agreed rota’s and report any absence or changes in circumstances in a timely way to enable effective cover to be arranged.
• Deal appropriately with members of the public, service users and their carers, which will involve reporting complaints in a timely manor inline with agreed policies and procedures
• Support service users in aspects of financial management inline with agreed policies and procedures.
• To undertake any identified training needs you may require as an employee. Including completion of LDAF training in appropriate time scales
• To work as part of a team and attend regular team meetings
• To ensure the safe storage, handling and administration of medication in line with the safe handling of medication policy.
• To undertake such other duties commensurate with the grade of post that may be required to ensure the service continues to meet or surpass the needs of people as they take control of their lives, as identified, in agreement with management
• A commitment to continuous professional development.

COMMON DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Quality Assurance
  All staff are accountable for the quality of their own work and for the operation of the relevant parts of the quality systems.
  
  This will involve operating within the appropriate quality procedures applicable to the post to ensure that all users of services have their needs and expectations identified and fulfilled.
• Communication
  To be personally aware of how the teams communications systems operate and to be fully conversant with the Service procedures, policies, strategies and objectives and to participate in effective liaison within the Team.
• Professional Practice
  To ensure that individual professional practices developed in line with Service’s stated objective of continual improvement in the quality of it’s service to internal and external customers.
• Health Safety
  All staff are will comply with the Service Health and Safety Policy, organisation arrangements and procedures and have a responsibility to advise the Service through their line manager of where they consider the Service has not met its obligation to provide a safe and healthy place to work.
• Supervision and Appraisal
  All members of staff will receive supervision and appraisal and it is the responsibility of each member of staff to follow the Service procedure in respect of supervision and appraisal.
• Equality and Diversity
  As an organisation we are committed to promoting a just society that gives everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from discrimination and prejudice. To ensure our commitment is put into practice we are developing policies, which will seek to remove any barriers to equality of opportunity and to eliminate unfair and unlawful discrimination.
  
  These policies apply to all employees of Durham County Council.
• Confidentiality
  All members of staff are required to undertake that they will not divulge to anyone personal and/or confidential information to which they may have access during the course of their work.
• Induction
  The Service has in place an induction programme designed to help new employees to become effective in their roles and to find their way in the organisation.

Conditions of Services

The terms and conditions of service are embodied in the National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service (commonly known as the Green Book) and supplemented by local collective agreements reached with Trade Unions recognised by the Council and by the regulations and policies of the Council:

1. The grade of the post is within DSO level 2 (depending upon qualifications) and salary is paid monthly by bank credit transfer.
2. The appointment will be subject to:
   • Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure check.
   • Satisfactory medical clearance. The successful candidate will be required to satisfy the Occupational Physician as to his/her fitness to perform the duties of the post.
   • Satisfactory references. References will be sought from your current or most recent employer and additional references may be requested.
   • Successful completion of a 6 month probationary period with the exception of staff transferring from another Authority.
3. The successful applicants may be entitled to relocation expenses in accordance with the Authority’s relocation expenses scheme.
4. The post holder will be entitled to join the local government pension scheme and contributions are 6% of salary.
5. The Post holder must have Access to a car or access to a means of mobility support (if driving must have current valid driving licence and appropriate insurance).
   
   A car user allowance may be attached to this post and the Council does provide an assisted car purchase scheme. Alternatively, an employer assisted car lease arrangement may be available.
6. Leave entitlement is a minimum of 22 days rising to 27 days following the completion of 5 years continuous local government service. In addition the post holder is entitled to 8 bank holidays. The above entitlements are reduced proportionately for employees working fewer than 37 hours per week.
7. Durham County Council operates a no smoking policy. Smoking is not allowed in Council offices or establishments.
8. This authority, as your employer, firmly supports the principles of collective bargaining in every way and believes in the principles of solving industrial relations problems by discussion and agreement. For practical purposes, this can only be conducted by representatives of the employers and of the employees. If collective bargaining of this kind is to continue and improve for the benefit of both it is essential and that the employees’ organisations should be fully representative. Your Authority is associated with other local authorities represented on the national and provincial councils dealing with local authorities’ services. It is equally sensible for you, too, to be in membership of a trade union representing you on the appropriate negotiating body, and you are strongly encouraged to do so.
   
   You have the right to join a trade union and to take part in its activities. Details of the specified trade unions on the appropriate negotiating body are available for you to refer to.
9. The County Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications, irrespective of race, sex, marital status, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or political belief.
10. The County Council requires one month’s notice in writing to the post holder’s intention to terminate employment.

NOTES

1. Candidates related to any member of the County Council or to the holder of any senior post must make a declaration to that effect.
2. Canvassing directly or indirectly will disqualify.
3. Please note that receipt of your completed application form will not be acknowledged, unless you provide a stamped addressed envelope for the purpose.
4. If you are not invited for interviews within 30 days of the closing date for receipt of applications, you may assume that you have been unsuccessful and that the post has been filled.
5. Please do not send testimonials or references as these will not be returned.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST: SENIOR COMMUNITY COACH DSO level 2

LONGLISTING - PHASE ONE - Examination of application form and any required work

PHASE TWO - As above plus inter-personal assessments