Support Worker

West Sussex County Council; England; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization is seeking a Support Worker to empower individuals and support their health and wellbeing. Candidates should possess effective communication skills and a commitment to dignity and respect. The role requires the ability to document and engage with diverse service users and their families, fostering relationships to enhance quality of life. This position includes a competitive salary, generous benefits, and a supportive working environment.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Training and development opportunities

Defined benefit pension scheme

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of the needs of people supported.
• Ability to communicate clearly with service users and families.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety practices is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Empower individuals to live their chosen lives.
• Support individuals to maintain their health and relationships.
• Document daily activities and communicate effectively with team members.

Skills

Understanding individual needs

Effective communication

Non-judgmental support

Adaptability in communication

Education

Adult Care Worker – Level 2 or equivalent

Basic literacy and numeracy skills

Job description

About The Job

Salary: £25,583 - £25,989

Working Pattern: Full Time (37 hours) Monday - Friday

Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract up to 1 year*

Location: Glebelands, Shoreham

Please note this is a fixed term contract role for a temporary vacancy as the position is being held for a permanent employee due to a proposed closure of a service. The length of the fixed term contract is up to 12 months.

About You

To become a Support Worker with us you will be:

• Passionate about supporting people to be the best they can be.
• Empowering people to live the life they choose.
• Bring a passion, or skill to the team that you can spark some excitement with the people we care for. It can be anything from painting to poetry, crafting or other creative activities.
• Supporting people to have the opportunities to learn and grow.
• A good listener, patient and treat all with respect, kindness and dignity.
• Ensure people have opportunity to be involved in/Co‑produce every aspect of their care and support.
• Support people to maintain friendships/relationships important to them and to make new friendships/relationships.
• Support people to maintain their health.

If you would like to join our dynamic team, take a look at the attached job description and see if you have the skills, qualifications, and experience to be a Support Worker.

Experience and Skills

Key Skills

• A basic understanding of the needs of the people you will be supporting and their rights as an individual.
• Understanding individual situations and be able to identify basic practical solutions. Be kind, supportive, encouraging and non‑judgemental whilst building on people’s strengths that support people’s goals. Sharing communication at the daily handover to ensure there is a continuity of care and to write daily records for the people you support.
• Able to communicate clearly with the people who use the service and participate in conversations with family members and paid/unpaid carers and professionals/colleagues from time to time.
• The ability to adapt communication appropriately and use suitable tools where needed (e.g. basic Makaton), along with being aware of the sensitivities of language when working with a diverse range of people.

Qualifications and/ experience

• Adult Care Worker – Level 2 or equivalent is desirable. If you do not have this qualification it is expected that you will begin this immediately after your 6‑month probationary period.
• Basic literacy and numeracy skills in order to record and document activities.
• Basic knowledge of Health and Safety practice, First Aid and Fire procedures, Moving and Handling of people is also desirable.
• UK full driving licence – Desirable

Rewards and Benefits

Our values and support for one another is intrinsic to everything we do and will be a key priority within the assessment for this post. We care hugely about wellbeing, allowing time for a good work/life balance, and developing our team to be the best they can be. Alongside this, we also offer the below benefits.

• Generous annual leave + bank holidays with the ability to buy additional leave annually
• Maternity, paternity, dependency, and adoption leave.
• Training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships and personal development.
• Access to a generous, defined benefit pension scheme, 21.37% employer contribution
• Eligible to apply for a Blue light card
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres.

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

About Glebelands

We support people to achieve their personal aims and goals and provide a wide range of activities to help maintain and develop daily living skills.

Glebelands has a range of facilities and areas to support activities, including:

• Accessible training kitchen
• Sensory/relaxation room
• Art and crafts room
• Gardening rooms and greenhouse
• Computer suite
• Games and mobility area
• An accessible lounge for relaxation, music and occasional karaoke

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05995.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Martin Fletcher (Day Opportunity Manager). For an informal conversation regarding the application process, please contact Rachael Doolan (Recruitment Specialist) at

How to Apply

Upload your CV and complete the application explaining the key skills listed on the Job Description and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

Please note if you are an internal staff member this would be a secondment and you will need to consult your line manager before applying.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran's Guaranteed Interview Scheme, this can be found on our application help page.

Note for Recruitment Agencies: We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We’ll be in touch directly if we need you!