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Living Well Network Officer 

37.5 Hours

£22816 starting salary

Responsible To: CEO Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre

Accountable To: Team Manager – Living Well Team (Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust GMMH)

Hours of Work: Predominantly Monday to Friday 9am till 5pm however there may be a requirement to work outside of those hours to meet the needs of the service.

Job Summary: We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Network Support Worker (NSW) to work in a new community mental health service in Wigan, called Living Well (LW). The LW Service will enable timely access to mental health services and support when people need it most and provide support for people closer to their home community who might not traditionally meet the threshold or criteria of existing mental health services. You will work as part of the LW Team which will include voluntary sector organisations, mental health professionals, peer workers and volunteers from across Wigan. In this role you will be a key member of the team.

Your primary role will be working in as part of the team which are based in communities across the borough of Wigan. You will be pro-actively supporting people who access the service who have some support needs and mental health needs as individuals and as part of their own family network. The duties and responsibilities of this innovative post have been assessed as levels of competence up to and including NVQ Level II (or equivalent) in ‘Health and Social Care’ which reflects the skills and knowledge required to satisfactorily perform the duties of the post. You will be supported by a variety of your own peers, Managers and leadership both within your hosting organisation and by members of the Greater Manchester Mental Health leadership team.

You will have access to numerous training and development opportunities within the NHS Trust and host organisation. The Wigan Living Well Service will be a proactive compassionately led, trauma informed, and recovery focused. Living Well has co-produced key values and principles that all staff and peers share. As a result, our model is humanistic and person-centred. Our core values are based on creating open, honest, safe spaces and conversations where all people’s strengths are valued. Page 1 of 5 19554 Living Well Team Network Support Worker February 2023

Main Duties

1. To provide practical and emotional support for people accessing the Living Well service, their identified carers, family members or wider support networks. 2. To provide flexible support to carers, family members and the wider support network to assist in alleviating distress when they are dealing with complex or stressful situations i.e. enable carer, family member or wider support network to leave the caring situation for short periods, and/or supporting the carer, family member or wider support network in visits to health appointments relating to the service user. 3. To act as an informal advocate on behalf of the person and their network. 4. To provide signposting and coordination support if relevant and appropriate. 5. To participate in a duty/rota with the wider Living Well team of initiating contact with service users and their wider Network when required. 6. To have knowledge of and keep up to date with local services available and how to access them, to support service users, their carers, family members and wider support networks. 7. To signpost people accessing the service, their carers, family members and wider support networks to self-help, community groups and activities. To reduce social isolation of carers, family members or wider support networks and encourage support through individual interventions, joint working, group activities and workshops. 8. Ensure carers are aware of their full benefit entitlement and tax credits referring to specialist advice services (eg. CAB/ W&L Carers Centre) if necessary. 9. To liaise with Local Authority, healthcare, housing services and voluntary sector agencies in developing systems for exchanging information between services and carers, family members and wider support networks and have awareness of the personalisation agenda. 10. To maintain up to date and accurate records in accordance with organisational policy and in line with the requirements of the Living Well model. 11. Undertake any other duties in order to meet personal, team and organisational objectives following consultation with the manager. . Page 2 of 5 19554 Living Well Team Network Support Worker February 2023 General 1. Be familiar and comply with organisational policies and procedures. 2. Attend relevant meetings and staff development training as and when appropriate. 3. Participate in supervision. 4. Develop and maintain healthy communication with all members of the LW Team. 5. Participate in and achieve competence in mandatory training relevant to the post e.g., Breakaway, moving and handling. Health and Safety 1. The job holder will observe the organisations health and safety instructions, standing financial instructions and other workplace statutory and regulatory requirements and attend appropriate training. 2. The post holder will take reasonable care of his / her own health and safety at work and the health and safety of colleagues, service users and others in the workplace. 3. The post holder will report all accidents, incidents or omissions to his / her line manager and complete appropriate electronic or paper records of occurrences. Standard Requirements – Confidentiality: The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about people using the service, their carers, family members or wider support networks, colleagues and service business in accordance with relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act. A disclosure to any unauthorised person is a serious disciplinary offence. Equal Opportunities Promote the concepts of opportunity and managing diversity. Disclosure of Criminal Background This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore the successful applicant will be required to undertake a criminal records bureau disclosure prior to commencing work. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working in this post.

Summary: This job description is an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities of the post and is not intended as an exhaustive list. This is a new and exciting post which will be subject to change as the role develops to reflect the changing needs of the service. The job description will be reviewed regularly and updated as appropriate following agreement between the postholder and Line Manager.

