Apprentice Support Worker

Summary

Full or part time enthusiastic kind caring support worker required to work across our day service, care farm and respite unit. You will need to be able to work in a team as well as taking your own initiative to encourage, inspire and support our service users to achieve their goals.

Annual wage

£24,960 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Minimum £12 per hour for all employees with an addition for driving experience, experience of the client group and formal qualifications.

Training course

Adult care worker (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday at day service and farm service. Weekends and evenings on a rotational basis for respite. Shift times may include 9am-5pm, 10am-6pm, 3pm-11pm, 6pm-9am, or 5pm-9am. Normally 40 hours but part time considered (minimum 24 hours)

40 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 3 February

Duration

1 year

Positions available

2

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Contribute to the development of appropriate, individualised and achievabl Person Centred Plans through discussion and debate.
Support and enable the individuals to have their say in mapping out and planning current and future service provision.
Ensuring the domestic environment is maintained to a high standard. This involves carrying out all normal household tasks and enabling people to be fully involved in all aspects of this.
Supporting the individual with personal care tasks if necessary, such as washing, bathing, shaving, dressing and using the toilet. At all times ensuring the persons rights to privacy, dignity and cleanliness are respected.
Support, develop and enable the individual in real life settings to learn real life skills.
Be part of the development process to plan and implement ideas for activities both in the community and community farm.
Take an active role in cleaning and monitoring the animals and enabling the service users to be fully involved in all aspects of this.
Support and enable the individuals to maintain their physical well being. This will include health care, personal care, fitness and diet. This will include planning, buying, and preparing meals with the group as well as all ancillary tasks.
Support and enable the individual to maintain their social well being. This will include where appropriate, social understanding, motivation, independence and community presence.
Support and enable the individual to maintain their emotional well being. This will include flexibility of thought, communication and behaviour management.
Provide a high standard of ‘hands on’ support to individuals and role model this for other staff.

Finance and Administration

Record and maintain accurate written records, care plans and measurable outcomes.

Liason and Communication

Participate in and complete the formal induction programme.
Participate in training and development programmes as highlighted through staff.
Supervision and appraisal.
Attend and contribute to regular staff meetings.
Work as part of a staff team to provide support that will require maximum flexibility of attendance.
Liaise and maintain links with outside agencies, external professionals and parents/family members including attendance and participation in review and other meetings.

Other

Assist in ensuring staff adhere to the policies and procedures and contribute to developing, implementing and monitoring them.
Co-ordinate quality assurance and quality monitoring systems as required.
Take a role in problem and conflict solution whether this is staff or service users.

Where you’ll work

YARRA FARM

STANWAY GREEN

STANWAY

COLCHESTER

CO3 0RA

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

Your training course

Adult care worker (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Support individuals they are working with according to their personal care/support plan
Ask for help from an appropriate person when not confident or skilled in any aspect of their role
Provide individuals with information to enable them to have a choice about the way they are supported
Encourage individuals to participate in the way their care and support is delivered
Ensure the individual knows what they are agreeing to regarding the way in which they are supported
Contribute to the on-going development of care/support plans for the individual they support
Support individuals with cognitive, physical or sensory impairments
Ensure dignity is at the centre of all work with the individuals they support, their families, carers and advocates
Demonstrate all work is person centred, accommodating the individual’s needs, wishes and preferences
Demonstrate empathy (understanding and compassion) for individuals they support
Demonstrate courage in supporting people in ways that may challenge their personal/cultural beliefs
Speak clearly and exhibit positive non-verbal communication to individuals, families, carers and advocates
Use the preferred methods of communication of the individual they support according to their language, culture, sensory needs and their wishes
Identify and take steps to reduce environmental barriers to communication
Demonstrate they can check for understanding
Write clearly and concisely in records and reports
Keep information safe and confidential according to agreed ways of working
Recognise potential signs of different forms of abuse
Respond to concerns of abuse according to agreed ways of working
Recognise, report and challenge unsafe practices
Promote the health and wellbeing of the individual they support
Move people and objects safely
Demonstrate how to reduce the spread of infection, including use of best practice in hand hygiene
Demonstrate the promotion of healthy eating and wellbeing by ensuring individuals have access to fluids, food and nutrition
Demonstrate how to keep people, buildings and themselves safe and secure
Carry out fire safety procedures when required
Use risk assessments to support individuals safely
Recognise symptoms of cognitive impairment, e.g. Dementia, learning disabilities and mental health
Monitor and report changes in health and wellbeing for individuals they support
Reflect on your own work practices
Demonstrate the development of their own skills and knowledge, including core skills in writing, numbers and information technology
Demonstrate their contribution to their development plan
Demonstrate ability to work in partnership with others to support the individual
Identify sources of support when conflicts arise with other people or organisations
Demonstrate they can work within safe, clear professional boundaries
Show they can access and apply additional skills required to perform the specific job role competently

Your training plan

The apprentice will be working towards the Adult Care Worker Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard including the City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Care.
Apprentices will receive 1-to-1 tutor support from an assessor with tuition arranged on an individual basis.
Functional Skills maths and English, if required.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

maths and English (grade 9-2/A*-E)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Presentation skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
Physical fitness

Other requirements

All staff work on the farm, on the day service and the respite unit. The main hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm but with some weekend and evening shifts will be required. Most of the work is outside so you will need to work in all weathers. Some driving responsibilities may be involved but not essential. We have a caravan at St Osyth so you may be required to travel there. We are therapy based so an interest in occupational therapy is an advantage.

About this company

Yarra is a family run business, we have a main site at Yarra Farm Colchester and an office at Collingwood Road Colchester along with a caravan at St Osyth. The employee may be asked to work at any of these 3 locations. Sue Middleton is the director and there are 8 members of staff in the management team and 21 staff who support the service users. We have been in the adult social care business for 15 years.

https://yarraservices.co.uk (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Pension scheme. Lunch club scheme (contribute £2 a day for food and drink throughout the day). Money collected from lunch club scheme is also used for staff team activities e.g. meals out, BBQs, takeaways. Staff discounts via Perkbox.

After this apprenticeship

For the first year we concentrate on completing the care certificates and mandatory training, after that we will encourage the employee to pursue their NVQ’s (if not already completed) we also look at understanding sensory processing disorders and will discuss any further training requirements identified by the employee.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

Colchester Institute - Apprenticeship Team

ci.apprenticeships@colchester.ac.uk

01206 712043

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000278341.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 31 January

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