Community Access Facilitator

1.   Tenure of Employment

This post is permanent part time (70 hours). Compulsory Retirement age is 70 years.

2.   Qualifications and Experience

·        The successful candidate must:

Possess a Qualification in General Health and Social Care or Community and/or Youth Work, as outlined in the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) formerly FETAC on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) of not less than QQI Level 5 (SEE APPENDIX 1 FOR LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS)

Or

Possess a relevant Health Care qualification at not less than QQI level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)

Or

An equivalent Health Care qualification from another jurisdiction.

• Experience of working with people with intellectual disabilities.
• Have excellent communication skills.
• Have the ability to listen and respond to the needs of people who use the services.
• Have the ability to be innovative and creative and work on one’s own initiative.
• Be computer literate.
• Possess a full clean driving licence.
• Have knowledge/ awareness of supporting people with autism

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Experience of working as a member of a team is essential.

3.   Remuneration

Salary Scale: (pro rata) Supervisor/Instructor Grade:

€36,291; €38,479; €39,291; €40,472 €41,499; €42,368; €43,667; €44,994; €46,371, €47,796; €49,273; €50,803; €52,406

* Successful candidates are required to submit all documentary evidence outlining any relevant experience within 3 months of starting date. Failure to do so will mean that any incremental credit due will be paid from date of submission of documents.

All new entrants to the Public Service will start at the first point of this scale.

4.   The normal working fortnight will be 56 hours. Starting and finishing times will be notified to and agreed with, the appointee from time to time by the Services Manager. The appointee may, however, be required to work additional hours arising from the duties of the appointment with compensation for these hours by way of time off in lieu. The Brothers of Charity Services model of service is based on Personal Outcome Measures requiring employees’ to be flexible in their working hours to provide a quality service delivery for each individual.

5.   Health

The successful candidate must be free from any defect or disease, which would render him/her unsuitable to hold the appointment, and must be in a state of health as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. To satisfy this qualification, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination by the Occupational Health Nurse/Physician.

6.   Duties

The general duties of the appointment are as described in the attached Job

Description.

7.   A short list of candidates to attend before the Selection Board will be prepared by the selection Board from an examination of statements of qualifications furnished by the candidates.

8.   The Line Manager will notify the successful candidate of the mandatory/compulsory courses/training which employees are obliged to attend. Mandatory training, for example, manual handling, health and safety courses etc., form part of the conditions of employment along with the Organisation’s statutory obligation.

9.   Note re Canvassing

Any attempt by candidates themselves or by any person(s) acting at their instigation directly or indirectly, by means of written communication or otherwise to canvass or otherwise influence in the candidate’s favour any member of the staff of Corlann- South East or person nominated to interview or examine applicants, will automatically disqualify the candidates for the position they are seeking.

Completed applications should be returned by 12th August 2026.

*A panel may be formed for Permanent Part time/ Temporary Part Time vacancies for the Waterford Services for a period of 6 months.

Informal enquiries to Claire Drohan at Claire.drohan@corlann.ie

Shortlisting of candidates is on the basis of the information contained in their application form & CV

Corlann South East is an equal opportunities employer.

CORLANN SOUTH EAST

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Community Access Facilitator

Permanent Part time (Grade Code: 6425)

Waterford Services

Reports to: Team Leader or such other authorised person as the Employing Authority may designate.

Accountable to: Relevan Services Manager, Waterford

Key Working Relationships: The Community Access Facilitator will work closely with people who receive a day service and with their nominated circles of support.

The Community Access Facilitator works with Day Services wider team and management as well as members of the multi-disciplinary team.

The Community Access Facilitator will also build and maintain working relationships with relevant community organisations, educational providers and local employers.

Purpose of the Post: The Community Access Facilitator will take a lead role in supporting people within the framework of New Directions.

The Community Access Facilitator will work autonomously under the general supervision of their manager.

The Community Access Facilitator will:

1)   Empower people to live full and meaningful lives. To build their confidence and autonomy and explore/progress their career and life goals.

