Workshop Facilitator/support Worker

**Job Title**:Workshop Facilitator

**Hours of Work**:Full-time or Part-time, to be negotiated
- Our current full-time working week is 35 hours per week (09:30 to 16:45 Monday - Friday). _Applicants interested in a full-time position can be employed as a Skills Mentor for the hours they are not facilitating. Details of the Skills Mentor role can be found on the careers page of Specialist Autism Services website.

**Base**:Onward House, 2 Baptist Place, Bradford, BD1 2PS

**Responsible to**:Service Coordinators

**Mission Statement**:
Specialist Autism Services mission is to support people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome by the provision of health, education, training, sports, creative art and counselling activities, which promote their social inclusion, training opportunities and ultimately employability.

**KEY ASPECTS OF THE ROLE**
- **Main Duties**:

- To Facilitate and implement our autism specific learning programme in order to teach and further develop essential social skills, which promote education, vocation and employment opportunities for our members.
- To reinforce appropriate behaviours and interaction
- To attend and contribute to team meetings and discussions
- To compile weekly session plans and project schemes of work in accordance with the Members’ ILP (Individual Learning Plan) and with the members during workshops to engage and aid social development. Also, to provide a minimum of 2 cover plans for illness or annual leave.
- To monitor and support our members progression with regards to their individual goals and aspirations.
- To provide ongoing evaluations of members’ progress through reflection activities, workshop reviews and input into the members Baseline Observational Assessments.
- To provide a positive, autism specific environment for the members
- To maintain structure and consistency within the workshop whenever possible
- To constantly be aware of the needs of the members
- To work with Skills Mentors in order to meet the needs of individuals with Autistic Spectrum Conditions
- To source and facilitate opportunities for our members to engage with the community.
- **Supervision**:

- Supervise members during workshops, on Community Participation Activities and during unstructured times.
- Work in close partnership with the Operations Team and core support staff
- Attend supervision and focus meetings with the Operations Manager
- Attend Personal Development meetings.
- **General responsibilities**:

- Monitor and record members’ progression using their ILP
- Operate as a member of a team sharing tasks and duties as required and as directed by Management
- Attend training courses as required
- Be conversant with Specialist Autism Services policies and procedures and implement these within your role.
- Ensure confidentiality is maintained regarding Specialist Autism Services members
- Ensure individuals are afforded dignity and respect at all times
- Get to know the individuals that attend Specialist Autism Services and learn to appreciate how Autism Spectrum Conditions affect them
- Be personally responsible for the quality of work that you provide
- Take responsibility and encourage members to take responsibility for yours and their working environment. Continually assess any risks to yourself, members and Skills Mentors and be proactive in implementing measures to reduce those risks whist positively enabling members.
- Adhere to Workshop Facilitator Expectations as outlined by the Operations Manager
- To provide reports and assessments where required
- **Terms and Conditions of Service**

**Special Conditions**:6 month probationary period

**Annual Leave**:The annual year runs from 1stApril to 31stMarch. The entitlement starts at 28 days per full leave year (pro rata) inclusive of statutory and public holidays.

**5. Rehabilitation of Offenders**

Because of the nature of the work, this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975. Applicants for the post are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act and in the event of employment, any failure to disclose such convictions could result in disciplinary action or dismissal by the Management Board of Specialist Autism Services. All information will be treated with strictest confidence.

Applicants will not necessarily be precluded from employment where a previous criminal record exists, but this will be taken into account when considering the suitability of an individual in working with this potentially vulnerable client group.
- **DBS Checks**

A DBS (Disclose and Barring Service) Check will be required for all successful applicants.
- **Data Protection Act 1984 and Confidentiality**

You are bound by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1984 and any breaches of the Act or the Confidential nature of the work of this post could lead to dismissal.

Note: This job description is not restric