Play Worker

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**JOB TITLE: Playworkers (Orchard Project)**
**HOURS: 7 to 35 hours per week (with some evening and weekend work)**
**BASED: 119 Roding Lane North, Woodford Bridge, Essex**
**RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Team Leaders**
**RESPONSIBLE FOR: Service Users**

**Job purpose and context**
The Playworker is a member of the ELHAP integrated staff team, one of a team helping to deliver high quality, creative, well organised but spontaneous Orchard Project. They will help deliver creative and adventurous modules including horticulture, drama, tree management, music, building trades or supported volunteering etc.

The Playworkers will delivery the unique and pioneering ELHAP Orchard Project programme that focuses on horticulture, the arts, maintenance and experience of nature for disabled young people and adults.

**Roles and responsibilities**

1. To deliver the outcome focussed activities to individuals or groups of disabled young people and adults (i.e. horticulture, drama, building trades, tree management, music or supported volunteering etc)

2. To regularly record, assess and monitor service user’s progress and update project records and individual service user files.

3. To help and support with the organisation and delivery of regular events, workshops and exhibitions for the Orchard Project

4. To offer therapeutic support to individuals who may express their frustrations and needs through challenging behaviour by using appropriate strategies, management protocols and guidelines

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5. To work closely with the families of service users involved in their care and support to provide co
- ordinated services to meet the needs of the individuals. To encourage and support connections with families and friends. To positively and respectfully communicate with families at all times.

6. To help ensure that all visitors and users of the service have a positive experience.

7. To ensure that vulnerable adults and children are safeguarded from harm. To comply with

ELHAP’s and local Council’s safeguarding policy and procedures and to report any concerns regarding vulnerable adults or children with immediate effect to Senior Staff.

8. To follow health and safety guidelines carefully and to alert Senior Staff immediately of any concerns in relation to Health and Safety issues.

9. To deliver and lead person centred reviews, through the provision of verbal, pictorial and written reports and by attending any relevant meetings.

10. To work in accordance with the values, culture, ethos, equalities and inclusion policies of ELHAP proactively promoting anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-discriminatory behaviours in the day-to-day operation of the job

11. To complete ELHAP based induction and any subsequent training

12. To take part in the ELHAP performance management system

**Notes**:
1. ELHAP expects its employees to work flexibly within the framework of the duties and responsibilities specified above. This means that the postholder may be expected to carry out work that it not specified in the job profile but which is within the remit of the duties and responsibilities.

3. ELHAP Project Staff are part of the ELHAP integrated team and will work across all of ELHAP’s projects including playground, transition project and events.

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**PERSON SPECIFICATION**

**Skills and abilities Essential Desirable**
Ability to organise one’s own work, to prioritise tasks and keep to deadlines
- Good interpersonal skills to maximize working relationships with the team and

other colleagues
- Ability to be flexible and respond effectively to the ‘unexpected’

Excellent communication skills and ability interact effectively with disabled adults
and children and young people with a range of needs

Awareness of sensitive information and the need for confidentiality

Ability to foster excellent working relationships with colleagues and maintain a
- positive and enthusiastic attitude at all times

A non judgmental, accepting approach to working with people who may be challenging and the ability to cope in a mature way with conflict, distress and
challenging behaviours

A real passion for working outdoors in all weathers

A common sense approach to problem solving and an ability to deal with conflict
- and distress

**Knowledge**
An understanding of health, safety and security issues at ELHAP and related
- settings

An understanding of safeguarding best practice and current legislation

An understanding of general best practice and current issues within learning
- disability sector

**Qualifications and experience**
Recognised professional qualification in health, teaching or social work or a trade
- qualification in carpentry, building etc

GCSE at level A - C in English and mathematics (or equivalent)

Experience in a social care setting

Willingness and motivation to develop own skills and proficiency
- A real passion for working outdoors in all weathers

**Job Types**: Full-time, Part-time, Fixed term contract, Volu