Ark is a major provider of Housing, Care and Support to people with long term and enduring conditions such as learning disabilities, mental health issues, dementia and autism.

Ark supports people to live independently in their own homes providing everything from a few hours a week social and life admin support to 24/7 care supporting with personal care, medication, household tasks, attending appointments and leisure activities.

We have lots of opportunities across Scotland for our Support Worker roles. As we provide full training no previous is experience is required.

If you are enthusiastic about supporting people to live their best lives, then apply now to join our team!

Your main duties will include but not be limited to:

• Working with colleagues as part of an effective and efficient team to support vulnerable people.
• Communicate and work well with our supported people to provide individual care and maintain appropriate relationships.
• Being responsible in supporting individuals throughout the activities, giving positive feedback and encouragement.
• Updating and maintaining accurate records using a tablet on Arks Information Management system.

Previous experience of the following is an advantage but not essential as Ark will provide full training: Care Worker, Social worker, Home Carer, Case Worker, Care Assistant, Autism Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant , Social Care Worker.

View our job outline, find out what you working week could look like and hear from our current Support Workers on Arks website arkha.org.uk/work-with-us

Why Ark?

• No Previous Experience Required - Ark provide full training so no previous experience is required making our Support Worker roles the perfect place to start your career in Adult Social Care.
• Get a qualification while you work - Ark fully fund your SVQ2 in Health & Social Care which you complete with the support of our in house SVQ team.
• Employee Discounts - Employee Discounts Portal with 1000s of discounts on your favourite brands including Supermarkets, Cinema Tickets, Gym Membership and Holidays.
• Career Progression -Over 75% of all Managers within Care & Support have been promoted internally.
• 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.
• Contracted hours to suit you-We have Full-time, Part-time and Relief Support Worker roles available at our services throughout Scotland.

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
• Fully funded PVG & 1st year SSSC registration paid by Ark

Our employees told us in a recent survey that they stay with Ark because they believe in our values, we have supportive managers who continually appreciate their staff and they love making a positive difference in our supported peoples lives, helping them to achieve their dreams.

Ark would love to hear from you whether you are an experienced Support Worker or new to Social Care.

Are you passionate about helping people to live a better life? Do you want to work for a charity where your health and wellbeing matter just as much as the people you support? Do you want to be part of a trauma-informed team where you will be supported to develop creative and flexible ways of working?

At LinkLiving, our values and people are at the heart of everything we do including how we recruit our staff. It is important for us to find people who share our values, which are:

• Empathy (listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances)
• Respect (treat others the way they wish to be treated)
• Integrity (be honest and have strong moral principles)
• Caring (show kindness and concern for others)

LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people to manage or overcome the effects of negative life experiences (including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty and inequality) so that they can build on their strengths and aspirations in order to live their best possible lives. We support people through a range of models including:

• Personal development and employability programmes
• Self-help coaching
• Supported accommodation
• Care at home
• Housing support
• Befriending
• Social cafes

The Service

LinkLiving Skills Academy combines in-depth knowledge and experience of our sector along with our highly experienced trainers to offer a variety of learning opportunities that will help individuals develop the skills, knowledge and experience needed to succeed in their roles. We use a variety of content, discussion and activities to ensure our sessions are engaging and interactive. We are also a Qualifications Scotland accredited training centre with over 10 years plus experience delivering qualifications.

The Job

The purpose of the job is to deliver SCQF/SVQ accredited leadership courses, trauma-informed practice training, and personal development workshops to front-line professionals, Link Group of companies and to external partners. The role will require travel across different local authority areas and at times may require an overnight stay.

You will:

• Deliver SCQF accredited leadership development courses (Level 6, 7 & 8)
• Deliver trauma training based on NHS Education for Scotland (NES) framework to colleagues across Link and partner companies and to external partner agencies in different local authority areas
• Provide a series of personal development workshops to other professionals
• Create evaluation reports to maintain the high quality of the training provided
• Promote training across Link and partner companies and external businesses
• Keep up to date with relevant and current best-practice in Leadership and Trauma-Informed Approaches
• You will have the ability to develop and maintain relationships with internal and external clients

About You

You are educated to diploma level (or equivalent) and bring a training qualification or substantial experience in the design, development and delivery of high-quality training programmes. You are an Qualifications Scotland Assessor/Verifier or are willing to work towards this qualification, and you have a strong understanding of how to evaluate training effectively to ensure learning objectives are met.

You have a good knowledge of the issues affecting people who are excluded or marginalised, including an understanding of the NES Trauma Informed Framework. You are familiar with mental health self-help resources and tools and are committed to using person-centred approaches in your work. You are skilled at building, maintaining and nurturing supportive, equal and positive relationships, demonstrating empathy, active listening and sensitivity to people’s emotional and social wellbeing.

You are a confident communicator, able to adapt your approach across a range of situations, remain calm under pressure and respond positively in challenging or crisis situations. You are a proactive problem solver who can work independently, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and contribute effectively as part of a collaborative team.

You are comfortable using technology and software to support communication and day-to-day responsibilities, with experience of collecting data, maintaining accurate records and producing clear reports. You also have experience of building and sustaining strong professional partnerships with external organisations and partners.