2)   Enable adults with a disability to gain and maintain valued social roles (student, employee, volunteer, neighbour, friend) and to be recognised as equal citizens.

3)   Work with adults with a disability, key staff, their nominated circles of support, and multidisciplinary team members through a person-centred approach towards the values of New Directions: person centred; community inclusion; active citizenship and quality services.

4)   Provide supports within the framework of New Directions, guided by Human Rights Based Approach principles of participation, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment, legality and an outcomes-based individualised approach to services for adults with disabilities.

5)   Promote input and co-production of how their Day Services are planned and delivered so as to ensure that adults with disabilities shape policies and supports that affect them.

6)   Support participation in decision-making at both the individual and the service design/ delivery level, addressing barriers to inclusion and advocating for structural change where required.

7)   Respect the dignity and autonomy of the person, ensuring rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and equality legislation are central to all actions.

8)   Work in both group and individual settings in the community with adults with disabilities and their nominated circle of support, promoting equality of opportunity to access a wide range of community-based services and mainstream opportunities (education, work, leisure, civic participation) on the same basis as the general population to meet their individual needs.

9)   Promote positive risk taking, supporting individuals to make their own decisions and learn from new experiences.

Corlann Ethos

The core values of our services have always been the dignity and humanity of each person. How these are expressed has evolved over time with our greater understanding of the rights of all people with a disability, with the changing hopes and expectations of the individuals and families with whom we work, and with the growing expertise of all associated with our services.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The Community Access Facilitator will:

• Work collaboratively with the person supported, their nominated circle of support to co-produce person-centred plans with ambition and possibility.
• Support the person to access mainstream opportunities (education, work, civic life) on the same basis as others, and to challenge structural barriers where they arise.
• Promote advocacy and self-direction, ensuring the person’s voice is central to all planning and decision-making bysupporting adults with a disability to speak up for themselves and make their own choices, making sure their views guide all planning and decisions.

·        Include people with a disability directly in identifying and managing risk, respecting their right to make informed choices even when those choices involve some level of risk.

·        Support social and community inclusion, recognising the diverse identities of people with disabilities who are supported (e.g. gender, Traveller identity, ethnicity, sexuality).

• Provide respectful and dignified personal support, which may include assistance with eating, showering, dressing and toileting, when required.
• Support the person with developing their skills in the areas of

o   Creating and maintaining valued social roles

o   Communication

o   Activities of daily living

o   Social Integration and the use of community facilities

• Support the person to establish a circle of support and wider community connections.
• Support the person to focus on outcomes/goals aligned with their person-centred plans.
• Support the person to identify their strengths and areas of interest to enable active citizenship and community participation.
• Support the person to identify who is best placed to support them to access valued roles in community.
• Ensure that all activities and supports are monitored, maintained/reduced at an appropriate pace to ensure adults with a disability can sustain their valued social roles.
• Introduce new experiences at a pace that enables the person to achieve success, addressing obstacles and other issues that may compromise achievement of agreed goals.
• Seek out opportunities for the person to participate in social, work or training roles of their choice which are in socially inclusive settings and typical for a person of a similar age.
• Assist the person to develop a full range of social relationships and valued social roles including developing friendships and social networks.
• Empower the person to be a valued citizen in their local community, make choices and have ordinary life experiences.
• Seek out opportunities for the person to experience a range of activities as a means of discovering their areas of interest, strength and conditions that will enable inclusion and citizenship.
• Promote advocacy and self-direction through listening to the person’s wishes, supporting the person to make decisions and advocating on their behalf where required.
• Explore and encourage the use of natural community supports by building interpersonal relationships in community with others.
• Provide onsite support and mentoring to people who are accessing work experience in the local community.
• Assist the person to identify and develop opportunities to experience volunteering, work experience, supported employment and pathways to full employment.
• Promote and provide practical road safety awareness and travel training as required.
• Facilitate the person to access mainstream educational programmes.
• Identify and support the development of skills for self-directed living, including the delivery of training modules.
• Assist with administration of medication, carrying out therapeutic interventions as prescribed by multi-disciplinary team /medical professionals, working collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team.

