Employment Support Worker

Salary: £30,033 pro rata until end of contract on December 31st 2024

This is a temporary contract with a possibility of an extension depending on the success of the initial pilot.

About Us

Re-Instate is a charity working to improve employment opportunities, quality of life and well-being for disadvantaged people in the London Borough of Bexley including people experiencing mental ill-health, people with learning disabilities, autistic adults and young people.

Job Advert

The Disability Employment Gap is still too wide, with around half of disabled people in work, compared to over 80% of non-disabled people. But the autism employment gap is even wider, with just 22% autistic people reported in paid work and while not all autistic people can work, we know most want to.    

Following local consultation through Bexley’s Autism Partnership Board, a new pilot project to support adults with autism into work will be delivered in collaboration with Bexley Twofold. 

This is a twelve-month project that started in January 2024 and ending December 31st 2024. Due to staff departure, this role has become available, starting date ASAP. It will support up to 50 Bexley residents aged 18+ with autism to improve their confidence, job search and employability skills that will help them find and sustain paid employment.

Working closely with the other Employment Support Worker (employed by Bexley Twofold), your proven knowledge and experience of supporting adults with autism will enable them to:

·         Prepare for work.

·         Find suitable paid positions.

·         Build their confidence levels.

·         Learn their respective jobs.

·         Retain their jobs.

Not only will you support those who need it to prepare for work, you will also support them (if required) when they start work.  This will involve liaison with the employer and working alongside them in their new place of work.  This is very much a face-to-face role delivering support not only to your client caseload but also to local employers.   

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Simon Hart, Re-Instate. (phone number removed) or email (url removed)

We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date.

Requirements

Candidate Profile

We are seeking candidates that have a good general standard of education, a proven knowledge of autism and experience of supporting adults with autism or mental health needs.  You will also have experience of working on your own initiative with the ability to solve problems in a variety of situations. 

Proven ability to establish links with other agencies and employers is essential along with the ability to escort clients to interviews/placements or paid employment.  The ability to listen to clients and understand their needs is key and you will need to demonstrate your ability to tailor your approach and communication, even in complex situations.

Strong IT and administration skills are essential as you will be required to track your client’s journey, report on progress and use systems such as Microsoft Office and in house database.

For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached.

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Benefits

• Pension Plans