12 August 2010

Posted: 11 Aug 2010 03:40 AM PDT

The Department of Health have announced tendering opportunities for seven small projects in Doncaster. The projects aim to help vulnerable adults into employment and/or settled accommodation.
All projects are for a maximum of six months and for a maximum of £20,000 each inclusive of VAT (unless stated on the specific project specification) from a total fund of £100,000. Tenders should include provision for expenses but VAT must be shown separately.
Applications are welcomed from individuals and organisations from all sectors and across Yorkshire and the Humber. Priority will be given to applications from voluntary and community sector organisations and/or user-led organisations. Individuals/organisations need to demonstrate strong links with relevant partnership boards, other strategic agencies and directly with people with mental health conditions and/or a learning disability.
The appointed persons/organisations will agree with Yorkshire & Humber Improvement Partnership (YHIP) the scope and range of the key duties and responsibilities and report at least monthly to the respective programme lead. No administrative or secretarial support is provided with any of the posts, so the successful tender will have to be competent administratively.
The projects are listed as follows:

•  Employers Resource

To develop a Pocket Guide for employers to support the recruitment, retention and support of adults with disabilities working in their organisations, with a particular focus on adults with a learning disability and/ or mental health condition.
Also, to devise and undertake a marketing campaign for employers to signpost them to resources currently available to support them to recruit, retain and support people with disabilities in their organisations, with a particular focus on adults with a learning disability and/or mental health condition

•  Learning Disability and Housing - Expert Mentoring

Among other duties, to offer expert mentoring to care mangers, housing officers, social workers and other professionals, who are working with individuals with a learning disability and/or autism-spectrum condition to find the right place to live

•  Learning Disabilities and Transition Age Group (16-25)

Among other duties, to work with the transition teams/ workers in children and families and adult teams in local authorities and take them through the steps to employment for people with a learning disability and/or autism-spectrum condition

•  Mental Health and Housing

To provide an electronic information resource, to help professionals provide appropriate support on housing for people with mental health conditions, and to help people with mental health conditions to be able to access this support

•  Mental Health and Housing Action Learning Set

Among other responsibilities, to develop a regional action learning set programme for health and housing practitioners from the private, public and voluntary sectors and service users and carers to work together to agree how they could start a multi-agency approach to simplifying the process in their local areas

•  QIPP Statistical Review

To undertake a review of the current information (quantitative and qualitative) on the cost-effectiveness, value for money and service quality for service users of both a) out of area placements and b) registered care placements, for people with learning disabilities and/ or mental health conditions

•  Involving the Voluntary and Community Sector

Among other duties, to manage a small scale, grants based, innovation fund aimed at empowering individuals who use services to undertake community capacity building projects focussed on employment and housing for people with mental health conditions and/ or a learning disability.
Proposals should be submitted in writing and emailed to Nicola Guy. The deadline for proposals is 16 August 2010. For more information, visit the Doncaster CVS website here.