1. Role
This role offers a fantastic opportunity to provide support to our organisation’s central services team in Dublin. Depaul is a values-led organisation working with a number of services throughout Dublin and Belfast. This role will report directly to the Local Management Team and will be responsible for responding effectively to service user needs and to security alerts and ensure that the safety, welfare and well-being of service users are protected throughout the night. This role is within a service which is an accommodation-based step down unit for service users who have been residents in a long-term hospital accommodation and who are now preparing to move on to more independent living. The staff team work with a service user group who have stabilised their mental health issues and have moderate to good functioning skills and are working to re-integrate back into the community and combatting institutionalisation as a result of long stay in psychiatric hospital services. This is an exciting opportunity to join a diverse team of talented individuals.
2. Key Areas of Responsibility
The core pillars for this service are:
Life Skills – Assessment and Practical Support – Empowering residents to reach their maximum potential
Relational Security Support – Managing risks relating to service
Supporting residents to maintain positive mental health
Transition from hospital service to community living
Other Key Areas:
To work with all service users to win their trust and respect and to deal with difficult or problematic situations in a sensitive manner.
In conjunction with residents and project worker team, to ensure that the house is kept to a good standard of tidiness, cleanliness and hygiene including communal areas and bathrooms. Encouraging service users to take responsibility for maintaining their own environment, and supporting them with laundry and cleaning tasks where appropriate.
Night time security and monitoring of the building and its environs. Staffing reception area as necessary.
Supervision of service users with particular attention to service users with high care needs and offering support when required.
Where necessary, to support service users with their prescriptions and proper taking of medication as prescribed by their doctors
To record and report any non-compliance of same
To encourage and support service users to develop skills in managing their daily living
To alert a member of the management team to any crisis or unusual behaviour management or mental health issues and to use the On-call manager during out of hour’s times when necessary
Carry out project administration tasks such as upkeep of petty cash, project statistics, invoices, record keeping, Service User’s files, OTIS, IR and AR completion etc.
To ensure that Health and Safety standards are met within the project in accordance with Depaul’s Health and Safety policy and the projects Safety Statement
To undertake assigned duties regarding the overall health and safety and security of the service and to use security systems put in place
To work as a member of a multi-disciplined team in the best interests of the residents
To attend and participate in team meetings and staff team days
To participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal, and help in identifying your own job-related development and training needs
To ensure that all Depaul policies and procedures are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, Code of Practice and Confidentiality
To contribute to the effective implementation of Depaul’s Equal Opportunities Policy as it affects both Depaul and its work with service users
Commitment to the therapeutic use of security – Balancing use of minimal restrictions and intrusions with risk management of individuals and community security
To manage risk on site as a priority(i.e. S/U risk assessment, Lone Working)
To plan and organise shifts task well – Capacity to be self-motivated in lone working environment.
The above list is not exhaustive; additional areas of responsibility may be added over time and flexibility to cover for other staff roles is required from time to time.
3. Person Requirements
1 years’ paid experience of working with service users with enduring major mental health issues, learning disabilities and/or offending histories (preferably in a residential setting)
Experience in similar areas of work may be considered in particular experience in working in high risk environment, i.e. domestic violence service.
Good standard of education
An understanding of enduring mental health issues and the impact it has on the individual
An understating of harm reduction and low threshold working
An understanding of risk management principles
Capable of responding calmly in crisis and use your own initiative to deal with incidents as they may arise
Be able to work as part of team understanding the importance of team communication
An understanding of Health and Safety and the health safety requirements within a residential setting working with homeless people
Knowledge of and commitment of the vision, mission and values of Depaul
Online Application Procedure:
Please download and complete the application form available on the employment page of our website
ie.depaulcharity.org
For more information, please contact Human Resources:
Tel: 00 353 1 453 7111 or e-mail bea.perez@depaulcharity.net
Closing date for all applications: Friday 4th August at 5pm
Panels will be formed from which future vacancies may be filled