Farm Support Worker

VSA are currently seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Farm Support Worker to join our dedicated team at Easter Anguston Farm on a Relief/ Ad hoc basis to support us during seasonal periods.

This is an exciting and varied role based at the farm, covering Retail, Events as well as Farm activities, including working with our adult trainees in conjunction and under guidance of our farm support staff

You'll help us welcome visitors to the Farm and ensure they have a very enjoyable experience from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. Through warm, engaging, informative interactions, you'll help share stories about this amazing place and build support and understanding for the VSA.

You'll help generate the income that enables us to care for the Farm by serving customers in our farm shop, garden centre, info hub and wider farm estate, as well as seasonal events. Your role is vital to ensure this popular destination operates smoothly and safely.

Easter Anguston is an operational farm which serves as a training facility for adults with learning difficulties and other additional support needs. Situated just west of Peterculter, it comprises 70 acres of arable land, used as a working farm, plus 20 acres of woodland.

Easter Anguston aims to provide meaningful and individualised training placements to adults with learning difficulties and other additional support needs.

**Purpose of Job**:
To contribute to the day to day running of the farm and support individual service users to successfully participate in the operation of a working farm

**Main Duties/Responsibilities**:

- Contributing to the day to day running of the farm.
- Provide a consistently high standard of visitor care
- Welcome visitors at all our key touch points, from arriving in our car park and making purchases in our shop and garden centre, to exploring our unique farm and enjoying the various estate areas, such as the animal paddocks, woodland walks, playpark and seasonal 'Pick Your Own' seasonal fruit polytunnels.
- Provide a responsive, friendly and efficient service tailored to the needs of both individual visitors and tour groups.
- Develop a thorough understanding of the place you work, enabling you to share stories with visitors, offer ideas to help them enjoy their visit and answer common questions.
- Follow guidelines to ensure retail displays remain enticing throughout the day and help with stock replenishment to ensure product availability.
- Assist with the set-up, stewarding and break-down of functions and events.
- Work flexibly and in harmony with your colleagues across departments, supporting each other to make best use of team resources, especially at busy times.
- Communicating effectively with individuals according to agreed standards and procedures, accessing and updating records in keeping with guidelines and policy.
- Helping to provide a safe and protective environment by complying with health, safety, and security procedures, including medication, and reporting accidents/incidents when appropriate.
- Supporting service users to successfully and safely participate in the activities and tasks on the farm, according to their recognised and agreed needs and adhering to practices which promote well-being, choice, and treating people with dignity and respect.
- Assisting service users in developing and maintaining social networks and relationships and promoting social inclusion and participation in the local community.
- Assisting and encouraging service users to develop skills and knowledge to live as independently as possible.
- Contributing to the development and implementation of care plans in consultation with key stakeholders.
- Developing one's knowledge and practice continuously through participation in training and development activities.
- Carrying out any other tasks from time to time, provided they are reasonable and within the postholder's capabilities.
- Help gather photos/videos for social media to promote our activities and encourage visits.
- Be responsible for accurate and secure till operation and sales processing and support the reconciliation of end of day takings.
- Maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation and safety
- Help with behind-the-scenes tasks to prepare for opening at the start of the day and close-down at the end.
- Take pride in building and landscape presentation, maintaining high standards throughout the day by helping to clean public and staff areas.
- No formal educational qualification required. Relevant training provided.

**Experience**:
**Desirable**:

- Experience of working in a farm setting and horticulture - Grounds maintenance
- Experience in a customer-facing role
- Enthusiasm for the aims and objectives of the VSA
- Excellent “front of house” persona - warm, welcoming, helpful, patient and understanding
- Excellent communication skills, a passion for sharing stories and offering memorable experiences
- Ability to work within a team or independ