Shared Lives Development Worker - Norfolk & Suffolk

PSS (UK); South Norfolk; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Travel across East

Job summary

PSS UK in the East region is seeking a Shared Lives Development Worker to grow the Shared Lives service across Norfolk and Suffolk. You will plan care and support, ensuring carers are matched and supported, with a focus on independence for people like Alex.

The role involves recruiting and assessing carers, promoting the service, and acting as a trusted ambassador to ensure high-quality outcomes for individuals and families. Hybrid working and travel across the East are expected.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults.
• Experience of working with health and social care professionals to deliver great outcomes.
• Great communication skills.
• Passion for finding people safe and happy homes.
• An Enhanced Disclosure.
• A driving license, as this position will require frequent travel across the East.
• A big heart, open mind, determination, professionalism and a genuine personality.

Responsibilities

• Develop the Shared Lives service in the East.
• Find, assess and recruit carers to work as self-employed PSS Shared Lives carers.
• Act as a Shared Lives ambassador, welcoming people into the service and helping promote it.

Skills

Experience with vulnerable adults

Experience with health and social care

Great communication skills

Passion for finding safe homes

Enhanced Disclosure

Driving license

Open-minded, determined and personable

Job description

Shared Lives Development Worker - Norfolk & Suffolk

As one of our Shared Lives development workers, you’ll have an important job to do – to develop the Shared Lives service in the East! Using your knowledge of care and support planning, you’ll put plans in place to help people like Alex have his needs met and have a break with his new carer, and you’ll also be responsible for making sure this all runs smoothly

What’s Shared Lives all about?Alex is 29 and from Thetford. He works as a shop assistant in a local DIY shop. He’s a big footy fan, loves going out for a pint on a Friday night and is secretly a Love Island enthusiast – not that he’d tell that to his mates! He lives with his mum and dad at the moment, but wants to get a bit more independence. Alex has a learning disability, which means he needs a little help around the house with things like making his lunch for work, ironing and looking after his finances. He’d love to move somewhere where he knows he’ll still get the help he needs, but can also have his independence.Sarah is 45 and lives in Wymondham with her 18-year-old son, David, and their dog Bruno. After being on her feet all day working in a care home, she loves nothing more than putting her achy feet up, relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine and some trashy TV (she’s well and truly caught up with the Kardashians!) She likes her job, but wishes she could work for herself and have more freedom. David is off to university soon, and she’s worried she’ll be lonely without him to look after.Notice anything?These two are a perfect match, right?!Shared Lives is a different type of adult placement that supports people who need a bit of extra support with daily things like cooking, cleaning, ironing and getting out and about to the shops. Each Shared Lives placement is built around the individual person, their hopes and dreams and who’ll be a good fit for them to live with. There’s lots of different types of people using Shared Lives. It could be someone with a learning disability, mental health needs or people moving on from a different type of care. Our big-hearted Shared Lives team work very hard indeed to make sure people are well matched, that both carers and people using the service feel supported and – most of all – that everyone is happy.Thanks to PSS Shared Lives, Alex now stays with Sarah, in her house, where she supports him to make his ham sandwiches for work and get his uniform ironed and ready for a Monday morning and also have a break from home and do things on his own. Alex loves taking Bruno for a walk, and he’s still close to his mates at Sarah’s. He got his independence and gives Sarah a hand too!Shared Lives carers are people who, like Sarah, have a spare room in their home and some spare room in their heart too. Sarah gets paid to be Alex’s temporary carer, but he’s become much more than someone she cares for professionally – he’s become part of her family.

Shared Lives carers are people who, like Sarah, have a spare room in their home and some spare room in their heart too. Sarah gets paid to be Alex’s temporary carer, but he’s become much more than someone she cares for professionally – he’s become part of her family.

What you’ll do

As one of our Shared Lives development workers, you’ll have an important job to do – to develop the Shared Lives service in the East! Using your knowledge of care and support planning, you’ll put plans in place to help people like Alex have his needs met and have a break with his new carer, and you’ll also be responsible for making sure this all runs smoothly. It will be your job to find, assess and recruit carers like Sarah to work as self-employed PSS Shared Lives carers, and to be a Shared Lives ambassador, welcoming people into the service and helping us promote it whenever you can.

To do this job well, you’re going to need:

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults
• Experience of working with health and social care professionals to deliver great outcomes
• Great communication skills
• Passion for finding people safe and happy homes
• An Enhanced Disclosure
• A driving license, as this position will require frequent travel across the East
• A big heart, open mind, determination, professionalism and a genuine personality

We know how important it is to have a good work-life balance, so we offer hybrid working. You’ll be able to split your time between working from home, popping into our Norfolk office, and heading out to meet our carers.

If you’re thinking about applying and you live in Suffolk, that’s brilliant as most of the placements you’ll be supporting are likely to be there. But don’t worry if you’re not local, it’s not a dealbreaker at all and won’t affect your application. Whether you’re nearby or a bit further away, everyone’s welcome to apply. Your trusty candidate pack will help you get a feel for what it’s like to work with us, find out what we’re looking for, explain the recruitment process and help you decide whether you can see yourself as a part of our amazing team. Each section is crammed with hints and tips to help you make a great application, so please take the time to give it a good read.

Shared Lives Carers are classed as self-employed and receive generous tax incentives

Leicestershire County Council Shared Lives Service

Shared Lives Carers are classed as self-employed and receive generous tax incentives

Leicestershire County Council Shared Lives Service

Shared Lives Carers are classed as self-employed and receive generous tax incentives

Leicestershire County Council Shared Lives Service