Services:

• Working in East Lothian with our stage 2 – 5 autistic adult and parent focused service.
• Working in Edinburgh with Disabled Adults stage 1 – 5 with a mixed caseload of clients.
• Working with parents who identify as Neurodivergent or Autistic in our Midlothian focused stage 5 service.
• Working in Midlothian with Disabled Adults stage 1 – 5 with a mixed caseload of clients.

For 30+ years, Into Work has supported the aim of a world where disabled people, neurodivergent people and those with long-term health conditions have equal access to fair work and opportunity to sustain and develop in work. Since 1998 we have provided a 1:1 person-centred service, following the 5-stage model of Supported Employment. Lived experience of disability is at the heart of our service design and delivery. For more information, please visit intowork.org.uk

Background / Context:

Having been operational in Edinburgh and Lothian for many years, Into Work has a long-standing record of successful partnership working and project delivery for disabled people. Due to expansion, we are now looking for suitably experienced and motivated people to join our growing staff team for both our Disabled Adult and Disabled Young People services.

For some people, the idea of being in work or even engaging with employability services, can seem unachievable and quite an unrealistic prospect. To enhance our user experience and encourage engagement, we offer additional in-house wraparound support, including Income Maximisation and Wellbeing input. We really help disabled people take those first vital steps towards making sustainable employment a reality.

Parents/Adults who are neurodivergent/autistic East Lothian -Role Summary:

• Working alongside the supported employment team, you will support an all age parental support service on a 1:1 basis initially, helping people progress along the 5-stage employability pipeline.
• Supporting people into positive destinations such as education, training, volunteering, employment and continued support.
• Supporting people to access our on-line and in-person training with a particular focus on autism tools, techniques and guidance.
• Working with each person to identify the reasonable adjustments they might require that would enhance their employability journey.

Disabled Adults who present with a disability or health condition Edinburgh - Role Summary:

• Working with a caseload of clients on a 1-1 basis, using the 5 stage model of supported employment.
• Collaborating with Income Maximisation and Wellbeing colleagues to provide wraparound support and ensure a positive employment journey for clients.
• Developing working relationships with local organisations to establish appropriate referrals and linking in with employers to promote opportunities.
• Working with each person to identify the reasonable adjustments they might require that would enhance their employability journey.

Autistic Parents Midlothian Service - Role Summary:

• Involves working with a caseload of clients on a 1:1 basis, using the 5-stage model of supported employment – focussing mostly on stage 5 referrals.
• Collaborating with Income Maximisation and Wellbeing colleagues to provide wraparound support and ensure a positive employment journey for clients helping people to retain or secure employment.
• Developing working relationships with local organisations to establish appropriate referrals and linking in with employers to promote opportunities.
• Liaising, supporting and negotiation with employers supporting people to enter the workplace and retain their employment.
• Working with each person to identify reasonable adjustments that could make the world or work a more sustainable option.

About you – who we are looking for:

• We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and for our roles in East and Midlothian would particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience of autism and neurodivergence
• Our staff come from range of sectors and career backgrounds and go on to become successful employment advisers.
• We require people who align with Into Work’s values and the social model of disability, who are looking for the opportunity to make a difference to the employment prospects of neurodivergent/autistic and disabled people.
• Strong negotiation skills would be welcomed as there will lots of advocacy work required with employers.
• You will need to organise and manage your own workload and be flexible in your approach to work, supporting Into Work across different projects and teams.
• The job role will offer a hybrid model of working.
• Have the ability to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including service users, employers and other third sector organisations.
• Ability to collaborate and work as part of a hybrid team.

What is in it for you?

• Working for a small specialist charity supporting disabled people brings substantial fulfilment, job satisfaction and daily variety.
• You can expect autonomy and the opportunity to be creative, both in your client work and in helping contribute to the development of our services. You can also expect a supportive and progressive working environment which reflects our values of openness, flexibility, perseverance, and collaboration.
• You will receive regular support and supervision, annual appraisal, relevant training, and personal development opportunities.
• We hold a GOLD Investor in People award and are committed to the continuous improvement and development of our employees.
• We are a Living Wage accredited employer, a Disability Confident Leader and have received the Employer of the Year award from the Scottish Union of Supported Employment Apt, sponsored by Diversity Scotland.

