Apprentice Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Officer

**What we offer**
- £11.50 per hour
- 2-year apprenticeship 4 days in work and 1 day study leave
- 37.5 hours per week
- Hybrid (mainly remote) via our Redbridge HQ
- Competitive benefits package
- Apprenticeship programme must be completed within 24 months of commencement
- Fixed term contract for 2 years
- Must live in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to be eligible

**How we work at Sensory Specialists**

We are an organisation that delivers essential services to people with sensory loss or who are deaf. We value innovation, dedication and high-performance to ensure we best serve our community. We are passionate about the work we do and the impact our services make. Our work includes
- Support people with sensory loss or deaf to realise their full potential and contribute to their community.
- Delivering sensory support services to ensure that people with sensory loss / deaf can function to a high level in their communities.
- Advocate on behalf of people with sensory loss or deaf to improve their physical and mental wellbeing, so that they can have good health for longer.

**About you**

You will be keen to learn about supporting people with Sensory Loss by delivering the best service possible. You will be a confident communicator who is attentive and an enthusiastic team player that understands our commitment to high standards and supporting the sensory loss community.

You will be looking to grow your career and enhance your experience in this area.

**We are looking for these qualifications**
- Degree in Health and Social Care or similar qualification would be desirable but not essential.
- To qualify for the apprenticeship, you must have Maths and English Level 2 (GCSE) qualifications at Grades A-C or equivalent.

**What you will need to be successful**
- Great IT skills
- Willing to learn
- A passion to support people
- A commitment to solving problems
- A confident communicator
- Share our values and commitment to delivering a high-quality service

**About the role**

This exciting role plays an important part in delivering our services. You will report to the Service Manager, and you will liaise regularly with managers, volunteers and staff. The apprenticeship is a varied role, some of the duties include.
- Assessment: To carry out home visits to undertake face to face assessments for people with sight loss and both sight and hearing loss, to identify their needs and aspirations and promote independent living. Producing tangible outcomes, services and appropriate referrals. To undertake assessment of risk and health and safety adaptations, recommending and overseeing installation of environmental adaptations required by people with sight or both sight and hearing loss.
- Rehabilitation and service provision: To plan, implement, evaluate and review rehabilitative services for people with sensory loss or both sight and hearing loss in order to maximise and maintain independence, safety, dignity and choice. To deliver group and individual person centred rehabilitative intervention in, but not restricted to: Independent living skills for all aspects of daily living, personal care and home management; Facilitation and promote inclusion in recreation, education and employment; Orientation and mobility indoors and outdoors, including guiding skills, pre-cane skills, sensory travel skills, guide, symbol and long cane skills, mobility aids, cognitive mapping, route-planning techniques, use of public transport and the use of technology that promotes independence and navigation; Communication skills including braille, IT, smart and standard telecommunications, assistive technology, deafblind manual, block alphabet and audio equipment; Low vision training / therapy to maximise functional vision, magnifiers, lighting and other low vision aids and strategies.
- Access to Information: To deliver awareness training, information and support to people with visual impairment and or Deafblind, employers, care providers and educational establishments, to improve access to statutory and voluntary social care services, health services, education and employment.
- Technology: Deliver training, education and support to use assistive and standard technology to people with a visual impairment and people who are Deafblind.
- Legislation: To interpret legislation to empower people with a visual impairment and who are Deafblind to live independent and fulfilling lives.
- Professional Development: Evaluate, through reflective practice, professional performance and development. To use professional knowledge to make appropriate decisions and judgements. To also keep up to date, evaluate and assimilate research into practice.
- Other Duties: To maintain records in accordance with our agreements and complete client monitoring forms and monthly statistics regarding the use of services for monitoring and reporting.
- To undertake other duties as can be reasonably expected to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the service
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