Care and Support Assistant / Driver (Gladstone)

at  West Northamptonshire Council

About the role
Working within a Day Centre, supporting adults with Learning Difficulties. The role includes taking the individuals out and about in the Community. There is also some assistance required with personal care, so you need to be fit and healthy.
There is some driving to do throughout the day.
You will be assisting customers with Complex needs to reach their outcomes and needs. This will include assisting and leading session activities such as being part of the local and wider community, visiting places of interest. Going bowling, swimming and the Gym.
You will work with communication aids such as sign language, iPad, objects of reference and schedules.
You will also be asked to complete training, paperwork and contribute to the customers Personal Profile.
What will you be doing?
The role includes working with people who have learning difficulties and complex care needs. This includes people with mild to moderate behaviours that challenge, severe autism, challenges with communication, ADHD associated behaviours and Epilepsy.
You will be based at the Gladstone Centre in Northampton as part of the Complex Team. The hours are from 8-30 am - 4-30 pm. Working Monday - Friday.
The role will include driving, this is collecting people from their homes and also taking them out in the community.
Each day is different, as there is a varied timetable. The activities are based around people’s outcomes and needs.
You will have the ability to work using your own initiative and as part of the team. It is important that you can help with the management of emotions as well as behavioural support. The work environment is ever-changing so there is the need to work under pressure with a calm demeanor.
Applicants must be physically fit and have the ability to walk long distances. You have to show flexibility and help to plan the day.
Previous experience of working with people who have learning difficulties would be desirable as this role is working with individuals who have Complex needs. This includes supporting individuals on a 1:1 basis.
UK full clean driving license is required. This can be quite physically demanding.
The role requires a person who can show kindness, compassion and is willing to learn how to understand our customers needs, over time.
You really can make a difference!
You will receive constant; specialist and mentoring training - willing to work towards NVQ within Care.

WEST NORTHANTS COUNCIL, WHERE CAREERS THRIVE.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme via Tusker.
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Commsave- Free membership to Commsave Credit Union who provide a variety of savings accounts, loans, a monthly lottery draw and more!
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people’s lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

Please note: There is no option to offer sponsorship or transfer of. You must have Right to work in the UK.
About you
Working with people with Learning difficulties would be useful, but training will be given.
You need to be flexible and reliable. Have the skills to help plan and implement activities that are interesting, good fun and meet our customer’s needs. The person needs to patient and caring with a good sense of humor.
You will need to be prepared to undertake a training programme to help enhance your skills and knowledge.
UK full clean driving license is required, as at times you will be asked to drive a 9-Seater Minibus.
About us
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it’s like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner
The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.