At a Glance
- Tasks: Bring joy and creativity to residents' lives through engaging activities.
- Company: Easteden Ltd, a values-led care organisation in Northern Ireland.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, flexible rotas, free breakfast, and employee discounts.
- Other info: Join a supportive team that values your ideas and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in residents' lives every day.
- Qualifications: Compassionate, creative, and a genuine interest in supporting others.
The predicted salary is between 18900 - 23100 £ per year.
At Easteden, we believe exceptional care starts with exceptional people. We're a growing, values-led care organisation providing high-quality, person-centred care across Northern Ireland. Our aim is simple: to create homes where residents feel safe, respected and valued, and workplaces where our colleagues feel supported, appreciated and empowered to thrive.
As an Activities Assistant, you'll have the opportunity to bring energy, creativity and meaningful moments into the everyday lives of our residents. From getting to know someone's favourite music, hobbies and life story to supporting group activities, celebrations and community connections, you'll help create experiences built around the people who call Easteden home.
You'll support the wellbeing and quality of life of residents by helping to plan and deliver meaningful, engaging and person-centred activities within a safe, welcoming and supportive environment. You'll encourage residents to express their individuality, maintain interests and connections, try new experiences and participate in daily life in ways that are meaningful to them. Depending on the service, you may support residents living with dementia, mental health conditions or complex care needs, always promoting dignity, choice, independence and wellbeing.
Your Work-Life & Rewards
- Competitive Pay Rates: Competitive rates of pay with reliable and transparent pay arrangements.
- Rotas You Can Plan Your Life Around: Predictable, fair and forward-planned rotas to help you balance work and life.
- Thursday Breakfast Is On Us: A freshly cooked hot breakfast made just for our staff every Thursday.
- Perkbox App Access: Free membership giving you high street discounts, online shopping deals and weekly treats.
- Employee Referral Bonus: Recommend great people and receive a referral reward when they successfully join the organisation.
- Little Ways We Say Thank You: From surprise ice cream vans on sunny days to seasonal celebrations and other colleague treats, we love finding ways to recognise and appreciate our teams.
- A Team That Has Your Back: A genuinely friendly, welcoming culture where you’ll be supported by the people around you.
- A Voice That Shifts Things: Your ideas are heard, valued and used to improve how our homes run.
- Real Care for the Carers: Wellbeing support for the people who spend every day caring for others.
- Supportive Leadership: Leaders who value your contribution, listen to your ideas and want to see you succeed.
Your Growth & Impact
- Fully Funded Training: Continuous learning and development to build your knowledge, skills and confidence.
- Career Development Opportunities: Opportunities to develop your skills and progress within a growing organisation.
- Modern, Resident-Focused Care: Be part of an organisation committed to continually improving how we work and putting residents at the heart of what we do.
- Work That Truly Matters: Help create meaningful moments, positive experiences and genuine connections for our residents every day.
What You’ll Be Doing
No two days will be exactly the same. You’ll get to know our residents as individuals and help create activities and experiences based around their interests, preferences, abilities and life stories.
- Welcome new residents and help them settle into their new home.
- Get to know residents, their interests, preferences, abilities and the things that are meaningful to them.
- Help plan and deliver creative, meaningful and resident-led social, recreational and wellbeing activities.
- Support residents to express their individuality, choices and preferences.
- Encourage participation, independence, confidence and social connection.
- Support reminiscence and the development of resident life stories through meaningful conversations and experiences.
- Help create positive daily experiences that promote enjoyment, purpose and wellbeing.
- Build positive relationships with residents, families, visitors, community groups and external activity providers.
- Work collaboratively with nursing, care, catering, housekeeping and wider teams to support a positive resident experience.
- Listen to resident feedback and help identify new ideas and opportunities to enhance activities and wellbeing.
- Observe residents’ participation and wellbeing and share relevant information appropriately with colleagues.
- Maintain appropriate records and documentation.
- Follow safeguarding, confidentiality, infection prevention, health and safety and other organisational requirements.
- Help create a welcoming, inclusive and respectful environment where residents are treated with dignity and respect.
What We’re Looking For
More than anything, we’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys connecting with people and wants to make everyday life meaningful for our residents.
- Compassionate, warm and respectful, with a genuine interest in supporting others.
- Creative and enthusiastic, with ideas for bringing people together and creating positive experiences.
- A confident communicator who can build positive relationships with residents, families, colleagues and visitors.
- A good listener who takes the time to understand individual interests, preferences and choices.
- Comfortable encouraging residents with different abilities and support needs to participate in ways that are meaningful to them.
- Organised and able to maintain appropriate records and documentation.
- Positive, flexible and able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
- Understanding of the importance of dignity, safeguarding, confidentiality, equality, inclusion and professional boundaries.
- Willing to undertake all training required for the role and achieve and maintain NISCC registration where applicable.
- Flexible to work evenings, weekends and public holidays where required.
You don’t necessarily need to have worked as an Activities Assistant before. Relevant experience can come from employment, volunteering, community involvement, unpaid caring responsibilities or other life experience. If you can demonstrate compassion, creativity, strong people skills and an understanding of meaningful, person-centred engagement, we’d love to hear from you.
It Would Be Great If You Also Have
- An NVQ Level 2 or Level 3 in Health & Social Care, or equivalent.
- Experience supporting vulnerable adults within a care, healthcare, community or wellbeing setting.
- Experience or skills in areas such as arts and crafts, music, exercise, gardening, games, events or other recreational activities.
- Experience engaging with community groups, external activity providers or wellbeing initiatives.
- Experience using Microsoft Office, electronic care planning systems or digital activity documentation tools.
- A full clean driving licence.
If you’re looking for a rewarding role where you can bring your personality, creativity and compassion to work and make a genuine difference every day, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re building a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and supportive environment for our colleagues, residents and communities.
Locations
Activities Assistant in Derry, Londonderry employer: Easteden Ltd
At Easteden, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values compassion, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Our supportive work culture fosters professional growth and development, allowing employees to thrive while making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we care for. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, we offer a welcoming environment where every team member can contribute to high-quality care and support within our vibrant community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Activities Assistant in Derry, Londonderry
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Easteden Ltd.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Easteden Ltd!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Easteden Ltd, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Easteden Ltd or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Activities Assistant in Derry, Londonderry
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Easteden Ltd:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Easteden Ltd! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Easteden Ltd
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