You bring a flexible, practical and reliable approach to your work and are willing and able to travel to Link and partner sites across different local authority areas. You hold a current driving licence and have access to a roadworthy car.

For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information Pack above.

What’s in it for you?

The benefits of being a LinkLiving employee (subject to the policies and benefit terms and conditions) include:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and discretionary non-consolidated pay awards, subject to terms of the scheme
• 35 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus additional 3 days pro rata after 3 years’ service
• opportunity to buy and sell holiday
• enhanced company sick and family friendly pay
• access to paid SVQ qualifications and a wide range of learning and development opportunities
• funded Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council memberships
• defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions plus salary exchange and additional voluntary contribution options
• access to a Salary Exchange car leasing scheme, subject to the terms of the scheme
• life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits
• healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus discounts on shopping, restaurants, and other services
• employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being
• access to purchase annual corporate clothing vouchers
• annual flu vaccination
• access to a credit union savings and borrowing scheme
• cycle to work scheme
• access to discounts on mobile airtime plans and much more!

For a full list of benefits available to employees, please see the following link - linkliving.org.uk/work-with-us

This role is subject to PVG membership under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. Individuals who are barred from working with children or protected adults will not be considered for this position. Link will meet the cost of any new PVG scheme membership or membership update.

About Aberlour

Aberlour is the largest solely Scottish children’s charity. Delivering more than fifty services, we work with children, young people and families, providing services and support in communities across Scotland.

We work with families to overcome the challenges they face, such as the impact of drugs and alcohol, growing up in and leaving care, poor mental health, living with a disability, experience of domestic abuse or the impact of poverty and disadvantage.

We offer compassionate support to families and support them in their journey to heal and grow. We have a strong record of using knowledge and evidence from our work to campaign for change and to improve the lives of children, young people and families across Scotland and champion the human rights of children, young people and families.

What we are looking for....

You will have knowledge of the current Scottish political system at a national and local level with awareness of social justice and anti-poverty policy in Scotland and key children’s policy areas, including the UNCRC and The Promise. You will have experience working in the third sector along with skills in research and analysis. You will have experience in writing briefings or policy papers, running seminars, conference and events, and addressing a range of audiences.

You will have the ability to think creatively, network successfully forming positive relationships and work in collaboration with others.

This is a full-time post working 37.5 hours per week. Hours of work can be worked flexibly, although there may be a requirement for some work in the evenings or at weekends. There is a 5% unsocial hours allowance included in the salary to accommodate this expectation.

Your work base can be flexible, we are able to support a mix of office and home working as required.

Please see the job description for further details about the role along with the required qualification level.

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...

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. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity here.

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role please contact Martin Canavan, Head of Policy and Influencing on 07714 271700.

We also follow Data Protection Guidelines - Here is our privacy policy.

If you have any other queries about the job please e-mail jobs@aberlour.org.uk

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.

About Aberlour

Aberlour is the largest solely Scottish children’s charity. Delivering more than fifty services, we work with children, young people and families, providing services and support in communities across Scotland.

We work with families to overcome the challenges they face, such as the impact of drugs and alcohol, growing up in and leaving care, poor mental health, living with a disability, experience of domestic abuse or the impact of poverty and disadvantage.

We offer compassionate support to families and support them in their journey to heal and grow. We have a strong record of using knowledge and evidence from our work to campaign for change and to improve the lives of children, young people and families across Scotland and champion the human rights of children, young people and families. With funding from The Robertson Trust, we are delivering the Challenging Public Debt Project focused on influencing change in local public sector debt recovery policy and practice and its impact on low-income families across Scotland.

What we are looking for....

You will support our Senior Policy Lead to deliver our Challenging Public Debt Project helping to influence changes to local authority public debt recovery policy and practice. You will support and coordinate project activity to help achieve the identified aims of the project. You will maintain a children’s rights approach to amplifying the views and experiences of children, young people and families to inform, influence and develop the work of the project and support Aberlour’s wider policy, influencing and campaigning work.

You will have knowledge of the current Scottish political system at a national and local level with awareness of social justice and anti-poverty policy in Scotland and key children’s policy areas, including the UNCRC and The Promise. You will also have knowledge of areas of policy relating to money and debt advice and public sector debt recovery processes. You will have experience working in the third sector along with skills in research and analysis. You will have experience in writing briefings or policy papers, running seminars, conferences and events, and addressing a range of audiences.

You will have the ability to think creatively, network successfully forming positive relationships and work in collaboration with others.

This is a part-time post working 18.75 hours per week (half time). Hours of work can be worked flexibly, although there may be a requirement for some work in the evenings or at weekends. There is a 5% unsocial hours allowance included in the salary to accommodate this expectation.

Your work base can be flexible, we are able to support a mix of office and home working as required.

Please see the job description for further details about the role along with the required qualification level.

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...

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. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity here.

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role please contact Martin Canavan, Head of Policy and Influencing on 07714 271700.

We also follow Data Protection Guidelines - Here is our privacy policy.

If you have any other queries about the job please e-mail jobs@aberlour.org.uk

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.