Ark has been successfully supporting people with Learning Disabilities, Autism, Mental Health, and Complex Support needs to live good lives and make their home in their communities for 47 years. Providing over 16,000 hours of support a week, we currently support over 400 people across Scotland in 12 Local Authority areas.

Ark has a long history of supporting people using Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approaches and we want to build on this by making a step change in the way we support staffs’ understanding and development, placing PBS at the heart of our service delivery.

To support our PBS strategy, we now have an exciting opportunity to join Ark’s newly established Practice Development Team as a Care & Support Practice Leader. Reporting to the Practice Development Manager, Care & Support Practice Leaders will promote a learning culture and lead on embedding a coaching and mentoring practices within their area.

This is a newly established team that will have a national reach within Arks services across Scotland.

You will play a key role in staff and managers’ development through building knowledge, capacity, and resilience within their teams. This role will mainly be based out in our services allowing you to support with identifying potential areas for improvement and work with managers and teams to find appropriate solutions while maintaining consistency of care for our supported people. You will be innovative and committed to continuous improvement, actively engaging in proactive reflective practice and feedback in your work activity. You will ensure that all developments are based on evidence and best practice.

There will be a focus on the implementation of our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Strategy within this role. You will ensure PBS personal planning processes are carried out and based on appropriate assessments and understanding of behaviours, risk assessments and developed with the supported person, family, and other professionals.

As this is a new role for Ark there will be a real emphasis on ensuring that we review, adapt, and improve our processes regularly to ensure that Practice Leaders are providing the right support to managers, team members and supported people.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience of working with people who have a wide range of support needs and personal outcomes in a person-centred way in social care.
• Experience of working with people who have experienced trauma and may have been marginalised and with people with behaviours of concern, supporting them to better quality of life outcomes and access wider opportunities.
• Experience of taking a lead role within a team.
• Demonstratable experience of applying evidence and knowledge to decision making processes.
• Strong report writing skills.
• Demonstratable experience that shows the ability to coach and mentor others and successfully transferring embedded knowledge to others.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to communicate well with supported people and colleagues at all levels.
• Be able to demonstrate an accomplished level of skill used when directly supporting people.
• Willingness to travel to Arks Services throughout Scotland.

Does this sound like the perfect fit for you?

If you’d like to discuss the opportunity and find out more about the role, please contact Calum Robson, Practice Development Manager via email calum.robson@arkha.org.uk .

Find out more, download the Job Outline at arkha.org.uk/work-with-us

Please note this post will include travel across Ark services and while there will be some hybrid working flexibility within the role the majority of your working week you will be working within Arks services across Scotland.

Why Ark?

Hybrid Working: While mainly based in Arks services across Scotland there will be some flexibility for Hybrid working.

Flexible Working Times: Not a 9am - 5pm person. Arks allows you to flex your start & finish time in agreement with your line manager.

Employee Assistance Program: Arks Employee Assistance program (EAP) gives all employees access to counselling sessions. There is also support available through weekly webinars and the EAP Website & App.

Employee Discounts: Employee Discounts Portal with 1000s of discounts on your favourite brands including Supermarkets, Cinema Tickets, Gym Membership and Holidays.

In return for your valuable contribution, Ark will also offer you:

• Up to 36 days paid holiday per year pro rata
• 4% Contributory pension scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Ark is a major provider of Care and Support to people with long term and enduring conditions including learning disability, mental health issues, dementia and autism. As a Housing Association, we provide a range of accommodation much of which has been designed or adapted to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Our aim is to create the best possible customer outcomes through our highly skilled people, the provision of high-quality affordable homes and excellent care.

Blue Triangle is a social care organisation that empowers people to thrive, by delivering solutions in connected communities which focus on the needs of each individual. We are looking for enthusiastic people who share our values (Kind, Passionate and Creative) to join our services accommodating and supporting people experiencing homelessness and empowering them to thrive.

If successful, you will be required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council within 6 months of your start date. After registration, there is a requirement to be qualified and to maintain professional learning, which we will support you to achieve.

Blue Triangle recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

What we offer:

Aside from offering a supportive and friendly environment where our people are valued and appreciated, we’ll see that your hard work and drive to succeed is rewarded.

• Competitive Salary and Pension Options
• Full time & Part time hours available
• Double pay for festive bank holidays
• Long service awards
• Fully funded SVQ3
• Access to our benefits platform with high street voucher and tech discounts and cycle to work scheme to name a few!
• Inhouse training programmes
• Significant Gym discounts
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• 24/7 access to employee assistance programme, including counselling
• A wide range of family friendly policies
• Life Assurance cover of 3 times your salary
• Credit Union
• £200 refer a friend scheme

And many more!

About the Role:

As a Support Worker, you’ll work as part of a team in providing safe, secure, supported accommodation for the people who use our services. You’ll do this by providing practical and emotional support and encouraging them to achieve their own personal outcomes in all aspects of their daily lives.

Main Responsibilities:

This Support Worker role at our Lanark Service involves working 35 hours per week on a 4 week rolling rota covering nightshifts, including some weekends. The Support Worker will:

• work as part of a team providing safe, secure, supported accommodation for young people.
• support, review, monitor and evaluate through our case management system, to achieve a positive person-centred outcome for the people we work with in line with organisational, statutory and legislative requirements.
• maintain and update all recording systems and documentation in line with relevant policies, procedures and practice guidelines, including the occupancy agreement, within required timeframes.
• provide, plan and facilitate key work meetings, key work sessions, meetings, reviews and other internal/external meetings in conjunction with the person’s support plan.
• provide general advocacy and advice to the people we support, including assistance to enable them to meet the conditions of their occupancy agreements.

Support Worker Profile

About You:

• To join us, you need to have a genuine passion for helping people.
• Ideally, possess 1 year of experience of working with vulnerable people and challenging behaviour which can be from personal, voluntary and/or professional experience.
• Demonstrated commitment and ability to undertake care practice in accordance with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) code of practice, National Care Standards, Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Associations policies and procedures.
• Ability to relate empathetically to people and recognise their right to choice and independence.
• Ability to work flexibly and as a lone worker.
• Able to use Microsoft or equivalent applications competently.
• Ideally, hold and SVQ level 2 or above and be willing to work towards an SVQ 3.

We care about one another whilst taking pride in the service we offer. You will be working in a company with a strong identity and with the guidance and support of experienced Managers you will be able to develop in your career.