Support Worker Kingsthorpe, England
Job description
What difference can NAB make?
Did you know that every day, 250 people in the UK are told they are losing their sight? Within Northamptonshire alone, there are approximately 300,000 people living with a visual impairment.
At NAB, it is our goal that the world sees sight loss differently. Whether that is through community engagement to challenge and educate people’s preconceptions about what life is like as a visually impaired person, or supporting individuals throughout the county to live fulfilling and independent lives, regardless of whether they are newly diagnosed or have long-term experience with sight loss.
No one should have to face sight loss alone. Let’s face it together.
Meet NAB
We are a growing charity devoted to bettering the welfare and circumstance of visually impaired people throughout Northamptonshire. We have 3 hard-working teams that approach their work with humour, fun and compassion for each other and the individuals that we encounter.
This role will see you join our Community Services team, serving as our direct link to our clients. We work closely with our service users to support them in a diverse assortment of positions, including our Children & Families service, our Volunteer Coordinators, and Community Support Workers, and our Eye Clinic Liaison Officers working alongside local hospitals to support individuals at the point of diagnosis, with team members operating in a variety of roles throughout the county.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Support Worker (Access to Work Funding)
Responsible to: Youth and Activities Support Worker
Responsible for: No employees supervised
JOB PURPOSE: Working from NAB head office: to be responsible for supporting a visually impaired Youth & Activities Support Worker, minimizing the barriers that sight loss may present to them as they carry out the duties of their role
To provide visual and practical support as directed when representing the Association in the county supporting blind and visually impaired adults, children and their families
To provide transport to meetings and appointments across the county
Main duties
1. To work one to one with the Youth & Activities Support Worker, creating an equal and efficient team.
2. To provide transport, using own vehicle to meetings and appointments across the county.
3. To provide orientation around unfamiliar buildings and places. Sighted guide training will be provided.
4. To assist with the visual elements of creating and formatting presentations and training/promotional materials.
5. To provide sighted assistance in accessing paper based documents e.g. printed forms and promotional materials from external organizations liaising with statutory and other services, clubs and interest groups as required.
6. To take notes in meetings, providing an accessible typed or recorded copy when required.
7. To provide proactive support when working within NAB teams contributing to the promotional and commercial activities of the charity, for example Awareness Raising sessions e.g. Eye-Educate to schools, clubs, groups, hospitals and business attending events aimed at promoting NAB
8. To work collaboratively as required with the NAB Marketing Team to deliver, promote and maintain NAB information: including publicity literature, posters, Viewpoint articles and on social media including NAB website.
9. Maintain such records as necessary, ensuring we can (a) demonstrate a process, ongoing support to evidence of the positive impact on clients), (b) provide monitoring information to funders such as the BIG Lottery Fund,
10. Maintain an appropriate level of awareness of the issues facing visually impaired adults and children including research to enable you to support as effectively as possible.
11. Undertake such other reasonable duties and responsibilities that may be required or requested.
Skills and Qualities Essential
Ability to:
· Be based at the NAB head office; home working and flexible approach to working hours and times including occasional evening and weekend working; this is at the discretion and agreement of the CEO.
· An excellent communicator who enjoys working with children and adults
· Travel throughout the county; Holder of a UK driving license with access to your own vehicle, mileage will be paid but cannot be claimed for commuting to the office.
· Under the direction of Youth and Activities Support Worker plan your own work, use your initiative/judgement
· Carry out administrative tasks associated with the role, including the use of standard office equipment and software to compose clear, polite & well-written correspondence and give presentations to a variety of audiences.
· Commitment to equal opportunities, anti-discriminatory practice and personal empowerment.
· Provide emotional support whilst remaining objective; demonstrate empathy and communicate effectively with people of all ages and abilities.
· Provide practical help on coping with everyday living tasks when visually impaired, e.g. telephones, IT, making appointments, form filing.
· Work within defined processes and procedures where required
· Build rapport and maintain effective networks with individuals, groups, businesses organisations and schools.
· Maintain personal, client, and employee, commercial and professional confidences.
· Work, act and behave in ways which will enhance the reputation of the charity.
· Ask, in an appropriate way, individuals / organisations for help and support.
· Work collaboratively with all teams and staff within NAB to meet set objectives.
Skills, Knowledge, Belief:
· Numeracy and literacy equivalent to GCSE ‘C’ standard.
· Belief in equality of opportunity, personal empowerment and NAB’s charitable aims.
· Computer literate (e.g. able to produce documents in Word, input data to database systems and use email systems such as MS Outlook etc.).
· Possession of a driving licence and use of a car for work purposes.
Desirable
Numeracy and literacy equivalent to GCSE ‘C’ standard
Experience of:
· Sight loss/impairment and the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired.
· Working in an empowering capacity with families/carers/clients
· Using a person centred assessment and processes.
· Building and maintaining professional networks.
· Processes, procedures and Health/Safety obligations.
PAY AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
Hours: 28 Hours a week, flexible by agreement with Youth and Activities Support Worker, some evening and weekend working may be required.
Pay: £11.44 per hour (£16,656.64 per annum based on a 28 hrs/week.)
Travel: Required to provide vehicle for travel throughout county.
Place of work: NAB Northampton Head office and in the Community
Note: Work within the charity’s established policies and procedures.
This post is funded by the Government’s Access to Work scheme
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 28 per week
Salary: £11.44 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- On-site parking
Day range:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
