Children and Young People’s Weekend Support Worker

Location: West Sussex (Crawley/Mid Sussex/Horsham)
Hours of Work: 4-8 hour shifts available (per week)
Shift Pattern (If Provided): Weekends

Operational Hours : Friday 4.45pm-7.15pm, Saturday 9.45am-1.15pm, Sunday 9.15am-3.45pm
Salary: £10.42 per hour

Essential Availability: Friday- Sunday plus opportunity for additional hours in the school holiday.
Essential to role: Driving Licence and access to your own vehicle

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Full Job Description

What you can expect from us:

• Fantastic paid training and career progression opportunities (including recognised qualifications in health and social care)
• DBS PAID by us (we will recover the cost should your employment terminate for any reason, other than redundancy, before passing your probation)
• Flexible work arrangements with opportunities to take on additional bank shifts too.
• 30 Days Annual Leave (including Bank Holidays), increases with length of service
• Nest Pension and Death in Service Benefit
• Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and Access to Mental Health First Aiders
• Aspens High Street Stores - 20% discount on all items for Aspens’ staff stores: Bexhill, Crowborough, Hampden Park, Paddock Wood, Seaford
• Aspens Bluebell Cafe, Pembury - 20% discount on adults' main menu items and staff meal deal for a subsidized £3.50 (sandwich/soup/sausage roll with crisps or chocolate bar and a soft drink)
• Refer a Friend scheme, so you can earn up to £250 for every person you refer to work for Aspens
• Recognition schemes, including ‘Employee of the Month’
• Free on-site parking

Children & Young People’s Weekend Support Worker

Empowering children and young people aged between 8-18 (or up to 25 with an EHCP)with a range of disabilities, those on the autism spectrum, and/or those with complex needs to nurture a sense of value and self-worth.

Through a range of activities at our social groups, in the community and in their own homes, we empower children/young people to develop their own unique skills talents and interests. Rigorous training ensures that our person-centred approach to support remains at the heart of everything we do.

Through our family days we encourage those caring for individuals with a range of disabilities, conditions and/ or other complex needs to get together and to share experiences. We aim to relive feelings of isolation and acknowledge their feelings. We also provide opportunities for families to have fun together. It can be hugely empowering for families to realise they are not alone.

Through our youth engagement service, we can deliver a person-centred approach to support children/young people to identify and embed strategies within their support. This is offered as a combined service where we work closely with the Specialist Support service to offer a bridge between services.

Due to the variety of provisions within our services and the different support needs of the individuals we work with; the role of a Support Worker is one with great diversity and challenges for employees at any stage of their career.

About the Role:

Due to the variety of provisions within our services and the different support needs of the individuals we work with; the role of a Support Worker is one with great diversity and challenges for employees at any stage of their career.

The role enables support workers to work as both part of a team and on a one to one basis, the day-to-day tasks that you will be required to complete can include:

· Support with the delivery of group sessions which will include social activities and accessing community-based services ensuring we promote the health and wellbeing of all young people who access the service.

· To safely assist in the delivery of holiday activity sessions

· Completing observation sheets, ensuring a smooth flow of information to facilitate good communication within the staffing team, as well as professionals who require viewing of these.

· Supporting individuals, support with Safeguarding requirements, completing incident reports as/when required and ensuring that relevant Safeguarding policies and procedures are understood and followed by yourself

· Fully implementing policies and procedures of the organisation and that all recording systems are completed accurately on a regular basis. To sign to say that all policies and procedures have been read.

· Attending training, participating in supervision sessions with nominated manager and attending staff meetings as required by your line manager.

Collaborative Working

· To work closely with the wider staff team

· Attending training, participating in supervision sessions with nominated manager and attending staff meetings as required by your line manager.

· To liaise with the wider staff team as required.

· Attend regular staff meetings as required.

· Develop and maintain good working relationships with parents, extended family members, social workers, education and health staff, together with other professionals as appropriate or directed by your Manager

Apart from the duties summarised above, we retain the right to include other reasonable duties which are part of, and incidental to this type of work.

Essential Training and Qualifications:
NVQ L2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent

Essential Experience and Knowledge:
Interest and basic understanding of autism
Good understanding of safeguarding
Good understanding of GDPR

Essential Skills and Attributes:

• A caring personality with a drive to help others
• A positive ‘can-do’ attitude with good problem-solving skills
• A calm, friendly and patient nature
• A team worker with good communication skills
• A Trustworthy individual with good listening skills and the ability to show empathy
• The ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Clear understanding of empowerment and involving young people in the development of the service.
• Good English and Maths Skills
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Good working knowledge of IT including working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel

Desirable Experience and Knowledge:

· Experience or knowledge of Report writing (including the completion of incident/accident forms)

· Knowledge of alternate forms of communication (Makaton, pictorial, objects of reference)

· Previous experience working with vulnerable children/ young people or transferable skills that would enable you to do this

· Previous experience working with people with Learning Disabilities, Physical disabilities, Autism and associated medical needs or Demonstratable working knowledge of autism, Learning Disabilities and associated medical needs

· Previous experience of working with individuals that display behaviours that challenge

Any offer is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring check, which we will complete on your behalf if you don't already have one, and satisfactory employment references. We will consider job share and part time arrangements for all posts in line with the needs of the Charity.

Aspens Charities are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Aspens is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Apply by Application Form
Aspens Charities Application Form Online application form