Activity Assistant (Maternity Cover) – Dorchester

SWRAC; Thames Centre; On-site; CAD 46,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Casual dress

On-site parking

Company pension

Health & wellbeing programme

Private medical insurance

Free parking

Job summary

SWRAC in Dorchester is looking for an Activity Assistant (maternity cover until October 2027, with the possibility of a permanent role) to join the Thrive project at the Dorchester Centre. This role supports young adults with special educational needs through informal education and activity-based learning, delivering activities, recording progress, and helping learners gain independent skills.

The post requires patience, enthusiasm, some social care or education experience with SEND learners,

Qualifications

• Level 2 Health and Social Care (desirable).
• Level 3 Education & Training (desirable).
• Learning support qualification (desirable).
• English and Maths Level 2 (essential).

Responsibilities

• Discuss activity preferences with individuals and help them achieve goals.
• Organise activities tailored to individuals and groups.
• Arrange local community trips with accessibility considerations.
• Encourage learner participation in activities.
• Plan and lead sessions aligned with Preparing for Adulthood outcomes.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Motivation

Organisation

IT skills

Teamwork

Education

Level 2 Health and Social Care

Level 3 Education & Training

Learning support qualification

English & Maths Level 2

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

• – Learning support qualification (desirable)

Location

Dorchester, DT2 9SL

At SWRAC, we empower individuals to thrive through practical and relevant educational programs. Our goal is to equip people with the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to become resilient, confident, and independent. We aim for them to grow in education, secure employment, or engage in meaningful activities, live healthily, be active and responsible citizens, and ensure their safety.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Activity Assistant (maternity cover until October 2027, with the possibility of a permanent role afterwards) to join our friendly team at our Dorchester Centre.

We are looking for an enthusiastic person to work with our ‘Thrive’ project. This is a programme for young adults with special educational needs and is a combination of informal education and activity based learning, aiming to prepare people for adulthood and independence.

We need assistants who can help deliver the education and support with the activities. Needless to say, patience, enthusiasm and a great sense of humour is necessary. Ideally, you’ll have some experience from either a social care or education background with SEND learners. Must be able to provide low level personal care.

The role is full time, Monday to Friday and will be based at our Dorchester Centre. We are a friendly bunch and will be very pleased to hear from you if you would like more information on this rewarding role.

Job Description

• Talking with individuals about the types of activities they’d like to do and helping them to achieve their goals for this.
• Organising activities that are tailored to the needs and abilities of individuals, as well as group activities that will bring individuals together.
• Organising trips out in the local community, considering transport arrangements and accessibility.
• Assisting and encouraging learners to take part in activities.
• Planning and leading sessions relating to the Preparing for Adulthood Outcomes that are appropriate for the learners level of understanding.
• Named person to update plans for key learners.
• Named person to update daily records of the learners achievements.
• Working in guidance with the Preparing for Adulthood Outcomes to help learners gain the skills needed for adulthood.
• Willingness to carry out personal care if needed

Qualifications

• – Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (desirable)
• – Level 3 Award in Education and Training (desirable)
• – Learning support qualification (desirable)
• – English and Maths Level 2 (essential)

Skills/Competencies

• To be able to communicate effectively with learners and colleagues (essential)
• To manage own time and to be able to prioritise it accordingly (essential)
• The ability to motivate people (essential)
• To have good organisational skills (essential)
• To have good IT skills for use such as Word, PowerPoint & occasional Excel
• To be able to work in a team (essential)

Knowledge

• A good understanding of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (essential)
• An understanding of Safeguarding (essential)
• Knowledge of Person-Centred approaches
• Knowledge of Preparing for Adulthood
• Knowledge and understanding of confidentiality, professional boundaries and safeguarding young people
• Knowledge of legal requirements i.e. Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice

Experience

• Prior experience of working in Learning Support (essential)
• Working with young people with SEND (essential)
• Working with challenging behaviour (essential)

Personal Qualities

• To be adaptable to change
• To manage own health and well being
• Must have a caring disposition, integrity and be passionate about working with SEND young people
• Must be reliable and trustworthy
• Shares ideas with others [to make improvements]
• Keen to learn and improve own performance
• Will go the extra mile to help fulfil Young person needs
• Has a ‘can-do’ attitude to work
• Demonstrates flexibility and ability to work within a team
• Demonstrate use of initiative
• Able to adapt with change and work demands
• To clearly identify risk and act accordingly
• To be patient

Benefits

• Additional leave
• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Private dental insurance
• Private medical insurance

Work Location

In person

Job Type

Full-time, permanent

Hours

37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with 30 minutes of lunch break. While these are the standard hours, there may occasionally be a need for flexibility to meet the needs of the service.

Salary

£28,773 per year

Please note

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

SWRAC is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our recruitment and selection practices will reflect this dedication. All successful candidates will undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, along with other relevant employment screening. We are also committed to ensuring genuine equality of opportunity in all aspects of our activities as an employer and educational provider.