The Phoenix Trust (Milton) Ltd

Unit 8, Milton Trading Estate

Cambridge Road

Milton

Cambridge

CB24 6AZ

01223 420669

Job Description:

Post:Support Worker

Responsible to:The Social Enterprise Manager

Hours:22.5 per week (8.30am – 4pm Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday)

Salary:£12,070 pa, pro rata

Holiday:28 days pa pro rata (including public holidays)

Location:Milton Trading Estate, Cambridge

The Phoenix Trust (Milton) Ltd is a Social Enterprise manufacturing garden and household products in concrete and wood. It offers young people excluded from society and mainstream education through disability or challenging behaviour the opportunity to gain work experience and life skills that will assist them in seeking employment and coping with society.

The key role of the Support Worker is to work directly with the young people to ensure that the experience they get at Phoenix is valuable and life-enhancing for them, building both their confidence and their competence.

Main tasks and responsibilities of the post:

  1. Work one-to-one with each service user to develop a work based training plan which is appropriate to their potential and preferences. This will include specific training, for example, in concrete fabrication and woodwork, as well as “soft skills” like dealing with customers and life skills such as cooking. Training plans must be reviewed and revised at appropriate intervals;
  2. Work with each service user to complete their “folders” which act as a record of achievement and area very important part of helping them build their confidence and self-esteem;
  3. Work with referring organisations to identify whether Phoenix offers their young people an appropriate placement, including showing prospective service users around the site and discussing potential training programmes and attending client care plan meetings when necessary;
  4. Build good working relationships with referring organisations, supporting the Social Enterprise Manager in developing relationships with other referring organisations, so as to widen the Trust’s client base and lessen the reliance on a small number of referrers;
  5. Assist the Social Enterprise Manager and the Trustees in developing new training opportunities with Phoenix (Milton);
  6. Ensure proper statutory requirements are fulfilled in relation to all students, including Health & Safety and the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults;
  7. Undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required and which are consistent with the level of responsibility of this job.

Person Specification

Ideally the successful applicant will have:

  • Previous experience of working with young people and adults with learning difficulties and behavioural problems;
  • Proficency in IT systems such as Microsoft Word and Excel;
  • A good command of written and spoken English;
  • A strong social conscience and a desire to make a difference to young people excluded from mainstream education;
  • Good interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Ability to work on own initiative;
  • A commitment to work that encourages diversity and equality, ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and not discriminated against;
  • An understanding of monitoring and evaluation and its importance to a charity such as the Phoenix Trust;
  • Enthusiasm and a positive outlook.

Skills and experience in any of the following areas would be beneficial:

  • Experience in a manufacturing environment
  • Some formal training in social care (i.e. NVQ in Health & Social Care)
  • Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults training (this can be provided).

General

The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced CRB check, the cost of which will be met by the employer. The successful candidate will be proactive, confident and committed to helping Phoenix provide the highest standard of training, work experience and life enhancing skills to its service users.

How to Apply:

Complete the application and monitoring forms which can be downloaded at:

or contact the office on 01223 420669 to receive an application pack in the post.

Please return your completed application by email to or by post to HR Dept, The Phoenix Trust (Milton) Ltd, Unit 8 Milton Trading Estate, Cambridge Road, Milton, CB24 6AZ, marked private & confidential. The closing date is Wednesday 19 December 2012 with interviews commencing early in the New Year, dates to be confirmed.

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