Closing date :  20.03.24

If you would like an informal chat about this role, please contact Elaine Burgoyne email elaine@wlcccarers.com
Or call 01942 697885

LW Network Support Worker JD – FINAL JUNE 2023

Branded – Our Journey So Far June 2023

Application Form

 

 

 

 

 

Our approach

Staying true to our values and commitments, Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre now support over 12,000 carers across Wigan and the surrounding areas. We seek to recruit and retain a high calibre of committed individuals with a passion for delivering excellent support to unpaid carers.

At our organisation we take a different approach to recruitment and truly focus on values, and what an individual can bring to support both young and adult carers. We appreciate the strength and skills of all our staff and are always keen to hear from caring, proactive individuals, keen to make a difference.

If you would like to join our talented team and become part of an inspiring non-profit organisation, please get in touch by calling 01942 697885 or emailing: info@wlcccarers.com.

As a new member of staff you will:

  • Receive necessary equipment to undertake your role.
  • Receive full training and ongoing management support.
  • Receive professional development support.
  • Receive payment for mileage or expenses incurred.
  • Receive support for health and wellbeing and flexible working.

Other benefits include free parking and a competitive pension contribution scheme.

As a minimum, all our employees and volunteers are required to have a basic DBS check.
Our registered centre is located in Hindley, although some of our staff adopt an agile working strategy across the borough.

We put people at the heart of what we do to create a caring community where people want to work and visit. As a member of our team, you will be able to make a positive difference to people’s lives every day.

Volunteering

No matter how much time you can give or where you are based, we’d love to hear from you.  By volunteering for Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre, you can make a real difference to the lives of unpaid carers in Wigan.

Find out more about volunteering.

Trustees

Our board of trustees is critical to our work and success, and in shaping our future direction. We want to make sure our board reflects the voices and diversity of all unpaid carers to create opportunities of sustainability, collaboration and leadership.

If you’re as committed to our cause as we are then we would love to hear from you.

Find out more about becoming a trustee.

Student work placements

Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre are committed to providing a safe and high-quality learning environment for all learners to prepare them for their future roles and careers.

We will ensure all learners are welcomed, valued and provided with an inclusive, safe, stimulating and supportive learning experience.  Learning infrastructure and resources will meet the needs of all learners, ensuring that all staff who supervise learners undertake their responsibilities with the due care and diligence expected by relevant professional and regulatory bodies.

University placements

Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre is proud to have been involved in the training of students for several years and is committed to ensuring all students have an experience which will equip them with skills for life.  Currently we have students on placement from a range of universities, studying in fields of Social Work, Nursing and Mental Health.

Throughout their placement, students will contribute and communicate with a wide range of professionals and support organisations to develop multi-professional working skills and providing the best support for both young and adult carers.

Phil Humphries, Chair of Trustees said “Students are an integral part of our service.  Their contribution of energy, skills and compassion help us provide the best possible services to unpaid carers in Wigan.  We will support you from start to finish, and with everything in between.”

We offer student placements for anyone on a relevant course of study including:

  • Health and Social Care/Social Work
  • Youth and Community Development
  • Psychology/Counselling/Therapy based courses

If you would like more information about university placements, please contact our team at: info@wlcccarers.com  with the subject line: ‘University placements’.

Supported employment placements

Our organisation works in partnership with Wigan’s Supported Employment Service (SES) to support people with a disability or long-term health condition to gain and sustain paid employment.  We are delighted to offer a supported internship programme, aimed at young people aged 16 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.  This is an exciting opportunity for young people, who are eligible, to learn a wide variety of skills ranging from computers and IT, reception and telephone duties and project work.

If you would like more information about the Supported Internship Programme, please contact our team at: info@wlcccarers.com with the subject line: ‘Supported Internships’.

Equality and diversity statement

Equality and diversity are fundamental to our core beliefs and values.  Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity.  Wigan and Leigh Cares Centre welcome people from all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, socio-economic classes, religions, disabilities and ages in everything we do.  By including everyone our organisation is a better place and we can provide better services.

We strive to prevent discrimination and protect our staff, the people who use our services, and our members from being discriminated against.

Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre are therefore delighted to announce that we have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status.

Phil Humphries, Chair of Trustees says: “We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme.  Disability Confident Employers are recognised nationally as going the extra mile to make sure disabled people get a fair chance.”

To become a Disability Confident Employer, we had to commit to inclusive and accessible recruitment, offer a guaranteed interview to disabled people, provide reasonable adjustments and support existing employees.  As part of the assessment, we also have to ensure there’s work experience, apprenticeships and other placements available.