Community Integration Officer

Involve Northwest is an innovative, community-based organisation with an approach that is grounded in our core belief that the services we offer are free, confidential, and are motivated for public benefit, and not profit.

Job Title: Community Integration Officer

Service/Project: Connect to Work

Location: The Community Village, Rock Ferry, and the Wirral community.

Reporting To: Contract Manager

Direct Staff: None

The role will be 5 days-a-week until March 2028, transitioning into a 4 day-a-week position from April 2028 - March 2029.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and subscription to the Update Service in line with internal safer recruitment policy.

Connect to Work is a free, voluntary supported employment programme funded by the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). As a core part of the national "Get Britain Working" strategy, it helps individuals facing long-term health conditions, disabilities, or complex personal barriers secure or maintain sustainable employment. Instead of using rigid, traditional job-search methods, Connect to Work relies on a personalised "place, train, and maintain" model. This approach matches participants with a dedicated Employment Specialist to build a custom action plan and offer continuous on-the-job support.

The programme specifically supports individuals facing any of the following barriers:

• People with disabilities or long-term health conditions (including mental health challenges, autism, or ADHD)
• Carers and ex-carers
• Armed Forces veterans, current personnel, and their partners
• Care-experienced young people and care leavers
• Refugees (including those on Afghan resettlement or Ukrainian schemes)
• Individuals experiencing homelessness
• Offenders and ex-offenders
• Survivors of domestic abuse or modern slavery
• People with a history of drug or alcohol dependence

Job Purpose:

1. To support the effective delivery of the Connect to Work programme by and building strong partnerships across internal teams and external organisations to identify individuals suitable for Connect to Work employment specialist support.

2. To act as a point of contact for partners, ensuring services are joined up, referral pathways are effective, and collaborative working supports positive employment outcomes for participants.

3. Contribute to shaping and embedding partnership and integration practices across the delivery team with a wider objective of achieving referral outcomes in line with the Connect to Work contract and IPS fidelity framework.

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

• Community engagement is an integral part of the role – this role will need to identify a range of engagement methods to support the Connect to Work profile groups requiring support
• Co-ordinate partnership activity to ensure services are aligned and focused on positive participant employment outcomes
• Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of integrated working partnerships across internal teams and external partners and stakeholders
• Market the Connect to Work provision in person and remotely
• Support the management of clear referral pathways and operational processes between Connect to Work and partner organisations
• Work closely with delivery staff to ensure partners understand programme aims, eligibility criteria, processes, and participant journeys
• Identify gaps, risks, or barriers in partnership working and support the development of practical solutions
• Working with individuals to help them to develop and work towards their goals.
• Connect people to and share information about services, activities, groups, and assets.
• Engage a multitude of individuals who are striving to seek employment.
• Coordinate and support partnership meetings, multi-agency forums, and working groups, including preparation of agendas, tracking actions, and follow-up
• Contribute to continuous service improvement by sharing learning, good practice, and feedback from partners and delivery teams
• Maintain accurate and up to date records of engagement and activity in line with data protection, information security and information governance requirements.
• Represent Connect to Work at internal and external partnership meetings, events, and forums as required.

Communication, Quality & Improvement

• Produce clear, accurate, and professional communications, and briefings relating to integration and partnership activity to the Community Integration Lead.
• Gather feedback from partners and internal teams to inform service development and improvements.
• Keep up to date with relevant local, regional, and national developments that may impact partnership working within Connect to Work.

Company Duties and Responsibilities:

• To work in line with set company policies and procedures, and statutory requirements with particular reference to Health & Safety (including Safeguarding), The Prevent strategy, Equality / Diversity, ‘Access for All’, Discipline and Grievance.
• To work to set standards and legislation, including ISO9001:2015 and GDPR 2018.
• To always represent the charity in the best manner.
• To demonstrate a commitment to the vision, values, and strategic aims of Involve Northwest.
• To maintain high standards of professionalism and keep abreast of current legislation, standards, best practice and maintain a focus of continuous improvement.
• To work within the practice standards of the Connect Us Service.
• Prepare, deliver, or participate in any appropriate learning or development programmes or courses as required by the company; this includes any staff meetings
• To maintain continual professional development

Person Specification - Essential

Experience

• Experience working with people facing barriers to employment including health conditions and disabilities
• Experience/understanding of working with people with health support needs, or a similar client group within health, local authority, or the voluntary sector
• Experience of working with people on a one-to-one basis
• Proven experience in developing networks and building strong partnerships to support customers goals
• Experience of working or have an understanding of supported employment programmes, such as IPS
• Experience of working within communities with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries with community member and professionals.
• Experience of working as part of a service delivery team, collaborating effectively with others
• Experience of targeted outcomes

Knowledge and Skills

• Able to use IT and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Ability to research information from a range of sources.
• Understanding of social isolation and health and wellbeing.
• Strong knowledge of the local labour market
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build new connections with a wide range of individuals
• Very strong written and verbal communication skills
• Organisational and time management skills
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with a range of people
• Natural ability to build close, trusting, and productive relationships with people
• Team orientated and works collaboratively within a mixed-disciplinary team
• Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop and promote a service.
• Ability to drive/access a vehicle for work purposes and willingness to travel within the region.

Personal Attributes

• Be compassionate and empathetic with your client’s situation.
• Act with integrity and respect when working with all clients, agencies, and Individuals.
• Flexible, adaptable, and strong team player and a good active listener.
• Be a team player with an open and honest manner, with the ability to build on effective relationships and work collaboratively with community leaders, local authority, and professionals.
• Ability to ‘step back’ and enable communities to do for themselves.
• Able to prioritise tasks, workload, and good time management skills.
• Be motivational and empowering.
• Political awareness with and ability to influence, challenge and support.
• Believe everyone has something essential to contribute to build communities regardless of their past experiences or the labels others have placed on them and are focused on the ‘gifts’ of individuals.
• The ability to monitor and report case work and statistics and work to specific project targets.
• Be optimistic about the possibility of personal growth and change.
• Motivate individuals and agencies to move through courses of action and decision-making processes.
• Ability to develop knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs.
• Empathy with the needs of those with health support needs
• Passion and drive to make a positive difference to people's lives
• Highly motivated with a genuine belief that someone with a health condition can find paid employment
• Resilient and tenacious to not give up despite setbacks and frustrations
• Self-aware of personal strengths and weaknesses and actively invest in personal and professional development

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 30 months

Pay: £26,500.00 per year

Work Location: In person