Support Worker

In East Lothian we offer Housing Support and Care at Home to Adults plus Day Support opportunities through groups

Our team in East Lothian supports younger people taking steps towards greater independence such as moving into their own tenancies. Typical activities on support include assisting with household chores, cooking, assisting with finances, completing paperwork, encouraging hobbies and interests, medication administration and providing personal care.

The people who use our services want support workers who are friendly and can help them pursue their goals and live fulfilling lives.

Being able to drive and having your own transport would also be an advantage, but is not a requirement. If you use your own car, you would be able to claim mileage on qualifying journeys.

Support session times are varied and include daytimes, early mornings, evenings, weekends and sleepovers, and may include work in various parts of East Lothian, but we aim to have people work in their local communities where possible. Candidates must be great communicators and problem solvers, and be fully committed to The Action Group’s values of equality, inclusion and opportunity for all. No experience or formal qualifications are necessary as paid training is provided. Many of our support workers go on to complete formal qualifications in social care.

Post: Support Worker Service: Housing & Community Support Services (HACSS)

Base: The Action Group, The Prentice Centre, Edinburgh (or regional base as set by line manager)

Line Managed by: Team Manager

Salary Range:

Casual rate: £12 per hour Sleepover rate (if applicable) £96 per night.

Hours: Casual hours available.

Our Recruitment Process

Equal Opportunities Form for Applicants

Main purpose:

The main purpose of this post is to provide a caring, efficient and effective 24/7 support service to people who use The Action Group’s Services. This will include assisting people to develop their skills by supervising and participating in various support activities in a way that enriches their opportunities and promotes choice. The main duties for this post are detailed below under two headings: 1. Specific Duties (that apply to this job in particular) 2. General Duties (that apply to all staff in The Action Group)

About The Role

Specific Duties

• Practice the TAG Key Worker system. For example, organising support plans / case

  reviews as required for individual people we support with all relevant stakeholders, ensuring

  effective handovers between staff, and maintaining records, case files etc.

• Promote the physical and emotional wellbeing of the people we support at all times

  (eg. supporting people to maintain acceptable and adequate levels of self-care, carrying out

  risk assessments, etc)

• Actively develop meaningful and trusting relationships with the people we support (eg.

  helping people to gain insight into their own behaviour, attitudes and reactions)

• Encourage independence in all daily living activities wherever possible, and support

  them with this only when necessary (e.g. housework, food preparation, household admin etc)

• Promote people’s hobbies, interests and activities, and encourage participation in all

  aspects of community life. For support workers in the Children and Adults in Transition

  Services this may include organising day trips and activities with young people as required, as

  well as accompanying them to sporting activities such as swimming, and participating in these

  activities as appropriate.

• Directly assist with the personal care as required

• Work with the people we support to maximize their ability to communicate effectively

  and promote self-advocacy wherever possible

• Advocate on behalf of the people we support when needed (e.g. liaising with external

  organisations regarding benefits, education, tenancy and employment etc)

• Work with relatives and carers of people we support (e.g. arranging support plans,

  dealing with complaints and frustrations, etc) and help to ensure that relatives have a

  significant role in the person’s life wherever possible and appropriate.

• Find out about the wide range of local services, amenities and organisations available

  to people we support.

• Work with both individuals and groups of in all of the above, according to need

• Participate flexibly in the various shift work patterns required by the needs of the

  people we support (including regular working outwith weekday office hours; for example, in

  the evening and at weekends, where applicable)

• Regularly undertake ‘sleepover’ or ‘waking night’ duties where required

• From time-to-time, the postholder may be asked to cover short-term absences of

  Support Workers in other teams

General Duties (these are applicable to all The Action Group staff)

• Read, and work in accordance with, TAG’s Mission, Aims & Objectives, and current

  Business Plan

• Manage own work time effectively

• Keep on top of own paperwork and maintain effective and organised filing systems, as

  appropriate to the specific job role

• Treat everyone with consideration and respect

• Ensure prompt, polite and clear communication (whether responding to a query from a

  member of staff or a complaint from person we support)

• Keep up to date and comply with all applicable TAG policies and procedures (covering

  everything from personal Health & Safety to Care Commission Standards)

• Promote and respect individual rights and responsibilities at all time

• Retain the highest standards of confidentiality, as appropriate to the specific role

• Assist your manager and other work colleagues as appropriate and whenever possible

• Take charge of own CPD (Continuous Professional Development) and contribute to TAG

  maintaining the Investors In People standard

• Be responsible for own work life balance (e.g. taking annual leave at regular intervals,

  etc)

Skills Needed

About The Company

Our History

The Action Group was set up in 1976 by a group of parents and carers of people who had learning disabilities and other support needs. They began by campaigning for better services for the people they cared about in the local area of Leith and Restalrig. This group, who all lived in the north east of Edinburgh, took the name Area 5 Action Group from the Social Work Department’s area in which they lived.

Providing and Improving Learning Disability Care for Over 45 Years

The Action Group was, and continues to be, a membership organisation with the twin aims of campaigning for, and providing, good community care services. In 1976, services and supports in the community were few and far between and large institutions and hospitals, like Gogarburn in Edinburgh, were the main service for children and adults.

Locally, The Area 5 Action Group ran a high profile political and media campaign to get learning disability and support needs on the agenda. It also explored ways to develop service-provision

By 1985, now called The North Edinburgh Action Group, membership had grown and service users came from all over Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian.

By 1992, with development plans focussing across an even wider area, a further name change to The Action Group was made.

​Over the years the Action Group has been at the forefront of campaigning for and providing high quality community services.

Company Culture

The Vision

That Families caring for a person and individuals who have support needs and/or Learning Disability encounter no barriers to their chosen lifestyle, are able to follow a path of choice and can enrich their opportunities.

The Mission

To Value, listen and involve people so that our every action is judged to be the best.

The Values

An ordinary life includes the 5 accomplishments which derives from the work of John O'Brien.

These values are at the heart of the organisation.

People accessing our services should have:

Community presence - Relationships

Competency - Respect - Choice

Desired Criteria

• Driving license

Required Criteria

• Shares our values - Equality, Inclusion. Flexibility, Person Centred Support, Respecting differences.
• Practically-Minded - Can budget and manage a home – Assesses Risk Well – Plans stuff in advance -Responds well to challenging situations
• A nice person Listens- Interested in people-Patient and Calm- Fun- Caring and considerate
• Good in a Team- Communicates well – Takes responsibility- Asks for advice - Helps others
• Get the details right – Punctual – Consistent – Follows procedures- Finds out and remembers stuff – Completes paperwork
• Not afraid to think – Reflects on practice – Learns from experience – Puts self in other’s shoes- Suggests ideas.
• This post requires registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). Applicants who are not registered with the SSSC when starting will have 6 months in which to register. Applicants already registered with the SSSC must inform that body of their employment with The Action Group.
• This post requires PVG clearance. Applicants who are not members of the PVG scheme should be prepared to join before commencing employment.

Closing DateWednesday 31st July, 2024