Profession employment support worker
Employment support workers provide assistance to people with difficulties to find a job and long-term unemployed people. They provide guidance in the creation CVs, searching for job openings, contacting employers, and the preparation for job interviews.
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Personality Type
Knowledge
- Job market offers
Job opportunities available on the labour market, depending on the economic field concerned.
- Legal requirements in the social sector
The prescribed legislative and regulatory requirements in the social sector.
- Employment law
The law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees' rights at work which are binding by the work contract.
- Company policies
The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.
- Social work theory
The development and characteristics of social work theories underpinned by social sciences and humanities.
- Personal development
The techniques and methods used to improve awareness and identity and develop talents and potential in human beings.
- Personality development theories
The theories of the healthy and psychopathological personality development.
- Social sciences
The development and characteristics of sociological, anthropological, psychological, political, and social policy theories.
- Social justice
The development and principles of human rights and social justice and the way they should be applied on a case by case basis.
Skills
- Work in a multicultural environment in health care
Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.
- Negotiate with social service users
Discuss with your client to establish fair conditions, building on a bond of trust, reminding the client that the work is in their favour and encouraging their cooperation.
- Demonstrate leadership in social service cases
Take the lead in the practical handling of social work cases and activities.
- Handle conflicts
Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.
- Tolerate stress
Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.
- Prevent social problems
Develop, define and implement actions that can prevent social problems, striving for the enhancement of the quality of life for all citizens.
- Accept own accountability
Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.
- Negotiate with social service stakeholders
Negotiate with government institutions, other social workers, family and caregivers, employers, landlords, or landladies to obtain the most suitable result for your client.
- Listen actively
Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.
- Advocate for social service users
Speak for and on behalf of service users, using communicative skills and knowledge of relevant fields to assist those less advantaged.
- Report on social development
Report results and conclusions on society's social development in an intelligible way, presenting these orally and in written form to a range of audiences from non-experts to experts.
- Empower social service users
Enable individuals, families, groups and communities to gain more control over their lives and environment, either by themselves or with the help of others.
- Adhere to organisational guidelines
Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
- Undertake continuous professional development in social work
Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) to continuously update and develop knowledge, skills and competences within one`s scope of practice in social work.
- Involve service users and carers in care planning
Evaluate the needs of individuals in relation to their care, involve families or carers in supporting the development and implementation of support plans. Ensure review and monitoring of these plans.
- Manage social crisis
Identify, respond and motivate individuals in social crisis situations, in a timely manner, making use of all resources.
- Assess social service users' situation
Assess the social situation of service users situation balancing curiosity and respect in the dialogue, considering their families, organisations and communities and the associated risks and identifying the needs and resources, in order to meet physical, emotional and social needs.
- Address problems critically
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
- Work within communities
Establish social projects aimed at community development and active citizen participation.
- Build helping relationship with social service users
Develop a collaborative helping relationship, addressing any ruptures or strains in the relationship, fostering bonding and gaining service users` trust and cooperation through empathic listening, caring, warmth and authenticity.
- Apply problem solving in social service
Systematically apply a step-by-step problem-solving process in providing social services.
- Manage stress in organisation
Cope with sources of stress and cross-pressure in one's own professional life, such as occupational, managerial, institutional and personal stress, and help others do the same so as to promote the well-being of your colleagues and avoid burn-out.
- Promote social change
Promote changes in relationships between individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities by taking into consideration and coping with unpredictable changes, at the micro, macro and mezzo level.
- Provide social counselling
Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.
- Manage ethical issues within social services
Apply social work ethical principles to guide practice and manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts in accordance to occupational conduct, the ontology and the code of ethics of the social services occupations, engaging in ethical decision making by applying standards of national and - as applicable - international codes of ethics or statements of principles.
- Reflect on practice
Routinely evaluate own practice, critically evaluating and monitoring the practice methods and outcomes in consistent, coherent and appropriate ways, being aware of relevant methodologies and utilising feedback from managers, supervisors, other professionals, and patients/clients, in order to adapt the practice accordingly.
- Refer social service users
Make referrals to other professionals and other organisations, based on the social service users' requirements and needs.
- Protect vulnerable social service users
Intervene to provide physical, moral and psychological support to people in dangerous or difficult situations and to remove to a place of safety where appropriate.
- Promote inclusion
Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.
- Apply person-centred care
Treat individuals as partners in planning, developing and assessing care, to make sure it is appropriate for their needs. Put them and their caregivers at the heart of all decisions.
- Apply socially just working principles
Work in accordance with management and organisational principles and values focusing on human rights and social justice.
- Deliver social services in diverse cultural communities
Deliver services which are mindful of different cultural and language traditions, showing respect and validation for communities and being consistent with policies regarding human rights and equality and diversity.
- Follow health and safety precautions in social care practices
Ensure hygienic work practice, respecting the safety of the environment at day care, residential care settings and care at home.
- Apply anti-oppressive practices
Identify oppression in societies, economies, cultures, and groups, acting as a professional in an non-oppressive way, enabling service users to take action to improve their lives and enabling citizens to change their environment in accordance with their own interests.
- Meet standards of practice in social services
Practice social care and social work in a lawful, safe and effective way according to standards.
- Apply case management
Assess, plan, facilitate, coordinate, and advocate for options and services on behalf of a person.
- Apply quality standards in social services
Apply quality stardards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.
- Make legislation transparent for users of social services
Inform and explain the legislation for users of social services, in order to help them understand the implications it has on them and how to use it for their interest.
- Contribute to protecting individuals from harm
Use established processes and procedures to challenge and report dangerous, abusive, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour and practice, bringing any such behaviour to the attention of the employer or the appropriate authority.
- Relate empathetically
Recognise, understand and share emotions and insights experienced by another.
- Organise social work packages
Create a package of social support services according to the service user's needs and in line with specified standards, regulations and timescales.
- Delegate activities
Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.
- Apply holistic approach within social services
Consider the social service user in any situation, recognising the connections between micro-dimension, meso-dimension, and macro-dimension of social problems, social development and social policies.
- Support social service users to manage their financial affairs
Work with individuals to access information and advice about their financial affairs and support them to manage and monitor their finances.
- Apply organisational techniques
Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.
- Review social service plan
Review social service plans, taking service users' views and preferences into account. Follow up on the plan, assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Promote service users' rights
Supporting client`s rights to control his or her life, making informed choices about the services they receive, respecting and, where appropriate, promoting the individual views and wishes of both the client and his or her caregivers.
- Apply decision making within social work
Take decisions when called for, staying within the limits of granted authority and considering the input from the service user and other caregivers.
- Communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
Communicate professionally and cooperate with members of the other professions in the health and social services sector.
- Maintain records of work with service users
Maintain accurate, concise, up-to-date and timely records of the work with service users while complying with legislation and policies related to privacy and security.
- Have computer literacy
Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
- Develop professional identity in social work
Strive to provide the appropriate services to social work clients while staying within a professional framework, understanding what the work means in relation to other professionals and taking into account the specific needs of your clients.
- Develop professional network
Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
- Consider social impact of actions on service users
Act according to the political, social and cultural contexts of social service users, considering the impact of certain actions on their social well being.
- Apply crisis intervention
Respond methodologically to a disruption or breakdown in the normal or usual function of a person, family, group or community.
- Cooperate at inter-professional level
Cooperate with people in other sectors in relation to social service work.
- Identify skills gaps
Search and spot possible skills gaps of individuals by using skills assessment tests and tools. Suggest an action plan.
- Communicate with social service users
Use verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication. Pay attention to the specific social service users' needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, age, developmental stage, and culture.
- Plan social service process
Plan the social service process, defining the objective and considering the methods of implementation, identifying and accessing available resources, such as time, budget, personnel and defining indicators to evaluate the outcome.
- Work in partnership with social services users
Help social service users identify and express their expectations and strengths, providing them with information and advice to make informed decisions about their circumstances. Work with individuals, families, groups, communities to achieve change and improve life opportunities.
- Conduct interview in social service
Induce clients, colleagues, executives, or public officials to talk fully, freely, and truthfully, so as to explore the interviewee`s experiences, attitudes, and opinions.
- Advise on training courses
Provide information on possible training options or qualifications and available funding resources, depending on the needs and educational background of the individual.
Source: Sisyphus ODB