We are looking for a full-time Team Leader to join our dynamic team in Edinburgh.

In this position, you will lead a team of Project Workers as they provide support and opportunity to the adults who attend Upmo.

On a day-to-day basis, Team Leaders supervise and coordinate activities on site, provided support to staff, ensure onsite operations are in line with policy and procedure and assist Team Managers with case and site management. We are looking for a confident communicator with excellent leadership skills and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

This Team Leader position is primarily based in our service in Edinburgh, where we offer workshop activities to adults with learning disabilities and autism from Links House in Leith, and St. Margaret's House at Meadowbank.

The starting salary for this position is £24,100.

No formal qualification is necessary, but experience of working in social care is preferred.

Would you like to make a difference to a person’s quality of life? Would you like to learn BSL while being paid? We are looking for caring and motivated Support Workers to support deaf BSL users to join our team. Could that be you?

Who are we?

Deaf Action is a deaf-led charity, supporting and celebrating deaf people. We were established in 1835 and work with deaf people across Scotland and the South of England. Our work is geared towards empowering all deaf people to achieve their potential and fully participate in society, with equality of rights, access, and opportunity.

As well as our outreach service in Edinburgh, we are expanding our service provision in Glasgow and are looking for people who can make a major contribution to our plans for innovation and growth and who have the commitment and enthusiasm to contribute to the work of our support services to Deaf people throughout Edinburgh and Glasgow.

You can find out more about us at deafaction.org.

About you

We are looking for people who are caring, fun, motivated, willing to learn and show initiative. However, you would need some experience of working in a support service and managing /overseeing a team.

We will provide on the job training with the opportunity to complete formal qualifications in social care. If you have knowledge of BSL, or are a BSL user that is a bonus, however we will provide training if not.

The ideal candidates will be fully committed to our values, which can be found on our website.

The role

You will be leading a team to support *deaf people living in the community. As well as leading a team you will be lone working in the community, delivering a person-centred service supporting deaf people within their own living environment, to enable them to fully participate in the decisions affecting their lives, ensuring that wherever possible, service users benefit from informed choice, control, and independence. This will include both activities at home and within the community which will promote independence and social inclusion.

You will be accountable to the Support Services Area Manager. By working together, you will ensure that a consistent, high quality support service is provided to deaf service users in their own homes, and that staff are supported to develop and maintain such a service.

Due to the nature of this role, its essential that you can drive and have access to a car.

*deaf: this to includes Deaf Sign Language users, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

You will be asked:

• To actively monitor and develop individual and team performance by ensuring effective supervision and Performance Development Reviews/Reports (PDRs).

• Be responsible for any risk assessments at the service users home as part of your Health and Safety responsibilities.

• To provide clear direction, co-ordination, feedback, and day to day line management for the work of a delegated group of staff. Thus, ensuring their motivation to provide outcome focused, person centred services.

• To assess any new service users for the service and match them with staffs.

• To be involved in recruitment for new staff for the service.

• To take an active role in assessments / recordings and to work with service users to develop their skills and abilities to achieve identified outcomes.

• To assist service users with personal care tasks where appropriate.

• To be involved, as appropriate, with all household tasks, maximising service users’ participation.

• To record the day-to-day finances (where relevant) and household budgets of service users.

• To enable service users to access information to be fully informed of their rights and valid expectations from the service provided.

• To ensure the health, safety and security of individuals and their environment.

What is on offer? What do we offer?

• Occupational pension scheme with employer contributions of 6%.

• 32 days leave pro rata (including bank holidays) pro rata for part time.

• 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured.

• In-house Mental Health First Aiders.

• Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and IT Voucher Scheme.

• Ongoing support for learning and development through our PDR process

• Death in service benefit

The National Autistic Society is the UK’s leading charity for autistic people. Since 1962, we’ve been transforming lives, changing attitudes and helping to create a society that works for autistic adults and children.

We transform lives by providing support, guidance and practical advice for the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, as well as their three million family members and carers. Autistic people turn to us at key moments or challenging times in their lives, be it getting a diagnosis, going to school or finding work.

We change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and the difficulties many autistic people face. We also work closely with businesses, local authorities and government to help them provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.

We have come a long way but it is not good enough. There is still so much to do to increase opportunities, reduce social isolation and build a brighter future for people on the spectrum. With your help, we can make it happen.

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for a highly motivated and results driven individual with extensive experience of volunteer management, to join our team as a Senior Branch Engagement Officer – Scotland.

Our network of Branches are entirely volunteer run by parents, carers and autistic individuals who want to make a difference to autistic people. They are local, community led and entirely responsive to the needs of autistic people in their area.

In this role, you will be responsible for supporting these branches to implement policies and procedures to keep activities safe and legal and become more sustainable.

To be successful, you will have good communication skills and have strong leadership qualities. You will need to have a good knowledge and understanding of volunteer management and be educated to at least university degree level in an appropriate discipline or proven track record in the field.

Where you will be working:

This role will be home based, so you must be able to work remotely (IT equipment will be provided). Candidates must be based in Scotland.

This is a permanent contract working 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

View the job description

What we can offer you:

• Pension scheme
• 25 days annual leave (pro-rata)
• Excellent induction, training and development programme including training about autism and opportunities to attend our conferences
• Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits (cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan)
• Access to a 24-hour employee assistance programme
• Access to the Headspace App

Columcille provides a safe and supportive healthy social environment which offers creative daytime activities and a sense of community from its premises in the Morningside area of Edinburgh. We support people who have learning disabilities, and mental health needs through arts & crafts, cooking, woodwork, printing, gardening, pottery, drama, holistic therapies and dance. We have a minibus and driver who provide transport and community access. Seasonal celebrations form part of the rich social life of the centre. Some 1-1 support is provided in the local community.

We provide relationship centred support that upholds the dignity and value of each human being and supports their development and growth.

Relief workers cover staff absences due to illness, holiday or training. There are no guaranteed hours, but for flexible and available individuals there can be regular work.

Main Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide support to service users to learn new skills, develop socially, and gain self- confidence and greater independence. This may be small group or 1-1 support.
• Be attentive to group dynamics and proactive in creating a positive atmosphere.
• Respond positively and calmly to any behaviour that challenges.
• Provide personal care and support with using wheelchairs and mobility aids.
• Provide cover on the centre’s tea break and lunch rota as required.
• Tidy workshops each day and help maintain a clean and safe work environment.
• Be guided by Columcille policies and procedures and the SSSC Codes of Practice.
• Take part in induction, staff training and supervision meetings.

Essential Skills, Experience and Attributes

• Empathetic and Patient
• Compassionate and caring
• Ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative.
• Able to explain and demonstrate what a person-centred approach means.
• Experience of one to one support work with people with learning disabilities.
• Knowledge and skills relating to at least one of the work activities listed above.
• Interest is using social therapy and social pedagogy in work
• Become a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.
• Available for minimum of two days in a week to make the work mutually worthwhile.