Support Worker

Location: Somerset - Community ServicesWe support people to understand their diagnosis and how this may impact on their life and the lives of those around them. Our residential services provide accommodation and support for autistic adults 52 weeks a year, 24 hours a day in urban and rural settings. We also provide supported living services for autistic adults who need extra help to live in their own homes or within our accommodation, whether as tenants or owner occupiers, living alone, or with others.  We have come a long way but there is still so much to do to increase opportunities, reduce social isolation and build a brighter future for people on the spectrum. With your help, we can make it happen.  The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, challenge perceptions and build a society that works for autistic people.  Visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do: https://www.autism.org.uk/  Who we are looking for:  We are looking for Support Workers with the passion to work with our fantastic teams. Ideally, you will have a background in supporting autistic people but if not, we have a fantastic training programme that will get you on your way to achieving a fulfilling job that will beat most out there. You may have a personal connection, a desire to work with or real-life experiences working with autistic people. You will have experience supporting vulnerable people in a residential setting and if you share our values and are willing to make a difference to the lives of autistic people, we’d love to hear from you. This role involves supporting individuals with a range of needs to engage in community opportunities, supporting with activities and make the most of their day.  If you're compassionate, reliable, and enjoy working in a fast-paced team where no two days are the same, we'd love to hear from you.  Your working pattern in this role will require flexibility to meet the needs of the people supported and their families and will include evening and weekend working.  This advert is for a full-time permanent role, 37.5 hours per week. The salary for this position is £26,325 per annum.  The role includes:  Helping individuals achieve independence and personal goals  Supporting and transporting individuals to integrate into their community  Develop individuals home making skills and personal chores  Transforming lives and achieving results for autistic adults  Possession of a driving licence (minimum one year) is desirable.  Please click here for a Job Description  What we can offer you:  Auto-enrolled Pension Scheme  33 days annual leave (incl. Public Holidays) with the option to buy or sell annual leave every year  Excellent induction, training and development programme including training about autism   Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits such as cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan & shopping discounts for places such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Halfords, Nike, Apple and loads more  Healthcare Cash Plan (for permanent staff members)  Life Assurance at 2 x base salary  A portfolio of fantastic new salary sacrifices benefits and other flexible benefits private health, dental insurance, car salary sacrifice scheme, activity pass, holiday trading, enhanced pension & salary deduct loans (eligibility criteria may apply)  Access to a 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme & counselling programme   Free access to the Headspace App – a global leader in mindfulness and you can enrol up to three friends or family members for free  Eligibility for a Blue Light Card  Enhanced overtime. Additional payments for sleep-in and on call  Join the Team Scheme - Refer a friend and receive £200  Where you will be working:  Somerset Community Services About our application process:  When providing a supporting statement, please refer to the job description and person specification and include any information that shows your suitability for the role.  For more information about this job please contact Kellie Gage at Kellie.Gage@nas.org.uk We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.  To protect our autistic adults, all staff are required to have a criminal background check. Possession of an Enhanced DBS Check either on the Update Service or conducted within the last 12 months would be preferable but not essential.  Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from those with a diagnosis of autism.  The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks.  We are an equal opportunities employer.