Community Facilitator

BROTHERS OF CHARITY SERVICES –WEST REGION
POSTS: COMMUNITY FACILITATORS
ADULTS COUNTY ROSCOMMON SERVICES 
NORTH/SOUTH/EAST/WEST/MID ROSCOMMON
Ref: CF/ROSC A panel may be formed as a result of this campaign from which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration may be filled.

DESCRIPTION AND VISION OF SERVICES
The Brothers of Charity Services Ireland – West Region provide a community based, person centred service focusing on the needs and abilities of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The vision of the service is to support people with intellectual disabilities to achieve a full and valued life in their community, in line with best practice both nationally and internationally. Working in partnership with each person supported by services, and their family and communities, we aim to create opportunities for people supported by services to have ordinary life experiences and to be closely connected to family and friends. We are committed to supporting people to live a life of their choosing, and the provision of quality services to meet the needs of the people we support.

County Roscommon Adult Services provide a range of community based services including day, residential, respite, community outreach, family support and a range of multidisciplinary support services. People are supported in various types of day settings – day centres, supported employment, social and micro enterprises, training and education and these can be in groups or individualised. People are supported in residential settings in their own homes in the community individually and in groups with different staffing support levels depending on their levels of disability. Our Services are person centred focusing on the needs and abilities of adults with intellectual disabilities and autism. Our focus going forward is to form a relationship/partnership with each individual and their family and communities, supporting people to plan and direct their own service so that they can enjoy a life with a healthy balance of supports. We wish to create opportunities for people who use our service to have valued social roles in their communities and to form friendships. 

We wish to recruit innovative, creative and motivated people who will relish the opportunity to assist in achieving this vision as part of a team. We are looking for people who will be flexible and adapt to the needs of particular individuals they support and are open to change. 

Various Locations Across County Roscommon:  North – Boyle, Ballaghaderreen, Frenchpark; 
South – Athlone; East – Strokestown, Elphin, Tulsk, Ballinagare; West – Castlerea, Ballintubber, Ballinlough, Cloonfad; Mid – Roscommon town, Kilteevan, Athleague, Tremane/Rahara.
Staff allocation could be either within residential/respite/day settings or in community services or in an individual’s own home. The appointee will initially commence working in one particular area of the service and this work location may change due to future service needs.

The Role:
The Community Facilitator will be involved in the development and implementation of an educational, social, vocational, recreational and personal development programme for adults with an intellectual disability. The successful candidate will have responsibility to fill a key worker role for the people supported by the services. Work as a coordinator for the volunteers in the North Roscommon area and have a keen desire to get the people we support involved in the local community in order to help them actively participate in their locality.

Reporting/Responsible to: 
Area Manager, Team Leader

Qualifications / Experience:  
Candidates should have at least QQI Level 7 qualification relevant to the health sector.

Experience in designing and implementing programmes to enable them to carry out successfully the duties of the post together with an appreciation of the needs of persons with an intellectual disability is desirable. Full training will be provided.

A full clean, manual Irish Driver’s Licence is essential.

Fluency in verbal and written English is an essential requirement of this post.

The successful candidate should have good team working skills and be able to demonstrate creativity, positivity and enthusiasm in their role.

Working Hours:
Various Contracts -permanent, temporary or fixed term, full time, part time, Community Facilitator appointments
Normal working hours are Monday – Friday. However weekend work may be required to meet the needs of the people we support or Personal Outcomes. Contracted hours of work are liable to change from 8am to 8pm over 7 days to meet the requirements of the programme.

The Brothers of Charity Services model of service is based on Personal Outcome Measures requiring employees to be flexible in their working hours to provide a quality service delivery for each individual. Starting and finishing times will be as notified to you by the Team Leader.

Annual Leave:
22 days per annum (pro-rata for part-time), hours per 100 hours worked.

Remuneration:
Department of Health salary scales apply: €31,374 x 12 increments - €47,000 pro rata per annum (Instructor/Supervisor Grade). 

Salary quoted is based on a 39 hour working week. The successful candidate will be granted incremental credit subject to satisfactory verification of previous public sector service.

Tenure: 
A panel may be formed as a result of this process from which subsequent permanent, temporary or fixed term Community Facilitator appointments within the Service location may be offered over the next 6 months. 

Probation:
A probationary period of nine months from the date of appointment applies to the post. The employment may be terminated at any time during the probationary period should the employer find that the appointee is unsuitable to continue employment. The probation period may be extended at the Employer’s discretion.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Brothers of Charity Services model of service is based on Personal Outcome Measures requiring employees to be flexible both in their approach and their working hours to provide a quality service delivery for each individual.

