Job Details:
Advocacy and Support Officer

Job Description

This role will deliver tailored, one to one support and case work to support and resolve both immediate, crisis situations experienced by people and on a longer-term basis in the community. In the main people we support are Irish or of Irish descent including the Traveller Community. However, our services are open to all.

Additionally, part of the role will include working across the project team and wider role of ICCM in early intervention and prevention.  Informing and supporting community-based advocacy, awareness, and public campaigns to inform and increase knowledge and education of the community on how to access help, and the availability of support which is open to people as needs develop. Thus, increasing the wider public and social value of ICCM and brining more service users in to receive one to one support when needed. 

This will attract and support our community by making our services local, appropriate, and accessible to those who mainly do not access mainstream services. This will include advocacy and representative services in order for people to secure welfare benefits, enabling people to access the financial benefits they are entitled to.

This will support people experiencing mental and physical health issues, substance misuse, facing legal issues, those who require debt management, threatened with eviction, domestic abuse, and bereavement. This will be done mainly on an outreach basis across Manchester, supporting people in their own homes, in care homes, hospital and where they are resettled to their home environment.

The overall aim of the service is to improve quality of life, access to appropriate support services and improved health and wellbeing outcomes by acting as an advocate and to negotiate with other agencies, where necessary, on our client’s behalf. 

Key Responsibilities:

• To make contact with members of the Irish and Traveller communities across Manchester. 
• To provide Advocacy and Support via outreach, accompanying to appointments, advocacy to other agencies to address presenting needs who are vulnerable and ‘at risk’ through age, poor physical or mental health, homelessness, risk of homelessness, drug and alcohol use, offending, abuse, and social and cultural isolation.
• Undertake an initial assessment of service users’ needs, presenting issues and risks and to develop a care plan working alongside other statutory and voluntary agencies.
• To offer comprehensive information, advocacy, advice and support services to our community to meet individual needs and achieve positive outcomes.
• Make referrals to statutory and community and voluntary organisations working in partnership to achieve the best level of care and support.
• Develop care plans in order to improve the health of our communities, working with service users and relevant agencies 
• To attend and participate in meetings and forums highlighting community issues, cultural needs and experiences.
• To support volunteers and students at ICCM. Volunteers will also support service users to meet presenting needs as highlighted in the assessment and care plan.
• To maintain accurate and up to date records of all areas of work.
• To closely monitor progress of work and report this to your line manager.
• To present accurate and clear reports on all cases as requested by the Advocacy & Advice Manager.
• Attend appropriate networking and training opportunities for personal and professional development.
• To attend and participate in team meetings.
• To participate and engage in supervision and appraisal provided by your line manager.
• To attend conferences and seminars locally, regionally and nationally as directed by line manager.
• To promote the work of ICCM as requested by your line manager.
• To work as an accountable member of the staff team, working within the Charity's policies and procedures 
• It is the nature of the work at ICCM that staff are expected to work in a flexible way, when the occasion arises, when tasks not specifically covered in their job have to be undertaken for the benefit of our beneficiaries.
• To ensure you fully embrace ICCM’s values in all your work:
  • Respectful: We respect and value our staff, service users, volunteers and stakeholders in order to make a difference to peoples lives within our communities
  • Inclusive: We include all people, value diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity where we appreciate each person for their unique qualities to enhance our communities
  • Responsive: We have a culture of listening, understanding and providing services to meet the needs of our communities
  • Empowering: We recognise people’s abilities and support them to make change happen
  • Integrity: We are trusted to keep our word and aim to achieve the highest standards to fulfil our duty of care
  • Participation: We value the contribution of all our volunteers and service users to ensure our continual improvement to meet the needs of our communities