The Role

We're looking to recruit enthusiastic, skilled, motivated and dedicated full time Personal Advisors to join the Future First Wandsworth Leaving Care Team.

The team offers a personal advice and housing support service for care leavers aged 16 – 25 years old. As a Personal Advisor (PA) you’ll carry a caseload of up to 25 young people and offer a PA service for all young people referred to Future First. You’ll work alongside the young person’s Social Worker then take on full case responsibility when they are no longer looked after.

The role entails regular liaisons with Independent Reviewing Officers, social workers, key workers and a number of external agencies (including accommodation providers, support agencies and the UK Border Agency), and you’ll ensure ’keeping in touch’ is maintained with care leavers. You’ll also provide duty cover under guidance of the manager and some group work with young people so excellent communication skills are required as well as the ability to create and maintain positive relationships with partner agencies.

Experience of identifying safeguarding concerns and risk management is also required as they are key to the role. Another important element of the role is promotion of user involvement and feedback.

The post entails occasional travel around the UK and evening & weekend working in line with service participants availability and duty arrangements. Working arrangements are 36 hours a week full time.

Contact details

For an informal conversation about this role, please contact Carlyn Ferreira by email Carlyn.Ferreira@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Benefits

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including, working from home and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 39 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities.

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

• Close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 24th May 2022
• Shortlisting date: week commencing 30th May 2022
• Interview date/s: week commencing 6th June 2022

Useful Information: The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

How to apply?

To be considered for interview your CV and supporting statement must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils