Person Spcification Help please

ABN

First the question then the background

Currently trying to fill in the person spec of an application form for the position of Community Support Worker. Job only requires a minimum of 2 GCSEs or equivalent and all work is supervised so should be very suitable. However having problems with the first part of the Person Specification which states
Essential:
Understanding of the structure and function of health and social care services.

Searched high and low using Google but can’t find any direct/simple info that would help filling in that part.

Any ideas please on where to search or better still what to put

Background.
In my late 50’s and been out of work for the past 2 years, due to company closure, living off of my wife (nice work if you can get it ). She really should cut down her hours as its not doing her health any good so time for me to return to work. However with my age I’m to old to return to my career in the IT industry and to old to start a new career. Thus thought now would be a good time to start to try to give something back to the community, which this job should do.
Seems that long gone are the days where you simply send off your CV and wait whilst chewing finger nails for a reply. It takes ages to fill in these personal specifications, especially when you lack confidence and tend to underestimate yourself, and then they don’t even bother to give you any feedback to help with future application.

Doodles

A few ideas that came to my mind would be a quick search on the local authority's website on their social care section. Have a look on the CSCI website (https://www.csci.gov.uk) for how social services and care services are inspected (they are the Commission for Social Care Inspection) and perhaps the Dept of Health website (https://www.dh.gov.uk)?

That might be enough to gain an understanding how how the services are 'structured' and also what is their function (ie. what do social care services actually do for people?)

But in my honest opinion, this is going to be a toughie question for you if you have no experience in that area. My friend had a similar difficult question when she tried to apply to Age Concern, she didn't get an interview sadly. Might be worth saying that you'd be very keen to work towards an NVQ in this subject - shows keeness - but that's just my opinion!

Hope that helps? Best of luck

amibovered?

Hi
I work for the organisations listed above but worked for social services for 13 years prior to that.
Is the comunity support worker a role within Social Services older people, or children and families?
Have you had any experience of using or accessing services on behalf of anyone else? Sometimes you have to think creatively about your experiences!. The other thing is recognising that you have transferable skills.
So even where you don;t have the required experience you could acknowledge that and mention relevant skills. "Whilst I do not have paid experience of working with.......... as an IT...... I gained experience of engaging with people, gathering information to help identify needs etc. I have experience of working with people from a range of backgrounds with different needs and abilities." (I'd use some of the words they have in the job description!

That question is always on the spec for jobs with one of the local authorities I worked for - I have been involved in recruitment and selection and to satisfy this criteria people put something like

"Having worked at ......... for x number of years I have gained an uderstanding of the range of services provided by Social Services and the agencies they work with."

Or if its not direct experience -
" Whilst arranging care for my friend/ relative I gathered information that has given me an understanding of the range of functions and services provided by Social Services, health and other agencies." Its not asking you to write an essay!


Generally speaking you must make sure that you fill in the application form and then in your additional information address all the essential criteria. Its easier for the panel if you put headings in like Experience, Qualifications, Training.

I am sure that under Equal opps yuou can ask for feedback from the panel - you would normally contact the HR department and they will ask someone to ring you. There can be a reluctance to give feedback in writing but I think its better asking for a call as you can ask them questions!

I hope this helps. If you need any more info please ask.

ABN

Thanks for the replies.

amibovered? wrote:

Is the comunity support worker a role within Social Services older people, or children and families?

From the job description
"The post-holder will be expected to work with any combination or all of the following care groups; older people, people with physical sensory or cognitive disabilities, people with learning disabilities"
so think it will be all of the above.

amibovered? wrote:

Have you had any experience of using or accessing services on behalf of anyone else?

Fortunatly not.

amibovered? wrote:

"Having worked at ......... for x number of years I have gained an uderstanding of the range of services provided by Social Services and the agencies they work with."

Or if its not direct experience -
" Whilst arranging care for my friend/ relative I gathered information that has given me an understanding of the range of functions and services provided by Social Services, health and other agencies." Its not asking you to write an essay!

Like the idea in principle but tend feel that perhaps its rather scouting around the question rather than addressing it. That could be due to my technical background that tends to try to look deeper into things than is really nessecary.

amibovered?

hi

Is this a homecare type role?

If you want to be more definite in your responses in terms of how local services are structured try the local authority website - and go to the Social Services section.

That way you can use the names for the departments that are used locally.
"I am aware that Social Services offer daycare, homecare, residential care and other services. These services are provided by / or structured under the following sections, "
That shows you have done your research.

It will help to put in information about your life experiences under the Attitude/disposition section. Ability to empathise with people from different backgrounds is important. The ability to work with people in a way that maintains their dignity and promotes their rights to choice, respect and independence are equally important. As you can see there are some buzzwords that differ from industry to industry.

By the way on some forms such as those used by Kirklees Council they score the Essential criteria as A b c etc. In another authority I have seen an end column which says how identified. This might say some of the essential criteria may be assessed at application, others at interview.

I know that its uncomfortable skirting around the subject but you would probably not be surprised by the number of people who end up having to "talk up" any experience they have. The good thing about this line of work is that generally you get credit for knowledge skills and expereince you gain in an unpaid capacity - due to life. Its just acknowledging it and framing or couching it in Social Services-speak!!

Good luck.