Hours: Part-time (Minimum 2.5 hours initially on Monday afternoons but we hope to be allocated more hours shortly)
Job Overview
We are looking for a friendly and understanding Personal Assistant to support Oliver, a bright and academically capable 19 year old who loves gaming, Lego, Pokémon, robots and animals. Oliver is autistic with ADHD, Dyspraxia, contamination OCD and anxiety and needs support to travel independently and attend activities during the week. He is currently selectively mute due to anxiety, though he is capable of full speech and we are trying to encourage him to use his voice more. There are no personal care tasks or formal qualifications required for this role. Instead, we are looking for someone who can provide support and companionship, be a good role model and help Oliver to build up confidence and gain more independence.
Key Responsibilities
Travel and Support: Escorting and encouraging Oliver to go out and about, attend activities and to practice travelling independently.
Activities: Accompanying Oliver to activities that will help develop his social skills, independence and overall wellbeing, which could potentially include outings into Newcastle, art sessions in North Tyneside one afternoon a week and Inspired Support in Newcastle one day a week once more funding is available. Most of the support Oliver needs will be in the afternoon but we hope this can gradually be increased to include mornings if we can improve his energy levels and sleep pattern. Oliver needs to build up confidence, social communication and life skills so cooking/ gaming together or going on outings would also be beneficial to him if he doesn’t feel able to attend sessions outside of the home.
Communication and Engagement: Oliver benefits from a low demand approach and prefers to communicate non-verbally through hand/ head gestures or writing things down etc. He appreciates humour and responds well to unconventional methods such as communicating through his (many) cuddly toys.
About Oliver
Oliver loves gaming and digital art. He enjoys playing Tomodachi Life, Roblox, and Minecraft and hopes to study Game Design at Gateshead College in the future. He has six hours a week of online learning with Player Ready Alternative Provision and is building up skills in Blender and game development at Inspired Support and via online sessions with a Game Changers mentor. He also enjoys roller hockey sessions at Walker Dome run by SPARCS and occasionally goes to their young adults groups in Whitley Bay.
Due to long-standing sleep issues and fatigue, which is potentially being exacerbated by Gilbert’s Syndrome, Oliver finds it very difficult to wake up before midday, so afternoon activities and provision are easier for him to attend successfully. He loves animals (especially cats) and has a three-legged cat (called Robyn) and four pet rats, but these are safely hidden away from view (and the cat) in our back bedroom. Oliver is polite, kind and doesn’t get aggressive or hit out, but he does sometimes get frustrated by too many questions or demands and will shut down/ become uncommunicative or go off to his room, although this won’t normally be seen until he feels comfortable around someone. He can sometimes find it hard to make decisions and will normally just shrug when this happens so will need some prompting to help him come up with a plan for outings etc. He also needs help to manage his money.
Candidate Requirements
Shared Interests: A genuine interest in gaming (Minecraft, Roblox, etc.) and game design.
Peer-Support: Oliver currently has limited opportunities to socialise with people in his peer group. We are looking for someone who can build a positive and relatable relationship with him, support the development of his social skills and confidence, and encourage opportunities for age-appropriate friendships and social activities.
Relevant Experience: Experience or a strong understanding of autism, sleep issues, demand avoidance and non-verbal communication.
Patient, understanding and flexible if outings/ activities change.
Understanding of demand avoidance with a gentle, low-demand and non-judgmental approach towards anxiety and sleep issues/ tiredness, but with reasonable expectations.
A car owner with a clean licence would be desirable for outings and for quicker journeys to his provision if time is short, but this is not 100% essential as we are hoping that Oliver will be able to gain confidence in using public transport. He currently uses the Metro (accompanied) to get to Inspired Support but would be happy with other modes of transport.
Additional Information
Oliver currently has 2.5 hours of Direct Payments allocated to him via adult social care. This is being offered as a starting point with the potential for increase if Oliver is engaging well (which he has now shown is possible via his previous PA) so we have requested an increase in these hours to help meet his needs more efficiently.
This vacancy will close as soon as a suitable candidate is appointed.
At the time of starting their employment, the successful candidate must have permission to work in the U.K.
Personal Assistant - OCNT in Wallsend employer: Disability North
Working as a Male Personal Assistant to David in Newcastle upon Tyne offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in someone's life. The role is not only rewarding but also allows for flexible hours tailored to your schedule, fostering a supportive and engaging work culture. With a focus on companionship and shared interests, you will find a fulfilling environment that values patience, understanding, and personal connection.