·        Support the person to develop and maintain money management skills and ensure that petty cash used and any personal monies of individuals supported are properly accounted for.

Administration

The Community Access Facilitator will:

·        Establish and maintain partnerships with organisations, including advocacy groups, to strengthen systemic change for inclusion.

• Attend and participate in staff meetings, multi-disciplinary team meetings, planning and review meetings as deemed appropriate.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the person whilst acknowledging the needs for professional sharing of information within the relevant staff team.
• Ensure records and documentation are maintained to a high standard and storage of files is in line with data protection policy at all times.
• Develop and maintain good relationships with the nominated circle of support of the person supported, their support circle and uphold and support their role in the person’s life.
• Work with other organisations to create networks and share resources.
• Contribute to the development of quality assurance systems and procedures.

·        Identify and collect data to measure outcomes, prepare reports as requested. Record not only outcomes but also barriers experienced by people supported, ensuring these inform service improvement and policy advocacy

·        Report on rights-related indicators (access to services, discrimination experienced, progress on autonomy and inclusion

• Cover for other staff as required.

Education & Training

The Community Access Facilitator will:

• Attend and participate in all staff training as deemed relevant by organisational policy and service manager.
• Undertake relevant training and be informed of current developments in services for people with disabilities e.g. Person-Centred Planning, Personal Outcome Measures, Human Rights and Citizenship, “New Directions- Review of day services and implementation Plan 2012-2016”, Supported Self Directed Living.
• Participate in committees and agency forums as directed by service manager.

Health & Safety / Risk Management

The Community Access Facilitator will:

·        Stay informed of current Human Rights Based Approach developments, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities implementation, and national/international disability rights frameworks

·        Engage in training on anti-discrimination, cultural competence, trauma-informed practice, and intersectionality

• Observe, report and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to the person’s supported care or wellbeing.
• Adhere to all Corlann policies and procedures and to all relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Enable positive risk taking and ensure this is documented in line with the person’s rights under United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and service policies.
• Adequately identifies, assesses, manages and monitors risk within their area of responsibility.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated Corlann protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to them from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Flexibility

Employees are expected to have a high level of flexibility and a willingness and ability to develop new approaches to their work. Duties and responsibilities of any post in the Services are likely to change with the ongoing needs and developments of the Services. Employees will therefore be required to carry out such other duties appropriate to their employment as may be assigned to him/her from time to time.

Confidentiality

In the course of the employment the post holder may have access to, or hear information concerning the medical or personal affairs of individuals supported and/or staff, or other health service business. Such records and information are strictly confidential and unless acting on the instructions of an authorised officer, on no account must information concerning individuals supported, staff, or other health service business be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty. In addition, records must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody when no longer required

 Essential

• Possess a qualification in General Health and Social Care or Community and/or Youth Work, as recognised by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), formerly FETAC, at a minimum of QQI Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) (see Appendix 1 for list of qualifications)

Or

• Possess a relevant healthcare qualification at a minimum of QQI Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)

Or

• Hold an equivalent healthcare qualification from another jurisdiction

Post Specific Requirement

Essential

·        Minimum of 6 months’ relevant experience

·        Experience in completing effective reports

·        Experience of working as part of a team in service provision

·        Experience of supporting adults with varying degrees of intellectual disability

• Knowledge of needs of adults with intellectual disabilities
• Understanding of Health & Safety
• Knowledge of the Ethos of Corlann
• Good understanding of socialisation and recreational needs of people who use the services.
• Knowledge of working effectively within a multidisciplinary team
• Knowledge of how to support people who use services to achieve personal outcomes
• Knowledge of HIQA Regulations and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of current trends in intellectual disabilities services e.g. Rights Based approach to Service Provision