Caseworker

Purpose of the Role:

Our purpose is to create better futures for horticulturists. Our casework team deliver help services which include advice, information and support for people working across horticulture. Our aim is to offer services that meet practical needs but works collaboratively with individuals and their families to explore causal issues and build the confidence and resilience to address these issues for the future.

We work with individuals and their families to identify and put in place solutions that will help them move forward in their lives. Our holistic approach often needs input from several different sources and our caseworkers offer help to identify and co-ordinate this support so that it works effectively, following up on the solutions that we identify. Our Casework team will provide generalist advice across areas such as social care, health, benefits, housing and employment, often having an area of speciality.

About you

The successful candidate will be a holistic practitioner, experienced at undertaking assessments and developing case work plans to address causal issues. We are looking for a highly organised person, responsive to the changing needs of service delivery and motivated by continuous improvement. Experienced in working in a remote team environment, are confident to work on their own as well as being a productive member of a team.  We would welcome applicants who have demonstrable experience of employment, welfare services, health and social care services. You will be confident in providing information on our helpline.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Delivering person centred services which meets the needs of individuals through face to face and home visits, video conferencing, email, telephone and emerging technologies
• Providing impartial, unbiased and up to date information, advice, support and guidance to service users across key locations
• Confidently using assessment systems and tools (for example the outcome star) to support individuals to identify their strengths and challenges, working to agree goals and sustainable outcomes
• Assessing service users individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities and problems to determine what services are required to meet their immediate and long-term needs
• To provide frontline advice and information to people contacting our helpline, adhering to the required standard
• Provide easy to understand information and the range of options available, to help people feel better able to cope and able to make their own informed choices
• Consistently delivering a high-quality standard of advice and information across areas including income maximisation, benefits, housing, education, employment, self- employment, health and social care
• Agreeing goals and actions with individuals and their families and in partnership, developing an effective case management plan• Helping people to access specialist support that can offer practical and emotional support
• Talking up key issues on an individual or family’s behalf, particularly where a short-term problem may make this difficult to tackle on their own
• Co-ordinating case management plans which provides, finds, or arranges for specialist advice, information and support services to be put in place to prevent more serious problems from developing or escalating
• Developing and reviewing case management plans collaboratively with service users and consistently following up with individuals to assess the quantity and quality of services provided
• Actively engaging service users with Perennial and its work, ensuring that their voices are heard to share their experiences and shape future service development
• Consistently managing a diverse and complex caseload a timely, efficient and effective manner ensuring a quality service and in line with targets and Key Performance Indicators
• Being a reflective practitioner able to effectively evaluate the impact of the service delivered, long term outcomes achieved to inform changing practice needs and striving for continual improvement 

Record Keeping, Case Management and Administration

• Ensuring all case recording (including helpline records) and other record keeping is detailed and accurate and completed within agreed timescales and that all records are kept and maintained in accordance with current legislation, policies and utilising best practice
• Sharing in team related tasks including twice weekly case prioritisation, first line assessment and responding to crisis or emergency cases
• Using IT software for statistical recording of information relating to research and campaigns and funding requirements, record keeping and document production
• Producing clear assessment, case descriptions, summaries and management information reports
• Undertaking all supporting tasks duties across a range of help and prevent services as required or requested

Professional Development

• Proactively and continually develop appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills through regular reading of information and attending training courses
• Maintaining professional competency and up to date knowledge in all relevant areas of the role including key areas of advice, Data Protection, GDPR, Health and Safety and Safeguarding practice
• Maintaining a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of all areas relevant to the role and develop specialist knowledge related to the role as directed
• Keeping up to date with online systems, available training materials and other resources relevant to the areas of support
• Participating in training as required to maintain and improve the relevant level of knowledge and skills needed to deliver a quality service
• Preparing for and attending internal and external meetings as agreed with your line manager, or the needs of the organisation, contributing to projects, and the development of annual work plans as required
• Identifying and implementing own learning and development needs

Other duties

• Adhering to the highest standards of professional conduct, undertaking responsibilities and tasks, following management instructions at all times
• Maintaining confidentiality in all areas of the role in line with procedures and Data Protection regulations
• Working at all times within the policies and procedures of Perennial
• Ensuring all processes and procedures that relate to the responsibilities of the role are delivered with a high level of awareness of the organisation’s equality and diversity ethos and policies
• Proactively identifying and engaging in multi-agency and partnership meetings to raise awareness of the needs of people working in horticulture and Perennial’s services. Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to foster a co-operative, flexible working environment#
• Being a positive ambassador for Perennial
• Travel across geographical areas as required, travelling to training, meetings and events as required including some overnight and evening work
• Undertaking other duties appropriate to the grade and relevant to key tasks and responsibilities

