Support Worker - Education

We now have an opportunity for a Support Worker to join our Sense College in Knapwell.

This is a permanent role, working up to 35 hours per week. The shift pattern is 9.15 to 4.15 Monday - Friday with no evening, weekends or bank holidays.

Sense Centre Knapwell is located in Knapwell village, approximately 10 miles outside of Cambridge surrounded by farm land, and similar distance from Huntingdon, St Neots and St Ives.

As a Support Worker you will be working with young adults with complex communication needs and associated learning difficulties and physical disabilities, providing support to achieve Every Day Living outcomes.

We use a total communication approach which includes a variety of methods such as BSL / Sign Supported English / On Body Signing / Intensive Interaction /Pictorial Symbols and Symbol Systems (PECS) / Hand Under Hand Exploration / Objects of Reference / Voice Output Communication Aids / Vocalisation, Facial Expression and Body Language

Our timetabled activities, both in house and accessed at other local facilities, ensure the interests of the individual can be explored and used to motivate while encouraging learning opportunities. We celebrate and promote the diverse nature of our learners, embracing fundamental British values, whilst encouraging a culture of mutual respect and tolerance. Sessions include Communication, Creative Arts, Therapies & Physical Activities, Lifeskills and Community Access.

We also offer a wonderful range of enrichment activities such as visits to the cinema, the pantomime, PMLD theatre trips, museum ‘touch tours’ and river trips on a barge specifically adapted to suit those with disabilities

The duties are varied and no two days will be the same. The people we support are individuals and they are all treated as such. As a general guide, you may support with personal care needs, as well as help to take part in a wide range of special interests and activities that support their health and wellbeing.

Does this sound right for you?

• 24 days’ holiday + bank holidays; increasing with length of service
• Free DBS Check
• Free leadership and management development (such as our award winning Growing Stronger Leaders Together programme)
• Free access to over 100 online and face to face training including the care certificate.
• On-going development opportunities
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Employee referral scheme
• Health and well-being support
• Pension Scheme
• Discount scheme

Your duties can include:

• To support individuals / groups within the home, centre and community.
• To provide a customised, responsive and high quality service to people with multiple sensory impairments, physical and/or learning disabilities who use Sense services.
• To deliver services which meet or exceed organisational expectations and standards.
• Full job specification is attached below.

Your required skills and experiences:

• You don’t need to have previous experience in this field, nor do you need qualifications – we’re happy to work with you to help you become an excellent support worker.
• Knowledge of multi sensory impairments / learning difficulties is beneficial.
• Full person specification is attached below.
• A full manual UK license and willingness to drive is desirable.
• Knowledge of or qualification in British Sign Language or similar is beneficial ( BSL / Makaton etc.)

The centre is situated on the outskirts of Cambridge approximately 10 miles outside of Cambridge, in the village of Knapwell, approached through an avenue of mature trees and surrounded by farm land, and with its own garden area. The centre is also a similar distance from Huntingdon, St Neots and St Ives as it is to Cambridge.

The centre offers a wide range of education activities that use a person centred approach tailored to learner needs and interests. Programmes focus on developing communication and independent living skills, using the Sense Curriculum Framework to plan individualised targets and objectives that…