Specific Conditions  must have a positive attitude towards working with persons with an intellectual disability and help to ensure that they lead as normal and enjoyable a life as possible. Staff must treat each person with an intellectual disability as an individual and at all times acknowledge and respect the rights and personal dignity of the person with an intellectual disability. Staff are required to establish and maintain relationships with adults with disabilities that are based on respect and equality and that promote their independence. An understanding of the New Directions model of day support services, as developed by the HSE. A willingness to work in promoting this model within your role under the supervision and direction of the Manager or any other person designated by the manager. Principal duties and Responsibilities: To be responsible for the implementation of training activities/programmes. To support individuals in aspects of social, educational and vocational training as required. The role of the Community Facilitator is to participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of an individual plan for each person supported by the services. This will include the development of skills in a range of areas such as, but not limited to work/employment, personal development/care and training/education. Promote the best possible outcomes for each individual in each aspect of their life and respect their adult status and rights at all times. Update personal outcomes and participate in regularly checking the individuals needs and follow up on these outcomes, reporting regularly on plans and achievements to the Manager or any other person designated by the manager. Co-operate on all aspects of programmes with colleagues and the Multidisciplinary Team and facilitate reporting at Individual Planning meetings and similar exercises. • If working in a rehabilitative setting, you must ensure as part of the requirements for the programme that the appropriate Rehabilitative Training modules specific to the persons needs are carried out and all documentation is up to date. Be mindful of “Gateway Outcomes” when supporting people to choose priorities in Individual Planning. Ensure that all individual plans are reviewed on a six monthly basis and evidence is written up in the POMs folder. It is your responsibility as a key-worker to refer to the relevant multi-disciplinary support as required ( Behaviour Support needs, Speech & Language Therapy needs, Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy needs). Follow all reporting procedures as per organization guidelines. Report any abuse concerns immediately to the Designated Person and to your Manager or any other person designated by the manager. Report all incidents / accidents, challenging behaviour incidents and medical errors on the appropriate forms to your manager immediately. Be aware of incidents and accidents that are reportable as 3 day notifiable events to HIQA and report same immediately to your manager. Familiar with HIQA regulations and standards. Maintain POM’s Individual Planning folders for all people supported, keeping records and evidence of support work and people’s activities updated at all times. Ensure that risk assessments and individual protocols are completed where required and are signed, dated and review dates noted - consulting with other team members, multi-disciplinary support staff and manager as required. Support people to have circle of Support meetings at a time and place that suits the person and the people they would like to attend their meeting. ( family / friends). Be flexible in working hours to accommodate Circle of Support meetings during the day, evening or at weekends as required and at venues to suit people supported and their families and friends. Include as wide a circle of support as possible (in line with the person’s wishes) for individual planning meetings for people supported – if not in person, then via phone, email, skype, etc. Become familiar with the New Directions model of day services. Promote and actively seek employment supports ( supported employment, social and micro enterprise) and community networking options to ensure the person supported develops a meaningful life in their local community. Administer medication following appropriate training as prescribed and required in accordance with policies of the service. Support the individual, implementing all support, intimate care, training programmes, and other programmes such as work experience, supported employment/job coaching and so on, as requested. Work in partnership with the local community to promote the abilities of and contribution people we support can make to their local area. Actively seek new interests and opportunities for people to interact in their communities in a positive and image enhancing way via social roles/volunteering, work, membership of groups/clubs, etc. Be a proactive member of the staff team and have good communication skills with all the people involved in your daily work. Follow all Policies and Procedures of the service at all times. Perform escort duties when required and drive the service vehicle as required. Assistance will be given to obtain a class D license if necessary. To be aware of and become familiar with fire drill procedures within the Centre, fire detection, evacuation and fire-fighting. To be conscious of Health & Safety matters in the workplace and, in particular, to comply with employee obligations as set out under Section 9 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005. To ensure that all accidents/incidents to the people we support, staff and visitors are reported promptly and that all staff are made fully aware of the contents of the Safety Statement for the Centre. To ensure that the strictest confidentiality is maintained on all matters relating to the people we support attending the Centre. To be willing to participate in all training and recreational activities including taking the people supported by the services on outings. Be Information Technology literate and maintain/update your IT skills as in line with advancing technology. Ensure people supported have appropriate access to IT and social media. As part of this environment and for their own self development, it is essential for staff to attend mandatory training and refresher training on an on-going basis, this is a compulsory requirement. • It is your responsibility to ensure continuing professional development (CPD). • Perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Manager or any other person designated by the manager. 
The role of the post holder will not be limited by reference to this job description. It is expected that the role will evolve and develop as required by professional, structural, and people supported demands, requiring the post holder to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility to facilitate this.

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