Are you looking for a role where you can truly make a difference to young people’s lives? We are recruiting a Young Persons Support Worker to join our Routes team. This post supports the delivery of Scottish Families ‘Routes’ Young Persons Project, working alongside young people in East and West Dunbartonshire, to provide a programme of support for 12-26 year olds affected by family alcohol and drug use. The post operates as part of the Routes team led by a Senior Family Support Development Officer and supported by two Development Officers and one other Support Assistant.

The post is predominantly located in East Dunbartonshire but will involve travel throughout both East and West Dunbartonshire for weekly groups and activities. Some home working is involved. Due to the nature of this post, access to a car is essential. There will be a close working relationship with young people, schools and other local partner agencies in East and West Dunbartonshire.

You will play an integral part in creating a supportive and nurturing environment for young people, helping them to thrive in all aspects of their lives. Routes is co-produced in collaboration with the young people we support, so their views are central to everything we do. The Routes model encourages young people to have hope and aspirations. We provide person-centred support which combines one-to-one and/or group support, helping them to build a positive future.

Alongside advocacy and one-to-one support, we also offer a busy programme of activities and groups. We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative person to join our team.

We are seeking applicants who are educated to HNC level, have a vocational qualification (level 3) or relevant experience, along with an understanding of emotional and developmental issues for children and young people. We are seeking someone who can build rapport, positively engage and support young people, as well as having the ability to listen and talk to young people from differing abilities, understanding and backgrounds. Experience of identifying and managing risk and of delivering group work activities, along with knowledge of issues for young people affected by family substance use and an understanding of child protection issues and safeguarding practice, are an advantage.

This is a full-time role, but job share, part-time or flexible working will be considered.

You First Advocacy provide an independent professional Advocacy service to a wide range of vulnerable adults in Renfrewshire, who require short-term advocacy to address specific issues arising from health, community care or legal interventions. The service is provided by paid staff and trained volunteers.

“Our vision is to provide independent professional advocacy support to individuals who reside in a community, residential or hospital setting, giving them a voice and supporting their rights and wishes”

This post will contribute effectively to the You First Advocacy Service.

The post holder will be required to clearly show an understanding of the concept of advocacy for people affected by issues arising from health, community care or legal interventions.

• An awareness of individual rights, objectivity and empathy will be required.
• A mature ability to challenge individuals/organisations on behalf of the service user, without recourse to confrontation is essential.

This is an exciting and challenging post for a person who supports social justice and the rights of vulnerable individuals. It is essential that you have knowledge and experience of Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and other generic service user groups. A knowledge of Advocacy is also essential. You should have excellent interpersonal skills and be self-motivated.

Due to the internal promotion of the current post-holder, we are seeking a Family Support Worker (1.0 FTE) to join our team. This post will support the delivery of the Forth Valley Family Support Service. This includes delivering community-based services that specifically address the needs of families affected by alcohol and drugs.

The post-holder will be responsible for delivering a range of family support services which address the specific needs of families and support groups, including evidence-based interventions, with the assistance and support of the Family Support Development Officer – Forth Valley. This includes facilitating family support groups and working with individuals on a one-to-one basis; providing advocacy to support groups and individual family members, and actively promoting family recovery and family inclusive practice.

The post has a Forth Valley wide remit and will involve significant travel throughout the region and some to our offices in Glasgow. It is expected that the post holder will be required to work some evenings and occasional weekends. This post will be part of Scottish Families’ staff team and be supervised by the Family Support Development Officer – Forth Valley.

We are seeking applicants who are educated to HNC level, vocational qualification (level 3) or relevant professional qualification; have experience of direct client work, group work, direct work with families and understanding of the voluntary sector; with knowledge of issues affecting families affected by substance use. Candidates should be able to effectively and sensitively advocate for others, with strong organisational, interpersonal and communication skills.

Would you like to make a difference to a person’s quality of life? Would you like to learn BSL while being paid? We are looking for caring and motivated Support Workers to support deaf BSL users to join our team. Could that be you?

Who are we?

Deaf Action is a deaf-led charity, supporting and celebrating deaf people. We were established in 1835 and work with deaf people across Scotland and the South of England. Our work is geared towards empowering all deaf people to achieve their potential and fully participate in society, with equality of rights, access, and opportunity.

As well as our outreach service in Edinburgh, we are expanding our service provision in Glasgow and are looking for people who can make a major contribution to our plans for innovation and growth and who have the commitment and enthusiasm to contribute to the work of our support services to Deaf people throughout Edinburgh and Glasgow.

You can find out more about us at deafaction.org.

About you

We are looking for people who are caring, fun, motivated, willing to learn and show initiative. However, you would need some experience of working in a support service and managing /overseeing a team.

We will provide on the job training with the opportunity to complete formal qualifications in social care. If you have knowledge of BSL, or are a BSL user that is a bonus, however we will provide training if not.

The ideal candidates will be fully committed to our values, which can be found on our website.

The role

You will be leading a team to support *deaf people living in the community. As well as leading a team you will be lone working in the community, delivering a person-centred service supporting deaf people within their own living environment, to enable them to fully participate in the decisions affecting their lives, ensuring that wherever possible, service users benefit from informed choice, control, and independence. This will include both activities at home and within the community which will promote independence and social inclusion.

You will be accountable to the Support Services Area Manager. By working together, you will ensure that a consistent, high quality support service is provided to deaf service users in their own homes, and that staff are supported to develop and maintain such a service.

Due to the nature of this role, its essential that you can drive and have access to a car.

*deaf: this to includes Deaf Sign Language users, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

You will be asked:

• To actively monitor and develop individual and team performance by ensuring effective supervision and Performance Development Reviews/Reports (PDRs).

• Be responsible for any risk assessments at the service users home as part of your Health and Safety responsibilities.

• To provide clear direction, co-ordination, feedback, and day to day line management for the work of a delegated group of staff. Thus, ensuring their motivation to provide outcome focused, person centred services.

• To assess any new service users for the service and match them with staffs.

• To be involved in recruitment for new staff for the service.

• To take an active role in assessments / recordings and to work with service users to develop their skills and abilities to achieve identified outcomes.

• To assist service users with personal care tasks where appropriate.

• To be involved, as appropriate, with all household tasks, maximising service users’ participation.

• To record the day-to-day finances (where relevant) and household budgets of service users.

• To enable service users to access information to be fully informed of their rights and valid expectations from the service provided.

• To ensure the health, safety and security of individuals and their environment.

What is on offer? What do we offer?

• Occupational pension scheme with employer contributions of 6%.

• 32 days leave pro rata (including bank holidays) pro rata for part time.

• 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured.

• In-house Mental Health First Aiders.

• Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and IT Voucher Scheme.

• Ongoing support for learning and development through our PDR process

• Death in service benefit