Day Service Coordinator

The Gateway Award is all about enjoyment, development and celebrating achievements. It's an inclusive awards programme created especially for people with a learning disability, using everyday activities to help participants try new things, develop life skills, grow in confidence, build independence, improve wellbeing, make friends and most importantly, have fun.

This isn't your usual support worker role. It's lively, varied and ideal for someone who enjoys a challenge and can lead a small, enthusiastic team with confidence. You'll need to be adaptable and ready to respond to what our groups enjoy and the needs of the participants. We need someone who can bring people together, support the team and take the lead when needed.

Every day is different. The project is activity-based, with sessions like Taekwondo, dance, drama and plenty more.

Although the award follows an existing framework, there is plenty of room for you to bring your own ideas, creativity and energy. This is a real opportunity to help shape how the programme grows and develops in the future.

At Wirral Mencap, you'll enjoy some great benefits too including your birthday off, flexible working, a paid week off at Christmas, and the chance to work in a positive, friendly environment.

We're looking for someone who is passionate about improving the lives of people with a learning disability, well-organised and ready to take the lead on our Gateway Award.

If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities:

Programme co-ordination

• Coordinate all activities for the Gateway Award programme
• Promote the Gateway Programme and recruit and sign-up people to The Gateway Award
• Ensure that the programme meets the Gateway Award Framework, the needs of individuals and the wider Wirral Mencap strategy
• Manage the day-to-day running of the programme, including finances, systems and resources
• Attend transition events to support young people with a learning disability move into adult services
• Co-ordinate and participate in regular consultations with professionals to assess, plan, and jointly manage care.
• Line management of the Gateway team (currently 2 part- time staff)

Programme Delivery

• Carry out Personal Development Plans with all participants and support them to meet individual goals and challenges
• Deliver in-house activities as per the programme plan
• Supervise all activity sessions, including occasionally driving the minibus to external venues.
• Ensure all activities are accessible, appropriate, inclusive and safe (including writing all Risk Assessments)
• Work alongside activity instructors to deliver suitable and accessible activities
• Ensure the welfare and safety of participants and provide individual support where necessary
• Support and coordinate support workers and volunteers
• Be the point of contact for participants and their families/carers, including writing 'Easy Read' correspondence
• Monitor impact and personal outcomes for programme participants

General

• Participate in regular team and management meetings
• Support with recruitment of new staff where necessary
• Support for other projects within the organisation, such as fundraising, events and promotion of what we do
• Undertake training as identified through the quarterly review process
• Undertake additional responsibilities as directed by the Programmes Development Manager
• Work in-line with safeguarding, data protection and other Wirral Mencap policies and processes

Person Specification (Essential)

Values and personal attributes

• Committed to advancing opportunities for people with a learning disability
• Passionate about supporting individuals to achieve their own potential
• Energetic and enthusiastic
• Patient and empathetic
• Flexible in approach
• Resourceful

Experience

Previous experience of

• Developing a rapport and building relationships with people
• Working with people with learning disabilities
• Planning and delivering lessons/training
• Managing a varied workload effectively
• Organising activities

Knowledge

• An understanding of the common issues faced by individuals with a learning disability and their families
• Awareness of safeguarding principles and reporting procedures

Skills

• Ability to inspire, motivate and support a team
• Strong communication skills. Written and verbal skills.
• Presentation skills
• Ability to build rapport and develop positive relationships
• Be able to use own initiative, be organised and manage time
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals and organisations.
• Able to adapt and change activities to suit the need of the individual

Other Requirements

• Full driving license holder (Manual License)
• Willing to complete Midas Minibus Driving Qualification or equivalent experience driving a minibus.

Desirable

• Leadership ability
• Experience of writing risk assessments
• Experience of providing individualised support to people with a learning disability
• Managing a team
• Current trends and issues in learning and development
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act
• Writing support plans