Support Worker - Waking Nights (Linn Moor Campus)

BE PART OF IT!

VSA is a well-respected local social care charity, helping support the people of Aberdeen for over 150 years.

Our mission is to provide the best of care to enable the best of lives; supporting individuals and communities to fulfil their potential.

VSA provides vital support and services to people of all ages. At VSA we support a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing through a range of residential and outreach support Services.

Working in social care is a hugely rewarding career, and you can help change the lives of vulnerable children and adults. At VSA, we are looking for motivated and compassionate individuals to join our team.

We currently have a fantastic opportunity for the right person to join our team at Linn Moor, if you are passionate about helping vulnerable young people thrive and flourish in a nurturing environment, this could be the right opportunity for you.

Linn Moor is a unique multi-generational approach to community-based care for individuals with learning disabilities and other additional support needs, in a residential setting. The campus its self is situated on beautiful grounds allowing our service users the freedom to enjoy the outdoors. With UK wide recognition for our pioneering work with people with autism, our focus is on the development of meaningful life skills and personal fulfilment for the children and young adults we support. If successful you would be joining a large team of enthusiastic support workers with a wealth of experience from all different backgrounds

We are currently seeking a Support Worker (Waking Nights) to join our dedicated and enthusiastic team within Linn Moor Campus at Peterculter.  You will help to provide a quality service to meet the needs of our students with additional support needs, supporting the night time care that is provided within the residential setting.

Hours: 35 hours per week (averaged)

We offer fantastic benefits including:
- Competitive Salary
- Generous Holidays
- Sick Pay Scheme
- Transport to and from Aberdeen city centre to campus available
- NEST Pension Scheme
- Refer a friend scheme
- Ongoing professional development

Please click on link below to read what our staff member Sunday has to say about working at Linn Moor:
https://www.vsa.org.uk/latest/meetsunday

Ideally you should have some experience of working with  young adults with autism / learning difficulties and have the ability to engage/relate to them through effective communication skills and the ability to deal with complex and challenging behaviour. 

For this role any prior experience would be preferred in particular having worked night shift or waking nights and lone working.

We welcome applications from those who would like the opportunity to work within social care or those simply seeking a change of direction.

Successful applicants will be required to join the PVG Scheme; however VSA will cover any associated costs.

Purpose of Job

To contribute to the effective provision of an integrated, inclusive and quality service designed to meet the care, social and educational needs of the students at Linn Moor Campus and achieving the best possible outcomes for them whilst supporting the full implementation of the 24 hour curriculum, according to agreed statutory & VSA standards, policies and regulatory requirements, monitoring the effective use of staffing resources.

Main Responsibilities

• Identifying ways of communicating effectively on difficult, complex and sensitive issues. Supporting individuals appropriately in the communication process, especially where specific communication needs have been identified
• Updating and maintaining records and reports according to statutory and organisational procedures and requirements.
• Promoting, monitoring and maintaining health, safety and security in the working environment, including medication administration. Minimise risks arising from emergencies and ensure students, colleagues, and self are safe and secure in the workplace and to follow, at all times, the policy and guidance on child protection and supporting students to maximise self care skills following relevant policies and procedures.
• Promoting the well being and protection of the students, working with them in ways which promote their rights and responsibilities, supporting them to express their views and preferences about their health and well being.
• Contributing to the protection of students from abuse, including the identification of possible abuse. Handling disclosures from students and reporting information about abuse according to policies and procedures. Providing support to students who may have been abused.
• Ensuring that the students’ physical environment is clean and comfortable, supporting them with their physical care needs, including toileting, as appropriate.
• Contributing to the assessment of students’ development levels and support needs at night time by ensuring the implementation of programmes and support activities, and contributing to evaluation of the students’ participation in such programmes and activities.
• Assisting in the preparation and maintenance of night time learning environments and contributing to the planning and evaluation of learning activities.
• Contributing to the planning and implementation of night time programmes for students; reviewing the effectiveness of such programmes and balancing group needs against the preferences and needs of individual students.

In order to facilitate the transport of staff to and from our Linn Moor campus, VSA operates a staff bus for all shifts from the city centre, which can be booked for those who require this service.