Development Worker/Social Advocacy

at  Coventry City Council

About the team we are recruiting to
Sitting within Coventry City Council Adult Social Care, The Pod is an award winning secondary mental health, social brokerage and cultural hub which represents new progressive & values driven within local authority adult social care. One that focuses on critical connections and a shift from the dynamic of service user/patient and towards citizenship and agency.
The Pods work asserts the importance of co-production and cultivating authentic connection with the city; its creatives, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, changemakers and quiet activists. As an outcome of The Pod’s approach, unexpected (and often unconventional) bridges to sector experts, employment and things that just matter are forged, sustained and made real.

‘[THE POD] CHALLENGES NATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS AROUND WHAT AND HOW SOCIAL CARE CAN DELIVER’ (TLAP)

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.
We have a simple vision and strategy that defines what we are trying to achieve, our purpose and our approach which underpin the principles of Adult Social Care, and we continue to work in support of this.
In a simple sense all our work, at whatever level should continue to support the strategy of: ‘Providing support, in the least intrusive manner possible, based on the assets, resources and abilities that are available to people’.
What is the job role?
The Pod team are committed to working in ways that are rights based, collaborative, creative, dynamic and personalised. The Pod have asserted National influence through work with TLAP, Public Health England, National Development Team For Social Inclusion In Mental Health, Local Government Association and presenting to the Health and Social Care Committee in Parliament. We aim to secure fast, firm and sustainable outcomes.
In this role, you will undertake collaborative Care Act Assessments (Strengths And Needs Assessment) with people referred to The Pod from Secondary Mental Services or via our Crisis Pathway who are living with severe and enduring mental ill-health or experiencing a mental health crisis. Forming effective working partnerships with both the referring practitioner and the person they have referred, navigating them through their personal/professional responsibilities and/or rights at each stage of The Pod’s recovery pathway.
You will also act as social advocate and social broker, mobilising relevant key agency/resources for example the Law Centre, Trade Unions, local organisations, community activists, entrepreneurs, artists and the movers and shakers of Coventry. Ensuring roles and responsibilities are clear and time framed that decision-making processes are inclusive and transparent and if necessary, asserting the need for fast track access ensuring the citizen remains central to discussions and decisions, using Statutory Assessments as a framework for dialogue to enhance both understanding and future outcomes.
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).
Who are we looking for?
You’ll need to be passionate about rights and recovery based work in adult mental health and have a natural affinity with the principles of co-production, which are applied both when supporting an individual to complete their Statutory Care Act Assessments and then through to Social Brokerage. This ethos, coupled with the ability to co-produce with Citizens and their stakeholders, and to change the viewpoint of invested professionals such as Housing Officers and health staff.

To be part of this innovative and award winning service you’ll need to demonstrate that you have:

• Experience of one to one work with individuals who want to make significant changes in their life.
• Experience of working in a multi –disciplinary teams and with community organisations and/or social activists
• Ability to research opportunities available across the city (and further afield) that link to individual outcomes for example in culture, leisure, education, volunteering.
• ICT skills to include using data bases and all social media platforms
• Good communication, questioning and negotiation skills and the ability to accurately assimilate and document information
• Good organisational skills to manage conflicting priorities often working under pressure to agreed deadlines
• Awareness of Care Act 2014 and Mental Health Act and statutory guidelines for good practice.

There will opportunity to influence the Pod’s citywide Social Activism Programs for example Time Union and/or other project based work. We invest in these programs because we believe to recover mental health and to nurture a resilient city you need to cultivate social activism, find out what’s important to people and generate new opportunities that Connect and mobilise people, their assets and passions and enable Change for the common good.
The majority of the team did not have a background of working in health or social care before working at the Pod so don’t let that put you off. Lived experience of severe and enduring mental ill health and/or experience of working or volunteering in allied sectors, for example trade union, arts and cultural industry, advocacy, community development are all really solid foundations for a Development Worker/Social Advocacy.
To have an informal conversation to find out more about the role please contact kirk.savage@coventry.gov.uk
If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you’ll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled ‘Coventry City Council Application Process’. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.
Interview date(s): 02/10/2024 and 03/10/2024
About Coventry

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health conditio