Young Adult Coordinator (Focus on Work Experience)

• Location: Perth Autism Support, Market Street, Perth
• Hours: 35
• Salary: £10.50 per hour

Perth Autism Support

Job Profile

Job Title: Young Adult Transition Co-ordinator with a special focus on work experience

Pay: £10.50 per hour

Fixed term for 1 year initially with a view to extend

Location: Perth Autism Support, Market Street, Perth

Hours of Work: Monday – Friday 35 hours per week    

Reports to: Family and Transition Service Manager

To co-ordinate, facilitate, enable and support young people aged 16-25 with autism to access a range of community-based leisure, recreational, vocational, work experience and employment services.  This support plan will be developed in accordance with assessed need and can include longer term transition plan from education services to adult services.  The post holder will take the lead role in co-ordinating autism specific support to enable pupils in their senior years at school to access a meaningful work experience placement and to introduce them to the longer term employment planning.    

Main Accountabilities

• To co-ordinate the support of young people aged 16-25 to ease the move between Children and Adult services

• To provide autism specific support to enable the young people to move into further education, independent living, work experience and supported employment opportunities or mainstream services

• To co-ordinate the support of pupils in S4/5/6 to have access to meaningful, well supported work experience opportunities.

• To ensure that the individuality, personal dignity and confidentiality of the young people and their carers/families are respected at all times.  Inform the Child Protection Officer of any concerns about individual children, young people or families

• To develop appropriate, positive relationships with the young people and their carers/families and to maintain a positive approach to young people, and motivate and encourage them to try new things. A range of creative, assertive and diversional approaches will be required.

• To enable young people to make use of the available services and information and to be involved in the development of an individual support plan for their time within the service, identifying outcomes and ensuring these outcomes are met

• To lead, review, monitor and action the individual support plans of the young people in collaboration with other service providers and agencies, and act appropriately when the young person’s needs change and communicating this with the young person and family.

• To co-ordinate the work plan of the two activity assistants in the young adult team, including support and supervision for the activities assistants.

• To co-ordinate the weekly young adult social group along with other young adult team members including communication with the families, overseeing the planning of activities and evaluation.

• To work with the Senior Management Team to support and develop the team of volunteers who can work with young adults.

Job Activities

• To create, lead and develop an engaging and supportive range of activities and skills development opportunities, understanding the needs of the young people within the service

• To support young people to access and engage with a range of social, leisure, recreational, vocational, work experience and employment opportunities, in accordance with assessed need, by advising, enabling, assisting and directly supporting them.

• To work with teams in secondary schools in Perth & Kinross to help source and support work experience opportunities for young people and to identify young people who would be suitable for the project

• To identify work experience opportunities for young people contacting local organisations and businesses to give a wide and varied choice for the young people.

• To set up an autism friendly environment within the teams and organisations who will be working with the young person with ASD.  This may include delivering training on ASD.

• To advise young people and their carers/families on how to access appropriate information, advice and emotional support.

• To enable young people to maintain social contacts and avoid isolation.

• To lead and co-ordinate group work activities, and support young people on an individual basis as required.

• To maintain appropriate links with key workers, other professionals, relatives and carers involved in supporting the young people

• To assess each individual accessing the project and develop support plans and relevant documentation with the young person and their families and school.

• To provide information as required and contribute towards the monitoring and evaluation of the service.

• To assist in the reporting of information and evaluation of project in line with funding requirements

• To undertake initial training and further training as required.

• To participate in Team Meetings within Perth Autism Support and contribute towards the flexible development of the service.

• To participate in support and supervision in line with the organisations procedures. 

• To be able to tell other organisations about the work of Perth Autism Support at local and national events through presentations ad discussions.

Job Specific Requirements

There is an expectation that short listed candidates will meet the requirements below:

 Knowledge & Experience

• Experience of working with young people, particularly those with an autism spectrum condition in a personal or social care setting.
• Understanding the needs of people who are vulnerable or at risk and specifically the employment issues faced by individuals with autism.
• Awareness of developing and implementing care plans.
• Experience of working with families where a member has a learning disability.
• Awareness of principles of inclusion and person-centred approaches.
• Ability to work with people who are difficult to engage.
• Ability to think creatively about how service users needs may be met.

Customer Care

• Experience of supporting people at risk of social exclusion, to make community links.
• Sensitivity/empathy to the needs of others
• To understand the challenges that some young people with an autism spectrum condition may face

Health & Safety

• You have a personal responsibility for taking care of yourself and others and must comply with all relevant Health and Safety legislation
• You must undertake any H&S training relevant to the post. 

Equality & Dignity at Work

• You must have the ability to treat colleagues and customers with dignity and respect and you must have a non discriminatory approach.
• You will have the ability to learn about autism spectrum condition and the effects on individuals

Communications

• The candidate will be expected to have effective communication skills, written and oral.
• to network with other agencies, networking with supportive voluntary and care organisations.
• Ability to liaise with carers and other professionals in an appropriate manner.
• You will possess negotiating and counselling skills.
• It would be advantageous to have group work skills.
• Approachability and openness.

Flexibility

• Ability to work conscientiously without direct supervision - use initiative.
• Ability to prioritise and organise own workload
• Demonstrate good time management.
• Flexible approach to working.

Achievement of Results

• Applicants must have or be willing to commit to undertaking and achieving a minimum of SVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Health & Social Care.
• Willingness to undertake further appropriate training and commit to personal professional development plan.
• First Aid Certificate would be desirable.

Team Working

Ability to work as part of a team or on own initiative.

Decision Making & Problem Solving

• Objectivity in coping with difficult situations.

Any Additional Requirements

• Must be able to cope with the demands of the job and attend on a regular basis. 

Special Conditions

•  You will be required to work flexible hours in keeping with the operational demands of the service as dictated by the needs of the organisation or service users, which may require occasional evening and weekend work. 

• The post holder may be required to travel and independent transport would be beneficial. Mileage costs will be provided to and from PAS Centre, Market Street, Perth, on such occasions. 

• The post requires the holder to have a clear disclosure check in accordance with the Protecting Vulnerable Group scheme. 

• Ensure all information of confidential nature is not divulged to third parties. 

This job description indicates only the main duties and responsibilities of the post. It is not intended as an exhaustive list. Perth Autism Support reserves the right to amend this job description from time to time, according to business needs. Any changes will be confirmed in writing.  

Application Procedure 

If you would like to informally discuss this opportunity to join the team at PAS or to visit Perth Autism Support please do not hesitate to get in contact with Lynsey Paterson, Family and Transition Service Manager or Angie Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer on 01738 451081.

To apply for this role please complete the PAS application form and send it to lynsey@perthautismsupport.org.uk including information about two references. 

Deadline for receipt of applications: by noon Wednesday 25^th July 2018 

Interviews: Tuesday 31^st July 2018