Support Worker

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Mental Health service in Waltham Forest.

£10,941.00 per annum, working 16 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Support Workers are responsible for supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and behavioural needs to live full lives, develop skills and maintain their wellbeing.

Margery Park is a 3 bed Supported living service, for customers with learning disabilities and Autism and we are looking to build a staff team with an excellent value base to support the customer to build their new life and develop their skills as an independent person.

Support Workers will need to be flexible and shifts will require some mornings, afternoons/Evenings and weekends.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

What you'll do:

* Supporting the customer to undertake a full timetable of preferred activities including sport and leisure activities, attending community groups, visiting local amenities, and introducing them to new activities to expand their horizons and networks;
* Developing the customer's independent living skills and involving them in all aspects of maintaining and developing their home, including cooking, shopping, cleaning and decorating;
* Enabling the customer to keep up with the important people in their life and to meet new people with shared interests;
* Supporting the customer to communicate their wants and needs, and communicating with them in a person-centred way;
* Supporting the customer to manage their anxieties and frustrations, using Positive Behaviour Support and Autism-specific approaches;
* Collating a range of behavioural data and essential paperwork to be analysed within our local management structure;
* May need driving the customer to activities using the customer's vehicle, in rotation with the wider team;
* Communicating with family members and a range of other key stakeholders including social work, psychology and commissioning teams;

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
* Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
* Prefers working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
* Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
* Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
* Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
* Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour

What you'll bring:

Essential:

* NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
* Minimum 2 years of experience working with customers with Autism/Challenging Behaviour/learning disabilities and supporting them in line with a PBS framework

Desirable:

* Driving licence and a willingness to drive as part of support duties

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description.