Job Title: Personal Assistants/Support workers

Location: Worthing

Hourly rate: £12 per hour + mileage expenses @45p per mile

Reference: NDS8024

Hours/shifts:

Term Time: Up to 8 hours per week – Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri – from 2.30pm (days flexible)

Holiday Time: Up to 37.5 hours per week – Hours are negotiable/flexible.

Extra hours available for weekends and overnights

Summary

Are you a creative person with full of energy?

Would you like a role that makes you smile every day?

Would you like to be part of a small team of PAs?

Then this might be the role of you. Lottie, our daughter, is 20 and loves to live her life to the fullest. Having Downs Syndrome does not change the emotional ups and downs she experiences as typical teen heading into adulthood. But after her morning coffee she is ready to go!

Lottie is super bubbly, easy going and so much fun to be around. She loves sailing, going to the theatre and cinema, swimming and going out to lunch with her mates. If you like having your make up done, she would jump at the chance to make you over (She is a bit of an expert at this- I promise!).

At 4ft 7, Lottie’s height can be restricting and seeing things from her point of view will help her overcome the barriers she faces.

Lottie is looking for PAs who can connect with her at her 20-year-old level and support her to make decisions in her everyday life. There will be chilled days, making lunch together, watching a film and being creative and busy days, getting out and experiencing what the world has to offer. Along the way there will be lots of laughter!

If you can drive and have a car this would be useful, but it’s not essential as getting out on public transport can be part of the adventure.

Other Requirements

• Must be comfortable with pets

• Non-smoker required due to medical reasons

• Must have a UK driving licence and have access to own vehicle if using car

If required, willing to undertake necessary training organized by the employer, to fulfil the role.

• Other :

All applicants must be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check if required.

Successful applicants will be entitled to Holiday pay and will be issued employment contracts.

Description

Typical duties

Personal Care:

Minimal support to carry out some personal car tasks –e.g. turning the button on shower as she cannot reach.

Helping with buttons and fastenings when required.

Be around when she is eating, reminders/prompting to chew food properly and drink lots of fluids.

Occasional support with toileting

Helping with other aspects of personal care as required, for example assisting Lottie to get changed at swimming pool/dry hair as she cannot reach.

Social:

Going on social and leisure activities e.g. cinema, swimming, dance classes

Accompanying and assisting Lottie on shopping trips and helping her make informed decisions about what to buy.

Supporting activities throughout to ensure she is safe.

On days at home, supporting with everyday activities e.g. making lunch, watching films, being creative

Expanding Lottie’s horizons by encouraging her to try new activities/experiences/ creative ways to spend the day

Actively look for other meaningful activities that Lottie might enjoy or link to her interests.

Incorporating exercise/activeness into everyday activities e.g walks, walking to an activity rather than driving.

Keeping Lottie safe when out and about e.g. road safety, public transport.

The above duties will involve driving Lottie in your car and/or accessing public transport.

Wellbeing tasks:

Develop a trusting relationship with Lottie through social interaction and getting to know what makes Lottie tick.

Person specification

The successful applicant will be:

Respectful of the employer’s privacy and confidentiality

Reliable with good time-keeping

Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative

Hygienic, tidy minded and well organised

Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties

Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills

Honest and cheerful

Creative

Able to speak and read English to a reasonable standard

Legally permitted to work in the United Kingdom

Able to work at all times to high standards of Health & Safety

Previous experience preferred but this is not as essential as a kind and common sense approach to these roles.

Please note, if you are successful in your application for this position you will be employed directly by the individual employer and not Independent Lives