Ecas is looking for a part-time (17.5 hours per week) Befriending Assistant to join our small office team. The successful candidate will assist the Befriending Manager to develop and deliver the Befriending Service for adults with a physical disability living in Edinburgh.

About us

Ecas is an Edinburgh based charity and was established over a hundred years ago. The charity works to improve the quality of life of physically disabled people in the Edinburgh and Lothians area: promoting equality, choice and participation through our activities, befriending service and grants.

The Befriending Service commenced in October 2007 and has a well-established number of ‘matches’. The service has a different approach to the more traditional schemes and started in response to the increasing number of people with physical disabilities becoming isolated and lonely. Isolated people with a physical disability may be in their own homes, in assisted housing, in accommodation provided by a housing association or even in residential homes.

Ecas has approached the befriending service in two connected ways:

• by recruiting, training and vetting volunteers to meet befriendees in person.
• by facilitating visits between isolated physically disabled people who are already friends or family and who would otherwise find it difficult to meet.

The Befriending Assistant will, in support of the Befriending Manager, work with other organisations to recruit both volunteers and those who need the service. To provide a manageable geographic area the service operates only in Edinburgh, but with the flexibility to involve volunteers and clients from out with that area in exceptional circumstances.

The RSSW is a key role within Fair Deal which has been developed in order to provide skilled direct support to individuals with very complex and varied needs, including behaviour that challenges. The RSSW will work in services where alternatives to traditional models of care may be explored and implemented.

In addition to working directly with individuals with complex and varied needs, the RSSW will play a pivotal role in working in partnership with a multi-disciplinary team, families and those being supported to ensure a robust and outcome focussed support plan and guidelines are agreed and implemented.

Reporting to the Team Leader, the RSSW will provide day-to-day support to people within Fair Deal’s services, ensuring that all support provided is of the highest quality. They have a responsibility for ensuring that they fully understand and are able to deliver support as per the individual’s Support Plan and able to follow and develop robust guidelines and Risk Assessments in collaboration with families and other relevant agencies.

Key Responsibilities:

• To provide direct support to service users with very complex needs who display stress and distressed behaviour/behaviours that challenge.
• To uphold organisational values and to ensure good working practice including understanding and awareness of health and safety
• To promote the independence and develop the skills of the people we support and assist with all tasks necessary to support the person(s) to fulfil potential and have a valued life.
• To work positively with the team, other agencies, parents, carers, and other services to ensure a quality provision of care in line with the national health and social care standards – my support, my life.
• Develop and contribute to the maintenance of records, risk assessments and support plans and act as a key worker when required.
• To ensure that the living environment is safe and appropriate to meet each individual’s needs.
• To participate in regular and ongoing training relevant to the needs of the people we support and maintain SSSC registration.

The Individual:

• Willing to work towards SSSC registration requirements
• Good Practical Skills
• Good Observational Skills
• Flexibility, Empathy and Approachability.
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to reflect on your own practice.
• Ability to form positive relationships with people we support, colleagues, parents, and other professionals.
• Sensitivity and understanding of discrimination and health and wellbeing issues.
• Flexible approach to work patterns.
• Ability to respond appropriately in difficult or challenging situations.
• Ability to work effectively as part of the support team and in multi-disciplinary settings.
• The ability to engage people we support in activities and participation within their home and in the local community.
• Ability to carry out duties that may involve personal care of people we support.
• Ability to carry out duties in line with health and safety regulations and risk assessments.

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Glasgow, Glasgow: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• support worker: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• NVQ Level 2 Health & Social Care (preferred)

Work Location: In person

In addition to a rewarding career, with competitive rates of pay, Fair Deal can offer a wide range of staff benefits including, competitive holiday entitlement, company sick pay scheme, workplace pension scheme and enhanced maternity/paternity benefits.

Please note the post is for permanent night shift however there is an expectation that the post holder will be available for some initial training in daytime hours for the first few weeks in post. There may be a requirement beyond this for occasional daytime training course planned in advance.

Sight Scotland is Scotland’s leading charity providing specialist care, education and research for people with vision impairment. The charity has been in existence for over 230 years, and offer a variety of services in the community as well as education, transcription into alternative formats and residential care for adults and children. Their vision is of an inclusive Scotland where people of all visual abilities have the opportunity to thrive. To achieve their mission they are looking for a Supporter Fundraiser who will proactively engage with supporters, community groups and volunteers in the community.

The Fundraising Manager – Corporates and Philanthropy is responsible for developing and implementing plans to maximise income from corporate partners and individuals with the propensity to donate significant sums. There is huge scope to develop both income streams at Sight Scotland, as this is the first dedicated position covering these income streams.

The primairy focus initially will be on developing corporate partnership income, as there is huge potential for partnerships ranging from transactional right up to transformational. The role supports the organisation’s purpose to make a significant impact on the lives of people living with visual impairment in Scotland by maximising fundraising income to deliver brilliant services and create a positive impact on our ability to deliver for the long term.

This specialist manager role would suit someone who is already operating at a senior fundraiser level, or someone who can demonstrate experience of developing a corporate and/or major donor pipeline, creating operational plans and delivering income.

Our Services

We are looking to recruit employees for our Edinburgh Services located in Edinburgh: Oxgangs, St Johns Hill and Lauristion In Leith.

Our services provide twenty four hour per day, seven days per week supported accommodation to individuals who are homeless and have complex and multiple support needs. These individuals may have experienced trauma, exclusion and stigma in their lives.

The Role

As a Support Worker, you will:

• Have a person centred and trauma informed approach
• Be skilled at building trusting relationships
• Have a compassionate and non-judgemental approach
• Be the first point of contact for people when they are looking for support as our services are staffed twenty four hours a day, seven days a week
• Be required to contact external agencies and advocate on someone's behalf
• Support individuals to attend appointments, provide emotional support or respond to health emergencies

You Will

• Have a positive, flexible attitude and be committed to our values and the work we do
• Have good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Be confident and assertive in your approach as these posts will involve some level of lone working
• Be provided with all relevant training to succeed in the role
• Possess an SVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care, or have the willingness to undertake study to achieve this
• Be required to obtain registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) within 6 months of taking up the post

About the Benefits

• Excellent sleepover payment - Currently £108.00 a night
• Fully paid Induction and shadow shifts
• Death in service scheme - three times your yearly salary
• Cycle to work scheme - 12% - 39% savings
• Tech scheme - 12% savings on laptops and computers
• Supportive management - committed to supporting personal and professional development
• Comprehensive health and wellbeing packages.

Please note that Hillcrest Futures do not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications at present.