Working in Care and Support Services

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 staff 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.

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. The people we support want our team to be friendly, reliable and practical.

If you have experience in supporting people in their own homes, tenancies, or a care home setting, that is beneficial. If you do not, we can provide training. We always provide on the job and formal training, and our workers often go on to complete formal qualifications in social care. If you already have knowledge of BSL that is a bonus, however we can provide training if you do not.

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

The role

We have varied roles within our Care and Support Services such as Care at Home support worker, Outreach Support worker in our services in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Glasgow; as well as Care and ancillary positions at our Care Home at Isle of Wight.

You will be delivering a person-centred service supporting deaf people within our services. This will 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 in the care home, in their own home and within the community which will promote independence and social inclusion.

What do we offer?

• Living Wage Employer - £12 per hour
• Occupational pension scheme with employer contributions
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured. Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and IT Voucher Scheme
• Ongoing support for learning and development through our PDR process
• Training to learn British Sign Language at Level 1 and 2
• Death in service benefit.

If home-based, you will be required to spend 1-2 days each week in Almonds offices and also attend meetings in person in West Lothian and Edinburgh.

We are looking for a motivated and highly organised Welfare Rights Advice Worker to join our accredited advice service.

The Action Group is working in partnership with Almond Housing Association to provide an expert Welfare Benefits Advice service to its tenants. This will be done by:

• Carrying out benefit checks
• Assisting people make benefit claims
• Helping people to understand their benefits and their rights
• Providing type I debt advice
• Identifying where people need wider advice and support and assisting them to access this
• Helping people to challenge decisions, including representing at appeal tribunals
• Liaising with a range of partners and external agencies
• Collating information and leading on reports for funders

You will be a friendly, positive and helpful person and have the ability to communicate specialist knowledge in a straightforward and accessible way.

Columcille is a creative day support service which offers a wide range of activities for adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs. Activities include gardening, cooking, pottery, arts and crafts, drama, music, dancing, and woodwork. Our approach values the uniqueness and gifts of each person and supports people to develop their creative skills and do meaningful work and activities in a friendly community setting. Columcille is based on the principles of social therapy which originate in the thinking of Rudolf Steiner.

We are looking to recruit a full-time Support Worker to provide person-centred support to adults with learning disabilities to participate in creative workshops and activities.

The role will provide support to service users to learn new skills, develop socially, and achieve positive outcomes. You will provide 1-1 support to individuals within the centre and the wider community, including supporting individuals with complex needs, for example epilepsy, autism, mobility difficulties, as well as personal care. It is also anticipated that the role holder will be one of a small team of staff who support our dance group one afternoon.

Experience of supporting adults with learning disabilities is essential.

Are you looking progress your social care career?

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Support Worker to join our Musselburgh Housing Support Services team.

The Senior Support Worker (SSW) will support the management team in developing and maintaining the organisation’s standards relating to autism specific and person centred practices. Liaising with the organisation’s practice support team, the SSW will assist in the preparation of support and communication plans, ensuring consistent practices throughout support networks.

Benefits of working with us include:

• Competitive Salary

• Sleepover rate paid at £12.00 per hour

• 31 days Annual Leave Entitlement, including bank holidays

• Your birthday off every year, to treat yourself!

• Ongoing Learning & Development throughout your Support Work role

• Opportunity to undertake a relevant SVQ qualification

• Career Progression Opportunities

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Auto-enrolment pension scheme

• Cycle to Work scheme

• Medicash Healthcare Plan

• Eligibility to become a Blue Light Card Member for online & high street discounts

The Senior Support Worker will assist in the supervision and direction of the staff team and in maintaining the high standards of support in line with the organisation’s quality standards and mission statement. Knowledge of current legislation and regulations relating to the social care sector and the requirements of the Care Inspectorate is essential for this role. The post holder will also be expected to commit to on-call duties.

Given the nature of this role, successful applicants must register with the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or equivalent regulatory body.

This is a truly rewarding role, with the opportunity for you to develop your skills and knowledge and fulfil your career aspirations.