Community Access Facilitator

Location of Post

Community Access Facilitator for Disability Day Services Sligo.

A panel may be formed as a result of this campaign for Community Access Facilitator for Disability Day Services Sligo from which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration may be filled.

Informal Enquiries

Name: Winnie Connolly, Service Manager Day Services Sligo Leitrim & Donegal

Phone:

Email:

Details of Service

Ballytivnan Training Centre & CI Connect Hub Sligo connect provide a day service to adults with a disability, including autism, who want support to engage in their local community as an alternative to a traditional centre-based services.

This programme is aimed at adults whose lives would be improved from receiving educational activities that enhance choice, independence, personal and social development and improving client’s wellbeing.

The programme helps to promote advocacy, communication skills and provide opportunity for social and community inclusion. It provides opportunities for increased community participation, education development and identifying employment and training needs.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to Modernised Services Manager (or delegated person)

Key Working Relationships

The Community Access Facilitator will work closely with service users, families, day services staff and management as well as members of the multi-disciplinary team.

They will also build up working relationships with relevant community organisations, educational providers and local employers.

Purpose of the Post

The Community Access Facilitator will be required to support persons with a disability to access a wide range of community-based services and opportunities to meet their individual needs.

The role includes working with service users, key staff, families and multidisciplinary team members through a person-centred approach towards the goal of social inclusion, community integration and active citizenship.

The role will involve working on a one-to-one basis in the community with service users, promoting equality of opportunity for persons with a disability in areas including work/employment based opportunities and placements, training, education, volunteering and social and recreational opportunities.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Service User Support/Care

The Community Access Facilitator will:

· Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of person-centred plans for service users.

· Cover for other staff as required, this may involve travelling to one of our other Centres.

· Support the service user with personal care including showering, feeding, dressing, toileting if required.

· Support the service user to establish a circle of support and action plan.

· Support the service user to focus on outcomes/goals.

· Support the service user to identify the community activities they would like to take part in.

· Support the service user to identify the supports they require to access these activities and agree how long these Supports will be required.

· Ensure that all activities and supports are monitored and are maintained/reduced at an appropriate pace to ensure sustainability.

· Introduce new experiences at a pace that enables the service user to achieve success, addressing obstacles and other issues that may compromise achievement of agreed goals.

· Assist service user to develop a full range of social relationships including developing friendships and social networks

· Empower service user to be a valued citizen in their local community, make choices and have ordinary life experiences.

· Where appropriate participate in activities as a means of motivating service user to take part.

· Motivate service users who may be experiencing difficulties and lack of motivation engaging in activities.

• Promote advocacy through listening to the service user’s wishes and assisting by advocating on their behalf on in a number of settings including family, HSE, community groups, agencies etc.
• Explore and encourage the use of natural community supports in supporting independent living for the service user.
• Provide onsite support and supervision to service users who are accessing work experience in the local community.
• Assist the service user to identify and develop opportunities to experience volunteering, work experience, supported employment and pathways to full employment.
• Promote and provide practical road safety awareness and training as required.
• Facilitate the service user to access mainstream educational programmes.
• Encourage independent living by providing service user with training and support with independent living skills.

Administration

The Community Access Facilitator will:

• Establish and maintain a database of community services and facilities that offer suitable meaningful opportunity for adults with a disability.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings, multi-disciplinary team meetings, case conferences and review meetings as deemed appropriate.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of service users whilst acknowledging the needs for professional sharing of information within the relevant staff team.
• Ensure records and documentation are maintained to a high standard and storage of files is in line with data protection policy at all times.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with local organisations.
• Work with other organisations to create networks and share resources.
• Contribute to the development of quality assurance systems and procedures.
• Identify and collect data to measure outcomes, prepare reports as requested.

Education & Training

The Community Access Facilitator will:

• Attend and participate in all staff training as deemed relevant by organisational policy and service manager.
• Participate in performance evaluation/review with Line Manager identifying areas for improvement and appropriate plans to achieve them.
• Participate in committees and agency forums as directed by service manager.
• Have a working knowledge of HIQA standards as they apply to the role, for example; Standards for Health Care , National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections , Hygiene Standards etc

Health & Safety / Risk Management

The Community Access Facilitator will:

• Observe, report and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to service user care or wellbeing.
• Complete incident reporting and near miss forms.
• Adhere to all HSE policies and procedures and to all relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Complete and review risk assessments, including the development of a positive risk management plan for service users.
• Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.