Jobs in Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig, North Lanarkshire

About the job

We are looking for a client-focused individual with experience of providing welfare benefits advice, to join us as a Help to Claim Adviser (Universal Credit). In this role you will be using telephony and webchat to help /ensure our clients get the support they need face to face.

To succeed, you will need relevant experience and knowledge of the wider welfare benefit system including Universal Credit, demonstrating strong oral and written communication skills. It would be an advantage if you had recent experience and knowledge of undertaking welfare cases to appeal level if required. We are also looking for a proven ability to work effectively and well organised. Proficiency using a range of IT tools to carry out your work, including case management systems, online claims’ services and Microsoft Office applications is essential. Committed, results-driven and supportive to the needs of others, you work well within a team and are willing to follow and develop agreed procedures.

As Help to Claim Adviser (Universal Credit), you will deliver a holistic advice and support service aimed at clients on completing their initial Universal Credit claim, and to support them through to their first payment. This will involve helping with the online forms, the evidence required, and verifying their identity online using telephone and webchat.

Employee benefits

Motherwell & Wishaw Citizens Advice Bureau offers excellent terms and conditions, including a total of 28 days leave plus 10 Bank Holidays and a pension scheme with an 3% employer contribution. Motherwell & Wishaw Citizens Advice Bureau is an inclusive employer considering remote and flexible working arrangements where appropriate.

Main Duties

The Employability Support Worker: Young Parents will be responsible to the Lanarkshire Services Manager and will provide employability support for young parents faced with additional barriers to entering suitable training, education or employment opportunities.

Specific Duties

• Case Management: Using case management methods, provide a continuum of consistent support to young parents to progress along the employability pathway journey into suitable and sustainable training and employment opportunities.
• Families: Help young parents to identify their future goals, assess motivation, develop personal development plans and help in their implementation through individual and group work.
• Barriers: Identify barriers to education, training and employment and work with young parents to address those barriers.
• Liaison: Building links with organisations and groups across North Lanarkshire, to identify young parents interested in progressing towards suitable opportunities.
• Outreach & Engagement: Undertake activities in communities to actively reach young parents as a basis to support their learning and development and engage them in early work preparation to support positive change within their lives.
• Work/Vocational Activities & Training: Co-ordinate and deliver employability programmes to enable young parents facing additional barriers to employment to develop core knowledge and skills, helping to increase their access to employment, training and education opportunities
• In Work Support: Provide young parents with continued support on entering education, training or employment, to help sustain their jobs.
• Local services: Develop knowledge of services related to employment, training, education, childcare and other support. Develop an effective network of referral agencies to support clients' needs.
• Signpost: Engage with local services that will address young parent’s needs.
• Money Advice: Liaise with OPFS Financial Inclusion team to offer better off calculations and access to debt support.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Ensure effective recording, monitoring and evaluation procedures are implemented.
• Other Relevant duties: Carrying out any other relevant duties related to the above.

The job description is a broad picture of the post at the time of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time.

Personal Specifications

Essential

1. Qualification: A relevant professional qualification or a good standard of education equivalent to HNC/HND, SVQ3 /4 and combined with relevant experience.

2. Knowledge of issues affecting young parents

3. Experience of group work: candidates should preferably have had experience of running groups and understand group work issues

4. Experience of liaison and partnership working with other agencies

5. Excellent written and verbal communication skills

6. IT skills commensurate to the needs of the post

7. Commitment to professional development

8. Flexibility to meet the needs of the services

Desirable:

1. Driving license and use of a vehicle:

2. Experience of work with single parents: Prior experience of work with single parent families in a voluntary sector or statutory context would be helpful.

Terms & Conditions

1. Period of appointment: The post is funded until 31st March 2023. Confirmation of appointment will be dependent on completion of a satisfactory three-month probation period, satisfactory references, and a Basic Disclosure check.

2. Salary: OPFS salary scale points 13 – 17, currently £22,542 - £27,552 for full time, £16104 - £19680 for 25 hours per week. Appointments will be made at a point reflective of previous experience.

3. Hours of work: 25 hours weekly with flexibility to meet the needs of clients.

4. Holidays: Annual leave entitlement is 25 days and 12 Public holidays for full time (35 hours a week) which will be calculated pro rata for 25 hours per week.

5. Pension: You will be auto enrolled from your start date. OPFS pays 7% of your salary and you pay a minimum of 3%.

6. Training, support, and supervision: OPFS is committed to the development of its staff through internal training and access to external training. We also have an annual staff appraisal system in place and all staff receive regular monthly support and supervision from their manager.

7. Equal Opportunities and Family Friendly Employment: OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer. We have Investors in People status and Living Wage accreditation.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Service Lead in our Mason Street Service, North Lanarkshire.

This role will be to lead, support and develop a diverse team of staff and volunteers through a period of exciting change and opportunity to deliver life changing and quality services. To lead a culture which recognises the team, it’s strengths and their roles as leaders in every interaction, through professional empowerment, risk informed decision

making at the front line where it matters

You will report to the Head of Service team and work in harmony with other Service Leaders, looking outwardly to develop your practice in partnership with Heads of Service.