Bank Support worker

Look Ahead Care and Support; Greater London; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a compassionate team dedicated to transforming lives! As a Bank Support Worker, you will provide essential support to individuals with learning disabilities, helping them develop independence and engage in their communities. This role offers the unique opportunity to work flexibly across various services, including Mental Health and Young People. You will empower customers to achieve their goals while ensuring their safety and well-being. With a strong commitment to excellence and innovation, this organization fosters an inclusive and supportive environment where you can thrive in your career. If you are passionate about making a difference, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Benefits

Flexible Working Hours

Learning & Development Opportunities

Supportive Team Environment

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Must be compassionate and resilient to support individuals with learning disabilities.
• Experience in caring for vulnerable individuals is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support customers to develop life skills and promote social inclusion.
• Build trusting relationships and assist with daily living activities.

Skills

Compassion

Resilience

Experience with Learning Disabilities

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Patience

Personal Care Support

Knowledge of Infection Control

Teamwork

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job reference REQ005917
Date posted 20/12/2024
Application closing date 31/01/2025
Location Hertfordshire
Salary £13.15 per hour
Package Blank
Contractual hours 0
Basis PSA Zero Hours
Job category/type Zero Hour Contract

We’re looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Bank Support Worker to join our Learning Disabilities Service in Hertfordshire.

Want to feel like you’re part of one team? You’ll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren’t token gestures - we’ve thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Information on the customer you will be supporting:

Hi, I’m S, I’m a forty-year-old man, I have complex needs, a mild learning disability and autism and I have moved into my new home in Hertfordshire.

I’m looking for adventurous and passionate individuals to support me with my daily living skills but also to help me develop skills to live more independently, to share my hobbies and interests and to explore new ones.

I have a great sense of humour and endless energy and interact with people in a fun and humorous way. I need support to adapt to new environments and to develop trust in my carers, also support to make safe use of my home.

I tend to have a loud voice and am very physically active. I benefit from a Positive Behaviour Support approach as I may hurt myself or others when I'm upset, and I can damage or throw property.

I am looking for someone who can support me in doing the things I most enjoy, which include:

1. Going out for walks
2. Playing football and basketball
3. Listening to music & dancing – Michael Jackson
4. Role play and dressing up
5. Using my iPad / tablet to take photos and videos of people I spend time with
6. Visiting McDonald’s for a meal / drive thru
7. Cooking and baking

Professional Skills:

• Compassionate and able to help me manage my anxiety levels.
• Assertive and able to help me manage my anger and frustrations.
• Experience in working with people with Learning Disabilities & autism.
• PBS knowledge and can support me in a positive way.
• Being calm and patient with me and not rushing me to do things.
• Willingness to support all aspects of personal care.
• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn about cross contamination and infection control.
• Personal and professional resilience.

If you would like the opportunity to support me, please apply!

What you’ll do:

Bank Support Workers may be able to work shifts from all of Look Ahead’s specialisms including Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Homelessness and Young People. Bank Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet the assessed needs of the customers of the service. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team to promote independent living, encouraging customers to maximise their skills and choices. Within Learning Disability services, this will include providing physical, domestic, emotional and social care. Within Mental Health and Homelessness services they will enable vulnerable people living in a variety of different tenures to manage their tenancies/ licenses and move towards greater independence within the community by providing a flexible and individually tailored support package. While carrying out activities Bank Support Workers should deal with all customers, visitors and staff in a professional and appropriate manner and report to Look Ahead staff and management any observations relating to customers’ welfare.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

About you:

• Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
• Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
• Conducting key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
• Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of ‘positive risk taking’
• Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
• Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
• Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards
• Report any observations relating to customers welfare
• Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local area to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
• Enable customers to make full use of community facilities by providing support as directed
• Carry out support duties to enable customers to integrate into the community including e.g. accompanying the customer to attend benefit agency appointments and meetings, go shopping, to enquire at colleges about possible courses, to visit various public amenities
• Empower customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
• Engage in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
• Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
• Adhering to all other Look Ahead’s policies and procedures
• Encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team
• Ensure that referrals are chased proactively so that properties which can be used to house those in need are filled as efficiently as possible
• If a need arises, deliver all aspects of support to enable a customer to develop independent living skills as appropriate to the individual needs of the customer. In some services, this will include delivering personal and physical care as appropriate
• Carry out security duties to ensure the safety of the customers and premises
• Monitor the CCTV throughout the shift
• Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned

The above sets out the key responsibilities and typical tasks, however not all of these tasks will be relevant to all specialisms. You may also be required to undertake various other tasks and duties to ensure that our customers’ needs are fully and effectively met. The list is not exhaustive.

What you’ll bring:

• Is customer–focused – wants to provide a great service to our customers
• Approachable
• Can work well on own and also works well as part of a group or team
• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
• Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
• Flexible to ensure a job is done well and supports the customers needs
• Open to feedback and personal development
• Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
• Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
• Is motivated towards providing an excellent service and has a can do attitude
• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
• Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours

Previous experience gained from providing great care or support of a vulnerable person/s or work in similar organisations would be an advantage but is not necessary.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

You can write to us or visit our Head Office at
Look Ahead, 439 Caledonian Road, London N79BG.

A charitable housing association registered under the Co-operative and community Benefit Societies Act 2014: No.21004R. Registered with the Homes and Communities Agency No LH0013. Look Ahead Care and Support has a trading subsidiary, Look Ahead Developments Ltd (LADL), which undertakes design and build, and major refurbishment and renovation contracts on its behalf. LADL is registered with Companies House.