Diversional/Activity Therapist

Burnview Healthcare; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Burnview Healthcare in Belfast is seeking a part-time Diversional/Activity Therapist (24-30 hours per week) to design, deliver and evaluate activities that support residents' wellbeing. You will create engaging programs tailored to dementia and other needs, and work closely with care teams to promote a person-centred approach.

Responsibilities include planning weekly schedules, leading group and individual activities, and monitoring participation.

Qualifications

• Right to live and work in the UK.
• NVQ Level 2/3 in Health & Social Care.
• Experience planning and delivering recreational activities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop weekly/activity schedules for residents.
• Organize and lead individual and group activities.
• Adapt activities for dementia, mobility and mental health needs.
• Collaborate with Home Manager, staff, and external entertainers.
• Maintain records of participation and outcomes.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Rapport building

Active listening

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Health & Social Care

Job description

Burnview Healthcare is a group of family run care homes which specialises in Dementia, Nursing, Residential, and Day care. Our emphasis is on creating a caring and secure environment where our residents know that they are ‘Living Amongst Friends.

Working as part of a team all our employees play a vital role in ensuring our residents are well cared for whilst promoting a positive and enjoyable working environment. In return, we offer our employees competitive rates of pay, full training both online and in person, and access to our Employee Assistance Programme.

We are currently recruiting for a part time Diversional/Activity Therapist (24-30 hours per week) to design, deliver and evaluate a variety of recreational and therapeutic activities that support residents' physical, mental, emotional and social well being in a person centred, inclusive environment.

Our Activity Therapists organise social events throughout the year and are involved in fundraising activities as needed.

About The Role

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Activity Planning & Delivery:

• Develop weekly/monthly activity schedules that include physical, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement.
• Organize and lead individual and group activities such as arts and crafts, music therapy, games, physical exercise, reminiscence sessions, gardening, and outings.
• Adapt activities to meet the needs of residents with dementia, reduced mobility, sensory impairments, or mental health conditions.

Resident Engagement:

• Build relationships with residents to understand their hobbies and interests to plan into the Activity Programme.
• Encourage participation and engagement, ensuring that all residents have access to suitable activities.

Team Collaboration:

• Work closely with the Home Manager when contacting external entertainers and organising events.
• Work alongside care staff, nurses, therapists, volunteers, and family members to support residents' holistic care.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Maintain accurate records of resident participation, progress, and feedback.
• Regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of activities and adjust plans accordingly.

Community Involvement

• Develop links with local groups, volunteers, and performers to enhance the range and quality of activities available.
• Organize intergenerational or multicultural events where appropriate.

An Enhanced Access NI check will be required for this position. If successful please be advised that we have a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders which is available from our HR Team. Having a criminal record will not necessarily affect you from working with Burnview Group and will be reviewed in line with our policy.

In line with the Access NI Code of Practice we have a policy on the secure handling, storage and disclosure of Access NI information and both the Code of Practice and this policy are available from our HR Team on request.

Required Criteria

• Right to live and work in the UK
• NVQ Level 2/3 in Health & Social Care
• Experience planning and delivering recreational activities
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Desired Criteria

• Relevant Vocational Qualification (achieved/working towards)
• Experience working with older adults or people with dementia

Skills Needed

Establishing Rapport With Clients, Ability to Identify and Anticipate needs, Listening to patients, Ability to Support Difficult Patients

About The Company

In all our homes we aim to care for our residents in a way that promotes independence and autonomy whilst giving each resident the surety that we are there to care and assist with their individual needs.

Being family run with nursing experience we pride ourselves in being active in the operation of our care homes. We have high standards and are driven along with our management team of highly experienced health care professionals to lead our excellent staff in providing the optimum in resident care.

We pride ourselves in adhering to the principles of accountability, involvement and communication and as such operate an ‘open door communication policy’ to all.

Company Culture

As family run care homes our emphasis is on recruiting and retaining the best people. We have high standards and are driven along with our management team of highly experienced health care professionals to lead our excellent staff in providing the optimum in resident care.

We consider that everyone working in adult social care should be able to take part in learning and development so they can carry out their role effectively. We believe that developing our people can only enhance the care we give. We can all learn daily which can develop us both as people and care givers.

Training from Induction to recurrent training updates will help to develop the right skills and knowledge so our team can provide high quality care and support.

We encourage staff training either in-house or via external training organisations. We promote individual supported training, group training and practical training.

Company Benefits

When you join us we make a commitment to you and we want you to commit to us. You will receive tailored training to give you the best start along with ongoing support to give you the best possible conditions to thrive and develop. We are a team and as such welcome your input and ideas that may make what we do even better.

Vacation, Paid time off, Retirement plan and/or pension, Flexible schedule, Employee development programs, Tuition reimbursement, Free parking, Open office, Competitive salary, Long service recognition, Employee Assistance Scheme, Blue Light Card, Employee Recognition Scheme

Salary

Not disclosed