Occupational Therapist

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Job description

Organisation

Jami is a mental health charity committed to providing practical and emotional support to the Jewish community, delivering services that educate, support and facilitate recovery.

Since the start of the pandemic, demand for our services has grown exponentially. In 2021 we undertook a thorough review of the needs of the community, to develop a new strategy that will secure the Jewish community's mental health provision. The new strategy sets out a huge agenda for change in scale and provision, which will be developed over the next five years while we continue to run our diverse set of highly professional mental health services:

• Advice and advocacy
• Treatment and support
• Education and campaigning.

Jami currently supports over 1,400 individuals, delivering almost 50,000 separate service interactions each year, and reaches thousands more people through education, seminars, work in schools and other organisations. Through our social enterprise community café, Head Room, we raise mental health awareness while delivering mental health support on the high street.

Job purpose

You will be working as part of our Recovery and Outreach team, creating links with primary care and voluntary sector organisations to support people. You will carry out initial assessments and short-term interventions, enabling people to identify their needs and work towards their goals. You will meet people in person and use video conferencing technology to support people through 1:1 and group work.

Key Tasks

• To work as a member of the multi skilled teams providing support to members of the Jewish community experiencing issues with their mental health.
• To manage a 1:1 caseload.
• To facilitate recovery focused groups.
• To utilise video conferencing in order to support clients.
• To support people on their recovery journey enabling them to identify their goals and work towards them.
• To liaise with statutory and non-statutory support organisations and signpost where appropriate
• To work with clients and with team to ensure that support and interventions are as accessible as possible
• To carry out duties which may not be routine

Principal accountabilities/responsibilities

1. To work as a full and effective member of the staff team.
2. To provide specialist skills using recognised standardised and non-standardised evidence-based assessment tools.
3. To complete face to face, telephone, and video conferencing, initial assessments and periodic reviews as required
4. To carry out face to face and telephone duty assessments as required.
5. To use the MOHO model and tools to assess and address occupational performance skills in the areas of lifestyle management, motivation, self-care, productivity and leisure, interpersonal skills and cognitive skills.
6. To enable and encourage individuals to live as independently as possible through interventions that focus on:

• Domestic activities of daily living as such cooking skills, cleaning and shopping.
• Independent living tasks such as budgeting, bill paying and tenancy issues.
• Support and development of communication and interaction skills.
• Encouraging involvement in meaningful activities through local groups, volunteering, educational institutions, employment.

7. In Line with the service user involvement strategy, coproduce:

• Meaningful support plans with caseload clients
• User led activities designed to develop people's skills / strengths, promote independence, self-esteem and self-worth
• New initiatives which seek to improve social inclusion and quality of life

8. To liaise with statutory and non-statutory organizations to provide coordinated support

9. To maintain up to date and accurate electronic records as required by existing procedures

10. To participate in service audits and research projects.

11. Maintain own personal development and keep up to date with current knowledge and health and social care agenda through reading, attending study days, conferences and meetings as appropriate

12. Work within Health and Safety guidelines, with reference to the Lone Worker Policy and individual risk assessments

13. Compliance with the Equality Act, and Health and Safety legislation

14. Attend regular supervision with named supervisor

15. Participate in the organisation's appraisal process

16. Ensure that all activities are operated in a way which is consistent with the values of Jami and the Jewish community it serves.

17. Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested by your line manager or another designated senior manager

Supervision

The post holder will be expected to: -

• Attend regular supervision with named supervisor.
• Incorporate feedback from supervision into practice.
• Participate in a programme of continued personal development.
• Attend relevant meetings

Flexibility

To deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed, and all post-holders may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will fall within the general scope of the job description. The job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties of the job.

Equality & Diversity

Jami are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We recognise and promote, the positive value of diversity, equality, and challenge discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

Disclosure of criminal background

All employees are checked with the Disclosure Barring Service

If it is a requirement of the post that an enhanced check is undertaken, successful applicants will be asked to complete and sign a Disclosure Form giving permission for the screening to take place.

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with Jami. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of offences.

Please note applicants refusing to sign the form will not be progressed further.

Confidentiality

All information relating to service users, volunteers and staff gained through your employment with Jami is confidential. Any disclosure to any unauthorised person is a serious disciplinary offence.

Essential Training and Qualifications

· Professional qualification in Occupational Therapy

(or evidence that this qualification is soon to be awarded)

• Registered with HCPC and BAOT

(or evidence that registration is soon to be completed)

Maintains a portfolio of CPD in line with regulatory body standards

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Experience of working with people in a health or social care setting
• Initial assessment skills
• Risk assessment and risk management skills
• Working knowledge of Recovery principles and values
• An understanding of service user involvement
• An in-depth understanding of Occupational Therapy theory and models of practice.
• Ability to help clients develop and maintain living skills, with support from the multi skilled team.
• An understanding of the socioeconomic factors that impact on mental health
• Ability to develop practical solutions to problems that may arise.
• Ability to interact with staff of all disciplines and work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to form good working relations with professionals from other agencies

Desirable Knowledge & Experience

• Local knowledge of community resources and facilities
• Experience and knowledge of the Jewish community
• Ability to gather, analyse and interpret data
• Experience facilitating groups
• Personal experience of using mental health services and/or mental health problems, distress or trauma

Communication skills

Essential

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build rapport and support people remotely through telephone calls and video conferencing

Desirable

• Formal presentation skills

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Self-awareness & self-development
• Self-motivation
• Professional integrity
• Time management skills
• Ability to manage personal stress

To view the full job description please visit our website.

Recruitment will close when sufficient applications have been received.