Support Worker: Taylor-Cheshire House in Belfast

Contract Type: 35 hours per week. (This post requires evening and weekend work.) We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. However, due to the specific needs of the service, we would particularly welcome applications from women.

Purpose of the role

To assist the Team Leader in the provision of professional and high quality support to those individuals with physical and learning disabilities, promoting recovery through a strength’s based, person centred approach. This enables the people we support to ensure they live independent lives achieving their full potential in all aspects of their personal lives.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Provision of direct support to include overnight and on-call to the persons we support, ensuring their physical and mental health.
• This support will include daily assistance with physical care, personal hygiene needs, daily life tasks and skill development, whilst delicately championing their personal independence and safeguarding their privacy and dignity.
• Directly assist the persons we support with the setting and achieving personal orientated goals, progressing towards recovery, which may include social inclusion and self-esteem.

Main Responsibilities of Support Worker

Person Centred Support

• Develop and maintain a positive, trusting and professional relationship with the person we support, acting in a supportive and empathetic manner.
• Openly display passion and sensitivity to the persons we support, ensuring appropriate professional boundaries are maintained.
• Proactively contribute towards a harmonious support for the persons we support.
• Assist the persons we support in the management of both their physical health, mental health and wellbeing, through the development and implementation tailored support plans.
• Involve the people we support in all aspects of decision making, adopting a compassionate approach to any individual difficulties that may be encountered.
• Under supervision and guidance, deliver care and person centred support enabling the people we support to develop and improve their social, domestic, personal and community living skills, as defined within their personal support plan and identified outcomes.

Housing Support

• Provide person centred care and support by motivating, mentoring and empowering the people we support in respect of domestic and cleaning skills, meal preparation, shopping and personal budgeting.
• Assist the people we support in the planning, organisation and participation in either individual or group activities both within the scheme and in the community.
• Assist the people we support in the management of their personal medication, budgeting, finances and meal preparation.
• Empower the persons we support by involving them in decision making and lifestyle choices.
• Provide care using a recovery approach, focusing on re-establishing positive identity, hope, independent and meaningful lives.
• Enabling the persons we support to make informed decisions, whilst sensitively advocating for their needs.
• Liaise with external agencies as appropriate, supporting the persons we support with housing, signposting and referral progression.
• Enable direct participation and contribution to their local community as active citizens to include direct participation in social, leisure and community based activities, engagement in volunteering, advancing training and employment opportunities, as appropriate.
• Support people to be healthy in all aspects of their personal lives, continually encouraging physical and emotional wellbeing.
• Active contribution to the promotion of a culture of wellbeing for all, through personal commitment and participation, encouraging engagement in wellbeing activities.
• Promotion of a positive working environment whereby wellbeing is central to the continued provision of a professional and innovative service.
• Provision of an autonomous working environment where all achievements are recognised and celebrated.
• Ensuring adherence to Threshold’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedure, escalating concerns where appropriate.

Effective Communication

• Communicate regularly, consistently and in a timely manner with all stakeholders. This will include colleagues, allied health professionals, nursing or medical staff.
• Ensure the ongoing maintenance of accurate, timely and completion of all pertinent service documentation.
• Actively engage in giving and receiving of feedback, highlighting areas of improvement, as appropriate.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and handovers.

Team and Partnership Working

• Collaboratively work in partnership with all relevant representatives of all relevant statutory, voluntary and regulatory bodies ensuring adherence to required standards.
• Take personal accountability, responsibility and ownership for the delivery of all results, delegated or otherwise.
• Encourage, recognise and ultimately celebrate innovation and team achievements.
• Dissemination of knowledge and practical skills to fellow employees, enabling team success.

Professional Practice

• Ensure focus on personal and professional development to ensure the provision of professional, innovative and integrative service models.
• Monitor and ensure professional registration is maintained at all times, where applicable.
• Share knowledge and expertise amongst peers to promote trust and foster a learning culture.
• Ensure participation in annual appraisal reviews and set personal development goals.
• Demonstrate professionalism and maintain confidentiality.
• Ensure that risk management processes are complied with, early identification of same and mitigation/remedial actions implemented.

Continuous Improvement & Results Delivery

• Active contribution to the enhancement of service deliverables, focusing upon quality improvement initiatives and efficiency.
• Assist with the attainment of Threshold’s corporate objectives via the implementation of efficient safe systems of professional working practices.

General

• Actively promote the organisational mission, values, aims and objectives, ensuring all Policies and Procedures, to include the Code of Conduct and Practice are adhered to at all times.
• Be a cultural carrier for Threshold.
• Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, including NISCC registration and Access NI check requirements.
• Adhere and comply with all Threshold’s Health and Safety Policies and Procedures including reporting and recording of all relevant incidents, contributing to the overall physical cleanliness and general condition of the facilities of the service.
• Act as a Deputy Fire Warden and/or First Aid Person if designated.
• Actively promote a working environment where equality of opportunity, anti-discriminatory practice, individual rights and choice are promoted in accordance with Threshold’s established Principles, Policies and Procedures.

The above summary of the main roles and responsibilities is not intended to be exhaustive. This role may develop in accordance with the Threshold’s Strategic Corporate Plan. However, you will from time to time be required to undertake other duties that are appropriate to your role and nature of your post.

Threshold is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on any of the protected characteristics. Our hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply and join us in creating a welcoming environment for everyone.

Person Specification Guidance

Threshold will undertake a shortlisting exercise based solely upon the written information contained within your application form, to satisfactorily demonstrate how and to what extent you meet the above specified criteria. The shortlisting exercise will be based upon the identified criteria from the personnel specification. The shortlisting panel will not make assumptions as to your circumstances, qualifications and experience. Threshold reserves the right to supplement these shortlisting criteria using additional essential and or desirable criteria from the personnel specification at subsequent stages of the shortlisting process.

Please note that any form of canvassing, either oral or written, directly or indirectly, in connection with this appointment shall disqualify a candidate from the recruitment and selection process.

Supplementary Information

Please note that this is a regulated post and will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced Access NI Check. For more information on the background check process, please refer to our policy titled Inclusive Hiring and Rehabilitation. This will be dealt with in line with our Privacy Policy. The post holder must either be registered, or apply for registration with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, (NISCC), upon appointment.