Sensory Support Officer

Deafblind UK

Remote

£25,490 per year

Full-time

Permanent

Actively Interviewing

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Job description

Please be aware that this vacancy will close on the 30th September. If you are interested in the position, please submit an application as soon as possible.

Deafblind UK supports people who have both sight and hearing loss. You’ll be welcomed into our big family of clinical, operational and administrative staff who are all passionate about making life better for our members. Working for Deafblind UK is flexible and friendly. We support a healthy work-life balance and from the moment you join us, you will be fully supported by the wider team. You will also get a generous annual leave allowance and access to our Westfield Health Cash Plan.

We are looking to recruit a full-time officer to join our team delivering our flagship Pathways to Progress service. Following incoming referrals, the officer will contact service users to conduct a friendly telephone or video call to complete an assessment of their needs and challenges. The officer will then draw up action plans to connect the service users to the most appropriate set of service options, dependant on their chosen outcomes.

The officer will need to develop a good understanding of the internal and external service options available, plus have a clear and decisive skill for choosing the most appropriate course of action. The successful applicant will need to be a confident and comfortable communicator, with a patient and understanding personality.

We are seeking a good planner with experience of helping people to identify and reach their chosen outcomes, whilst also contributing to the wider success of an established service with its inherent timeframes and capacities.

The post holder will become an active member of the Charitable Services team, promoting the delivery of life enhancing support options to people with dual sensory loss and/or their carers. Service users will exhibit varying degrees of sensory loss, from the mild to the more profound. We are committed to respecting and celebrating the unique personalities and aspirations of each individual service user as we work with them to identify the most empowering bespoke action plan for them.

The officer will also have responsibility for overseeing the growth of an ongoing project to recruit and support a network of volunteers across the country, who can be co-ordinated to deliver localised marketing activities, such as attending public events on our behalf or dropping leaflets.

The main tasks delivered by the officer will be:

To work with people with sensory loss to connect them to the services and support options that can best assist them;
To build a friendly rapport with service users, to build trust so that they respond openly during the assessment conversations;
To support individuals to engage with the agreed action plan and to help maintain momentum to complete the action plans
To help individuals to celebrate their progress, to increase their knowledge and to expand their horizons.
To develop a good understanding of the many internal and external support options available and their potential benefits;
To develop and co-ordinate a team of volunteers to perform localised outreach activities on our behalf;
To complete all necessary recording and reporting of service support, using our electronic systems;
To contribute to the completion of funding reports, case stories, etc. as requested by the service manager;
Occasionally to represent Deafblind UK at events, within online meetings and forums and to promote the service and generate service user referrals.
To complete all training and input actively into team meetings, planning discussions and reviews.

Please note that prior experience of working with people with sensory loss is helpful but not essential for this role, as all relevant training will be provided.

The Company

We support people who have combined sight and hearing loss which affects their access to information, mobility, and communication. We help them to live with their condition and to build their confidence and independence.

Deafblindness affects everyone in different ways. Some people might have mild sight and hearing loss whereas others can’t see or hear anything. It can be isolating and lonely and can lead to mental health issues - but it’s far more common than many people realise. Around 400,000 people are affected by sight and hearing loss in the UK.

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