About Aberlour Options Borders

At Aberlour Options Borders we provide a range of support services for young people up to the age of 18 years who have various disabilities. Our aim is to provide families with a short break from their caring role through the provision of high quality child-centred services which provide a positive experience for the young people we work with.

We have a strong reputation for supporting young people with high levels of complex needs, supporting them to grow, learn and maximise their potential. We believe that every child has the right to flourish. Our Young People’s Workers play a fundamental role in ensuring that the young people they work with have the best possible experience in working towards their objectives in line with their care plan. Whilst not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role, where the work we do has a demonstrable impact on each young person's progress. Using a person-centred approach you will provide enabling support ensuring the highest level of physical, personal and emotional care to support children in their daily living and within the local community.

What we are looking for....

We have an opening for a Young People’s Worker on a permanent basis. Usual hours would be around 23 per week during term time for 42 weeks of the year and 35 hours per week for 10 weeks of the year (school holidays). Working an average of 25.30 hours per week. Hours are worked between 3pm and 10pm on weekdays (excluding Mon and Tues). Weekends open full time, hours worked between 12pm Friday and 5pm Sunday. Holiday weeks are full time and shifts can be around the clock. You will be part of a residential respite rota which will require you to work days, evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays. There will be a requirement to do sleepover shifts and these will be paid at £65 per sleepover.

Shift patterns vary. For 10 weeks of the year during school holidays, shifts are available around the clock. Standard shifts would be 8-4.15pm or 4-10pm. Sleepovers are also a part of this. For 42 weeks of the year, we work on a pattern of Wed-Sunday one week and Friday to Sunday the following week. Wednesday-Friday is afternoons and evenings. Standard weekend shifts are 8-4.15pm or 4-10pm. Sleepovers are also a part of this.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team.

A Day in the Life of a Young People’s Worker

Our day usually starts around 7.30am with the morning routine. We support our young people to get ready for their day ahead assisting with all aspects of personal hygiene. We then prepare breakfast and medications for each of our young people and organise the day’s activities. We plan mornings out, considering the health and safety requirements for each activity we undertake. After lunch we prepare an in-house activity. This also allows staff to complete daily paperwork such as weekend logs for our young people, updating care plans and review reports etc. In the evening we cook a healthy dinner considering our knowledge of our young peoples’ likes and dislikes and particularly if they have restricted diets.

"Aberlour Options provide a safe, fun and homely environment for respite for our son. He loves going to stay and asks daily when his next visit is" Parent

"Aberlour treat me like part of the family" Young Person

If you have an interest in working with young people we would like to hear from you. Ideally, candidates will have social care experience, an understanding of autism, complex needs and mental health and have the relevant qualifications or will be willing to work towards these.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

About Smarter2gether

Our Smarter2gether service supports young people (aged 11-18) who need extra help with education. We support young people with behaviours that challenge because of the complicated emotions they experience, by giving our young people a trusted person they can talk to, as well as someone who can support them with their learning.

Our young people may have experienced trauma in their lives and feel that no-one understands them. Some may have a chaotic home life, and are risk of being taken into care, far away from their own community. Others are already living in care and experiencing the complicated feelings that come with it. All these factors can cause a lot of stress and worry. In turn, this can make school a difficult environment to be in.

What we are looking for...

As a Young People’s Worker Social Education, you will work in partnership with the school and other relevant agencies to provide a holistic approach to the support we offer our young people. You will work both individually and may help support group work programmes for our young people within the school setting. You will be based between Stranraer Academy and our Stranraer Communites2gether hub. You will also engage and support the young person’s family in the wider community as required.

You will work 37.5 hours per week, due to the nature of this service all annual leave must be used during the school holidays. this post is currently funded through PEF funding for a 2 year fixed term contract with the possibility of an extension.

We are looking for someone who will empower our young people and give them a voice. It is essential that you can demonstrate an understanding and commitment to young people’s rights. You will have experience of working with young people either within a community or residential setting. You will hold, or be willing to work towards, a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 7 or above.

Due to the nature of this service and the location of the families we support, it is essential that applicants have access to their own car and hold a full driving license.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. To have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees click here.

What we offer...

You will receive a planned and supported induction consisting of a varied training programme, including Child Protection. You will be working alongside a highly motivated and skilled team. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity on our website.

Aberlour is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our service users and uses a thorough and rigorous recruitment and selection process including PVG Scheme checks to ensure this commitment is not compromised.

Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3500 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual lifelong relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory and engagement opportunities for Care Experienced people across Scotland. We work alongside Corporate Parents and communities to broaden understanding and create change. We work with policy makers, leaders, and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy, and practice, working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

This unique role offers the opportunity to listen to and work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy role, and within participation and group activity across our North East region.

The post-holder will be a key member of the Advocacy and Participation team, supporting young people from across the region to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard. In this role you will have the opportunity to provide independent advocacy, children’s rights, and participation opportunities for children and young people who are looked after, Care Experienced or subject to formal processes and structures. The role will see you actively participating in child’s plan meetings, children’s hearings, and other formal processes, as well as assisting children and young people to prepare for them. In partnership with professionals, carers, and organisations, you will help to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people by keeping detailed records of the work you undertake, writing liaison reports, and monitoring statistics.

As a vital part of the work of Who Cares? Scotland, your role will include facilitating group opportunities for and with children and young people within the North East region (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Angus, Rossie). This includes providing engagement and participation opportunities throughout the Who Cares? Scotland local and national network, as well as meeting with care experienced children and young people to introduce the service in agreement with the local authority. Raising awareness of Who Cares? Scotland and its services with children, young people, professionals, and carers you will also be responsible for facilitating training amongst care corporate parents.

The right candidate for this post will be able to form positive relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills. You will feel confident communicating with individuals and groups, both in writing and verbally, and be able to adapt to a wide range of contexts. Secure in making effective plans, as well as evidencing your work, you can prioritise and meet deadlines. You take enjoyment from working collaboratively with partners, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working. Committed to children’s rights, you are someone who knows that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity. You can demonstrate knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. You are also flexible, given the remit of the role, as some evening and weekend work will be necessary, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.

While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.

The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the North East team at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively - bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you.

Do you have relevant experience of working with children and young people with a disability and/or autism or relevant experience in a similar sector/work environment?

About Aberlour Options Fife Residential Glenrothes

At Aberlour we listen to understand what our young people want and need within our local area. As such, our service in Glenrothes supports young people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live and thrive within the local community.

What we are looking for....

We are looking for someone who is passionate about ensuring our young people live their best lives and are valued members of their community. Whilst not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role. We are looking for someone who will contribute to the leadership, management and development of services for children, young people and their families in line with agreed objectives and assist with service review and evaluation.

You will have relevant experience of working with children and young people with a disability and/or autism in a community or residential setting and understand the impact of disability on inclusion. You are required to meet the qualifications requirement for this post which is at SCQF Level 8 (e.g. SVQ Level 4). This post requires you to register with the Scottish Social Services Council as a Residential Child Care Worker with Supervisory Responsibilities.

There is an expectation that you will split your hours between management time, and being on shift, offering direct support to the young people as part of our 4 week rolling residential rota, which includes evenings, weekends, nights and public holidays. There is also the requirement to undertake the occasional sleep over.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.