This job description outlines the current main responsibilities of the post, however, the duties of the post may change and develop over time and the job description may be amended in consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• 2 years’ experience of undertaking comprehensive holistic assessments across outcome areas of health, wellbeing, self-care, housing, money, family, relationships, safety and crime
• Certificate in Advice and Guidance (or the willingness to gain the qualification during the probationary period)
• Experience of measuring the impact of interventions delivered
• Experience of delivering advice to people, across areas of employment, money confidence, housing, social care, benefits, and health systems
• Experience in delivering a telephone helpline or advice service in the community or in service users homes
• Experience of scrutinising complex information to produce concise reports, comprehensive case records and high-quality casework and associated correspondence
• Efficient, highly organised and able to deal effectively with fluctuating workloads determining priorities, managing time, ensuring outcomes are delivered and deadlines are met
• Highly developed communication skills including discretion and capacity to deal efficiently and effectively with people experiencing traumatic or difficult circumstances and/or from different cultural backgrounds
• Experience of using interpersonal skills, including active listening and questioning skills to understand the needs of others, causal issues to inform case management plans
• Ability to produce resource and information materials such as factsheets, briefings etc relevant to the work
• Ability to use IT systems including Microsoft Word, Excel and experience using databases
• Experience of working within safeguarding frameworks and a good knowledge of legal and welfare issues relating to children and vulnerable adults
• Ability to critically assess own performance and experience of delivering services to meet quality standards and agreed outcomes and outputs
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work in a non-judgmental manner
• Effective time management and prioritise workloads
• Ability to interact and network with line managers, colleagues, volunteers, partner organisations, external agencies and service users
• Ability to work flexibly across geographical regions as required, which may involve occasional travel and evenings away

Personal Attributes and values

• Uses innovative and creative thinking to solve practical problems
• A high personal ‘drive’ and energy and can adjust to new demands and circumstances
• Commitment to service user empowerment and engagement
• Willingness and ability to work flexibly and adapting to changing needs and priorities
• Recognise and value all aspects of equality and diversity and ensure these are reflected in the interventions being delivered
• Commitment to reflect on and develop own professional practice and be flexible with service delivery
• Commitment to the working practices and Perennial’s codes of conduct
• Understanding and commitment to constructive relationships with colleagues, volunteers, line managers and service users
• Commitment to maintaining professional boundaries
• Willing to work within the policies and procedures of Perennial
• Commitment to personal development including keeping up to date on all subject areas relevant to the role
• Commitment to upholding the mission and values of the charity
• Understanding of and commitment to, the principles of equality and fairness

Additional Requirements

• Regulated activity DBS Disclosure Certificate
• Suitability to work with service user groups
• Flexible approach to work, location, duties and hours

Key Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions are provided for information only and in no way represent a contract. In the event of an appointment if there is an anomaly between the contract and these terms, the contract is deemed to be the correct version.

Full information on terms and conditions are contained within a Staff Handbook, issues upon appointment. Enquiries on specific matters are welcomed – the following are the key issues.

Location: Home based, England (we are looking for homebased workers to cover North West England, South East/London, Eastern and South West. You will need to live in the area for the role for which you are applying.

Salary: c.£33,000 per annum

Hours of work: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week

Pension: Perennial operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme and will match employee contributions up to the statutory amount. Details of the scheme will be available following a formal offer of employment.

Holidays: 25 days holiday per annum plus normal bank holidays (with increases for long service)

General: Sick Pay, Death in Service Benefit (3x salary), Private Healthcare Cover. Perennial has a number of well-established, family-friendly policies, including ‘buying’ extra (unpaid) leave, time off for dependents, variations to normal working hours. Further details available on request.

General Considerations: All Perennial jobs are subject to a probationary period (6 months) and a periodic review.

Smoking: In the interests of health and safety, Perennial operates a non-smoking policy on its premises and expects staff not to smoke in company vehicles.

The outline of terms and conditions are provided for information only and do not represent a contract.

Closing date: Midnight on 6 April 2025.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive sufficient applications.