Carer Adviser and Facilitator (BAME Carers and Self- Directed Support Focus)

The Action Group seeks a highly organised, skilled and empathic person to join its dynamic carer advice team. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of

living or working within a Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority Community and people who speak

another language in addition to English.

Requirements

This opportunity is a result of an exciting new partnership between The Action Group and Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living. The project aims to ensure that Black Asian and Minority Ethnic carers can access Self Directed Support.

The postholder will co-facilitate regular peer-support groups and carry out 1-1 casework with carers (within Edinburgh and the Lothians). The post holder will assist carers to be active collaborators and decision-makers, providing both 1-1 support and group development activities.

Successful applicants will:

• Demonstrate a strong ability to provide casework and carer-led support, to help carers improve their situations.
• Be digitally confident
• Show a good understanding of equality and diversity issues and a commitment to support people from marginalised groups.
• Have a good understanding of the social care landscape
• Have good facilitation skills

Do you want to join a committed and supporting team in raising awareness and changing things for the better for everyone with Down’s syndrome right across Scotland?

We are looking for an individual to run FriendZ Space, our popular, online programme for adults with Down’s syndrome, The ideal candidate would have experience in planning sessions, facilitating groups (in person and online) for young people and adults with learning disabilities.

Role Purpose and Background

Community Solutions is an exciting, respected and effective partnership programme which supports community and voluntary organisations to improve people’s wellbeing, promote equality and provide support to vulnerable people across North Lanarkshire by:

• funding 6 locality host organisations to facilitate joint working at local level, including sharing information and good practice; identifying priority needs; managing allocation of small grants through a Locality Activity Fund and promoting other funds managed through the Community Solutions Programme

• funding over 200 local and/or NL-wide thematic projects on a wide range of issues including advocacy and self-directed support; carers support; children and young people; mental health and wellbeing

• supporting wider community engagement in the Community Solutions programme and health and social care integration

• promoting the Community Solutions values and approach to inform development of other health and social care services and, where appropriate, other services and initiatives that support wellbeing.

The Community Solutions programme was established in 2012 and now has recurrent annual funding of around £1.1 million from Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire (HSC-NL), plus additional funding from HSC-NL and other sources – with a current annual total of over £3 million.

With additional funding over the coming two years coming from:

• Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire Prevention and Early Intervention additional funding

• NHS Charities Together – Connecting Communities for Health: Investing in Lanarkshire’s Social Prescribing Network

• Macmillan Cancer Support – Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ)

The Community Solutions programme is piloting a new Improving Lives Initiative (ILI). In addition to increasing the resources to support the Locality Hosts and increasing the funding to distribute through the Locality Activity Fund; the ILI will also establish a team of Community Connectors to provide support to people who would benefit from informal community-based support and help accessing formal statutory support should they need it. The Community Connectors will signpost people to community supports provided by Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS) Organisations and where appropriate link to statutory services such as Home Assessment Teams and Integrated Rehabilitation Teams.

The Community Connectors will be employed by North Lanarkshire Disability Forum (NLDF), which was established in 1991 by and for disabled people and their carers, and continue to be a user led organisation. NLDF provide up to date information on disability issues throughout North Lanarkshire. The ethos of NLDF is keeping people independent and in their home for as long as possible by empowering people with information, access to appropriate supports and ensuring they know their rights.

NLDF are keen collaborators within Health and Social Care supporting individuals and their carers to contribute to consultations that matter to them such as National Care Service, devolved benefit consultations through Social Security Scotland, Strategy guidance on Self-Directed Support (SDS), and more local issues around supports for people with Additional Support Needs (ASN) such as accessing Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

NLDF currently has four projects providing practical supports around finances, social needs and carer breather sessions for people in North Lanarkshire to link into providing information, advice and wellbeing tools.

NLDF are Volunteer Friendly accredited and Living wage employers.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives, with experience in health & social care and a focused drive for quality and continual improvement? If this sounds like you, then this could be the role you have been waiting for!

We have an exciting opportunity for a quality focused individual to join Cornerstone as a Quality Improvement Officer on a full-time, permanent basis.

This role can be based in any of our main offices (Aberdeen, Dundee or Glasgow), or part of our hybrid working model. If opting for hybrid, we would need you to live within a reasonable commute of Aberdeen, Dundee or Glasgow. There will be occasions that we'll need you to travel to other Cornerstone branch locations (travel expenses would be reimbursed as set out in Cornerstone’s expense policy with travel reimbursed by HMRC legislation).

The Role

Cornerstone is one of Scotland's largest charities with over 40 years' experience providing great care and support for adults and children with various support needs across Scotland.

As an integral part of our Continuous Improvement team, you’ll drive positive change across the organisation by providing expert guidance and support on all quality improvement initiatives.

You’ll uphold all legal, regulatory requirements, and standards while promoting a culture of continuous learning whilst driving innovation and improvement.

Please see the Role Profile attached to our advert for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

About You

What we'll need you to bring: -

• Proven experience of working within the Health & Social Care sector
• Have confidence in complex situations, using your communication skills to effectively raise concerns and find constructive solutionKnowledge and experience of providing high quality support services in a person-centred environment that empowers individuals to reach their potential
• A strong understanding of the Health and Social Care Standards, relevant legislation and regulations.
• The ability to analyse and interpret statistical data
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• A creative, innovative and imaginative approach to tasks and adaptable to change
• The ability to produce high-quality, accurate work to strict and tight deadlines
• Effective negotiation and team working skills with the ability to work on your own initiative
• Good administrative skills
• A professional care or health qualification

If you’re up for the challenge and think you have what it takes, then apply, we'd love to hear from you.

Have any questions? Contact Gillian McPake, our Head of Continuous Improvement and Leaning at gillian.mcpake@cornerstone.org.uk.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited along to an interview on 5th or 7th June 2023.

The successful candidate will need to undertake a Standard Disclosure check through Disclosure Scotland.