You will also benefit from:

• A generous starting annual leave entitlement of 34 days, increasing to 37 days with length of service (pro-rated for part time employees).
• Employer pension contribution of 7.5%.
• Access to death in service scheme.
• Flexitime.
• Enhanced company sick pay.
• Paid carers leave.
• Free and confidential employee assistance programme and services.
• Access to cycle to work and tech scheme discount.

We know that the gap between the employment rate of all working age people in Scotland and those from minority ethnic groups currently stands at 11% (figures are not available at local authority level). Edinburgh’s changing demographics (over 30% of children in local authority education are from ethnic minority backgrounds) would suggest that the gap is likely to be wider in the City. Furthermore, people from ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty, more likely to be unemployed and underemployed and can face racism in the workplace.

We know from our research that people from ethnic minorities who engage with support to get into work can be less likely to sustain their employment than their white counterparts; and some report that employers are ‘unready’ to receive them.

The Development Officer will work with employers to better understand their needs, deliver a training programme based on supporting employer requirements and produce materials to support culturally aware recruitment and HR practices.

Working alongside our Joined Up for Business and Whole Family Equality Project teams, the project will reach a better understanding of what makes sustainable, good quality employment for ethnic minority clients and will produce materials to help employers diversify their workforces and support their employees. The project will impact on employability across Edinburgh and aim to reduce the racial employment gap. Learning will be supported and tested through the lens of lived experience by our Skilled Voices Panel.

The Development Officer role is exciting and varied: including engagement with employers, industry experts, voluntary sector, and supporting engagement panels such as Skilled Voices Panel and UK Immigration Policy Influencing Panel.

WorkingRite seeks to stop the cycle of deprivation and poverty that occur in so many communities across Scotland. We do this through our award-winning, youth employability programme, which sees practical work skills coupled with personal development, strengthened through a mentored work placement with a small, local business of the young person’s choice. Our flexible, person-centred programmes of training, support and work placements put the young people at the heart of their future, helping those 15 – 25 years old who are furthest from the job market, to gain confidence, real skills and a foothold on the employability ladder. We have been operating as a charity since 2011 and in that time have supported over 3,500 young people into a positive destination. We currently operate programmes in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and East Ayrshire.

All this means it is a very exciting time to be joining WorkingRite.

This exciting role supporting our in-work support Connections phase of the WorkingRite programme will support trainees who have secured a positive outcome who would benefit from the support of a community mentor. Our mentors come from all walks of life and communities across our areas of delivery; giving up their valuable time to support a young person as they embark on a significant transition in their lives not only to support them to sustain work but build a strong and healthy network of support around them.

We require an Area Support Officer who can:

• Self-start and work on own initiative
• Be confident and supportive in engaging with trainees, mentors and colleagues
• Engage and motivate disengaged young people in groups and 1:1
• Offer new and creative ideas to support WorkingRite to develop its offer to trainees in work
• Support and coordinate the day-to-day delivery of the programme

You will have excellent communication skills, strong IT skills and be well organised with experience in the delivery of similar programmes. Above all, you must be enthusiastic and want to support young people.

(This role is suitable for working from home although travel to delivery areas will be required as needed. We offer Flexible Working by default.)

As a Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved assessment centre we have a long record of achieving high grades for our delivery methods across awards in social care and childcare, including Vocational qualifications and Professional Development Awards.

We work with a variety of organisations from education centres to statutory, private and voluntary organisations providing services in social care and childcare. The quality of our assessment processes, and the support we offer to candidates, has been fundamental to our success for over 40 years.

We are currently looking for qualified Peripatetic Assessors (L&D 9DI) and/or Internal Verifiers (L&D 11) to join our Social Care team.

This role would suit a variety of applicants seeking to earn on a self-employed basis at a capacity that suits them. You may already have a part time role and be looking for an additional opportunity to develop your career; you may have family commitments that mean you have limited time available or be approaching retirement but be keen to continue to work flexible hours.

The role provides an opportunity to continue to develop knowledge and understanding around the assessment process as well as the skills required to motivate and support staff in their professional development.

Experience working in adult social care services along with the necessary qualifications to register with the SSSC are essential. We offer competitive rates of pay - £16.50 to £18 per hour for assessment and £19 - £22 per hour for IV.