Job Title: Work Replacement Activities Support Worker
Location: Norwich – Costessey
Salary: Weekday Hours £13.48 – Weekend Hours £14.61 – Night Sleeper (9 hours) – All pay rates are reviewed annually.
Job Type: Hours and Shifts Available: Tuesdays 8:15 – 4:30, Thursdays 8:15 – 3:30, Fridays 8:15 – 3:00 (21 hours per week) start and finish times can be slightly flexible for the right candidate.
ABOUT JS:
JS is a young man who has a brain injury. He has cognitive, communication and some movement difficulties as a result. He has difficulties with his speech and difficulties with thinking skills such as memory, planning and organising and motivation. He struggles with social skills and interacting with others although he has continued to make good progress with this. JS is very active and loves to spend time outdoors. He also attends a local gym. JS is pleasant, sociable and enjoys company. He has a small dog and likes to take her for walks.
He has completed an NVQ level 2 in Agriculture and he now enjoys supported voluntary work on an arable and livestock farm on a weekly basis, as well as volunteering in other work replacement activities in the community. JS has an interest in engines and owns his own engine as well as his own tractors, which he drives on the farm. JS also enjoys driving other vehicles on private land when he is able to as part of his work replacement.
Regular work replacement tasks include:
- Feeding and mucking out cows
- Chopping wood
- Fencing
- Clearing trees, including on riverbank
- Mowing meadow (thistles and nettles)
- General tidying and farm maintenance
- Gardening tasks
- Any tasks required, as directed by land owner
- Lighting fires
- Operating tractor/other vehicles (training available if required)
- Working with chemicals and potentially hazardous materials
- Feeding/handling and taking care of birds including putting up pens.
The Roles and Responsibilities:
To work in an enabling role to achieve the following:
- Support the client with his vocational choices, building independence in work replacement tasks.
- Attend relevant training, supervision and team meetings as required.
- The client has cognitive difficulties. The support worker will play a key role in helping him employ memory strategies, plan his time, maintain his home, maintain his motivation and help him make decisions.
- The client has a movement disorder. The support worker will assist him as appropriate with activities as needed, such as dealing with cash transactions, writing for him, any manual activity on the farm etc.
- You will be expected to provide written records of work completed with the client and to adhere to the support worker guidelines provided by the case manager.
- You will work under the supervision of the case manager and Team leader.
The Work environment:
This role will involve supporting JS to travel from his home to his work replacement activity (a farm or outdoor space) and working in the environment for the majority of the shift. This will involve being mainly outdoors (in all weathers) and taking part in any physical activity required to run the farm or undertake gardening activities. The role involves working with livestock and machinery, as well as farming equipment and materials.
JS has a small dog who roams freely in the home – staff must be accepting of this.
Person Specification:
- Written and verbal communication skills.
- Planning, organisation and time management.
- Basic IT skills.
- Driver with access to a suitable vehicle.
- Excellent risk assessment skills.
Experience/Skills:
- Experience working in outdoor settings involving machinery, manual work and practical skills.
- Awareness of safety considerations, safety equipment available and ability to risk assess and act to reduce risks on the job.
Knowledge and Understanding:
- Knowledge re safeguarding, working within professional boundaries and observing health and safety regulations, policies and procedures.
BHL is committed to the protection of individuals from avoidable harm and abuse. All successful applicants will undergo an Enhanced DBS (with barred list) checks (at the expense of the employer). This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and it is a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for this role. We will require a full job history and evidence of your conduct at work (for roles involved in working with vulnerable groups).
Note: applicants to be able to drive, have access to their own vehicle for work purposes and have experience of working / volunteering on a farm or similar environment.
Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete an application form.
