Job Description for Support Worker Role (Horticulture and Contracts)

1.  Responsible to: / Senior Support Worker
2.  Responsible for: / N/A
3.  Important Internal Relationships: / Colleagues and management at Balance
4.  Important External Relationships: / People with Learning Disabilities
Contractors, local businesses
Social Workers/Community Learning Disability Team
Carers and Families
Local Supported Employment team
Local health providers
Partner service providers
Partners in the private and voluntary sector
MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB
Work across the key Balance gardening and contract sites at Grimwood Rd, Twickenham and Stud Nursery, Hampton Court
To provide support to ensure contracted work is carried out to timescales and a high quality
To ensure that support staff provides a supportive, productive environment for people with learning disabilities to gain new skills, meet people and have a meaningful activity.

Main Responsibilities for The Garden Gang and Balance Arts and Crafts at Grimwood Road

·  To provide support to colleagues with a learning disability whilst fulfilling requirements as per contracts

·  Assist with the development and delivery of a new arts and crafts project

·  To create a learning environment where colleagues and service users are encouraged and guided to learn new skills, shadow each other and utilise peer to peer support

·  To follow guidance on positive risk taking and assessment

·  To deliver on various contracts carried out by the Garden Gang and Green Power Recycling to a high standard

Main Responsibilities for Stud Nursery

·  Work with the Senior Support Co-ordinator to plan the year ahead with growing, selling and production of plants and wooden products

·  To create an environment where service users are encouraged and guided to learn new skills and take part in meaningful activities

·  To support service users undertaking community projects with Grass Roots

General duties across the services

·  Attend and contribute in supervision meetings with the Senior Support Worker

·  To drive Community Activity vehicles with team members to fulfil contractual agreements which include textile / floral tribute recycling, and gardening

·  Contribute to support plans and review meetings for service users

·  To attend TSI (Training in Systematic Instruction) as provided by Balance and implement learning in all aspects of support for service users

·  To take part in reviews and meetings as required for those people on work experience/voluntary placements at Grimwood Road.

·  To empower and enable individuals to be active citizens with choice and control

·  To work co-operatively as an effective team member and to contribute to the overall performance of the team.

·  To communicate effectively and appropriately with colleagues and customers.

·  To be responsible for own personal performance and development

·  To have an awareness of the safeguarding policy and raise alerts if required.

·  To work in accordance with Balance’s Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, and other relevant policies and legislation.

·  To maintain confidentiality with regard to customer and carer information, and ensure that access to, sharing of and use of the information complies with relevant policies and procedures, including the Data Protection Act.

·  Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post, as may be required from time to time.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title: Support Worker

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications and Experience: / ·  Knowledge and understanding of gardening in project sites and in the community
·  Strong literacy, numeracy, and interpersonal skills
·  Knowledge and understanding of people with learning disabilities
/ ·  Clean UK driving license
·  Ability to support service users in activities such as woodwork
·  Proven experience of supporting people with learning disabilities
·  Woodwork skills
Ability to: / Understand the Business and Customer Needs
·  Recognise financial pressures and the need to provide value for money and maximise return on investment
·  Use and share best practice in service delivery from within and outside the organisation
·  Respond proactively to organisational change
Lead:
·  Display a commitment to own and team’s personal development and learning
·  Actively promote a culture that values equality and diversity
·  Continuously looks for ways to improve services and develop new ways of working
Communicate effectively:
·  Uses a range of communication styles to influence others
·  Communicate at appropriate levels, sharing information with those who need to know
·  Demonstrate an awareness of the impact of own communication on others
Build Relationships:
·  Good team player, to promote a friendly climate, good morale and team cohesiveness.
·  Establish effective working relationships with a wide range of colleagues and partners at all levels / ·  Mediate conflicts with internal and external customers effectively, or recognises the need to escalate appropriately, in order to facilitate a mutually beneficial resolution.
Knowledge: / ·  Understanding of barriers people with learning disabilities face / ·  Knowledge of support and services available to people with learning disabilities
Other Requirements: / ·  Available to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service
·  Ability to think and work creatively / ·  Access to own vehicle

support worker JD- Feb 15 Page 1 of 4