DPPA/CS/PER99978 - Personal Assistant

Ceredigion County Council Direct Payment Support Service; Aberystwyth; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Ceredigion County Council Direct Payment Support Service is seeking a kind, dependable Personal Assistant for a lively young lady with complex support needs in Aberystwyth. The role focuses on companionship, independence, and building life skills through community activities.

You will work both at home and in the community, using clear speech and patience to assist with communication, transport, and daily routines. Flexible hours, weekend work possible, competitive rate dependent on experience.

Qualifications

• Naturally caring, patient, reliable and trustworthy.
• A good orator with clear precise speech.
• Energetic, physically fit with an interest in outside sports.
• Encouraging, proactive and able to use your own initiative.
• Respectful of privacy and confidentiality.
• Positive influence with tenacity not to give up.
• Good sense of humour and ability to work independently.
• Ideally hold a full UK driving licence and access to your own car with business insurance.

Responsibilities

• Provide support both at home and in the community.
• Communicate using slower clear speech and allow time for responses.
• Assist with socialising, planning schedules and budgeting.
• Encourage participation in hobbies and activities.
• Accompany to appointments and help with transport.
• Keep simple records and timesheets.
• Inform family of any concerns.
• Prioritise personal safety while on duty.
• Flexibility including weekend work.

Skills

Caring

Reliable

Clear speech

Energetic

Independent

Driving licence

Job description

Company: Ceredigion County Council Direct Payment Support Service

Hours: 7 hours per week (flexible, with routine agreed together)

Are you the personal assistant who can make a real difference in someone’s life

We are looking for a kind, dependable and positive person to become a Personal Assistant for a fun loving adventurous young lady who has complex support needs due to having down syndrome she is quite musical (plays clarinet), loves to dance and performance on stage, and is a powerhouse of energy, who horse rides and loves swimming

This role is about companionship, encouragement and helping build life skills, promoting independence and guiding her in her everyday life.

If you are someone who can bring the energy and warmth to support her to thrive, we would love to hear from you.

What the Role Involves

You will be providing support both at home and out in the community.

Due to her disability, she has severe speech and language issues so ensuring she understands you by using slower clear speech is very important, and ensuring she is understood by giving her time to form her responses is also essential, the ability to use picture cards or a notebook is essential.to her communication.

This is a role where no two days will be the same some days may involve helping with practical tasks, while others might be about getting out and about, meeting friends or trying something new.

Support may include

• Assisting her to find places where she can socialise and be creative
• Helping to organise schedules, planning and ensuring she can communicate and budgeting
• Encouraging her in hobbies and activities she enjoys.
• Accompanying her into the community to make new friends, meet some old friends and attend appointments
• Encourage and support her with using public transport
• Keeping simple records and timesheets
• Keeping family members informed if any concerns arise
• Ensuring her personal safety when on duty

A regular routine is important, but flexibility is also valued — this role is built around her needs and may involve some weekend working

The Kind of Person We’re Looking ForYou

don’t need to be perfect or have training — but you do need to be:

• Naturally caring patient, reliable and trustworthy
• A good orator with clear precise speech
• Energetic, physically fit with an interest in outside sports
• encouraging, proactive, and able to use your own initiative
• Respectful of her privacy and confidentiality
• Be a positive influence, with a tenacity not to give up
• Have a good sense of humour and be comfortable working independently
• Ideally In possession of a full UK driving licence and access to your own car with business insurance

Why This Role Matters

This position is funded through the Direct Payments scheme, which allows her to choose and employ the right person to support her independence.You won’t just be filling hours — you’ll be helping someone become more independent, more accomplished, and more connected to the people and community around her.For the right person, this is a genuinely rewarding and meaningful opportunity.This appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, which will Incur no cost to the applicant.

DISCLAIMER:This vacancy is being advertised on behalf of an individual employer. You will be employed by that individual and not Ceredigion County CouncilDisclaimer:This vacancy is being advertised on behalf of an individual employer. You will be employed by that individual and not Ceredigion County Council.

This appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, which will incur no cost to the applicant. If you have an online update DBS you have a great chance of becoming shortlisted for this position as this can help the employer to recruit much quicker, if you wish to update your current DBS please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service.

If requested by the employer, two satisfactory references must be provided.

This post is subject to a trial period of 1 month and a probationary period of up to 6 months.

Wages will be paid in arrears on a 4 weekly basis once a valid National Insurance (NI) number has been provided.

You must be eligible to work in the UK and your employer will conduct document checks prior to commencement.

You will receive the appropriate annual leave entitlement as well as all other statutory entitlements, details of which will be set out in your contract of employment.

You will also be issued with a Personal Assistants Handbook when your employment commences.

You will be expected to undertake any mandatory training identified as relevant to this post. The cost of mandatory training will be met through the direct payment. Failure to attend mandatory training may result in your employment offer being withdrawn.

Please note the Direct Payments Support Service, Ceredigion County Council is advertising the following posts on behalf of an individual employer. You will be an employee of the Direct Payment Recipient and not of Ceredigion County Council.

To be discussed at the Interview / Next stage – Competitive rate (dependent on experience)