POSSABILITIES CIC
JOB DESCRIPTION
Personal Assistant
Day Services, CST and Respite
This is an important job with Possabilities CIC. That’s because we regard every
one of our jobs as important. We want people who are passionate, caring and fun.
If this sounds a bit like you then carry on reading. You’ll find all you need to know
in this job description. If there’s something you are not clear about please ask us
if you are invited for an interview.
Where?
We work in many locations such as, Rochdale, Heywood, Oldham and Calderdale.
Please indicate on the application form the area you wish to work in. Occasionally
you may be asked to work in another location to best meet the needs of individuals
we provide services to.
What?
Personal Assistants have a wide range of duties and tasks. There’s more about
these later. The main aim is to provide the best personalised support to our service
users whether they are in Supported Living, Day Services, Respite or Outreach.
Rewards
We offer one of the best salary and benefits packages in the industry. The starting
salary for a Personal Assistant is £7.60 - £8.00 dependent on where you are
working. We will pay up to an additional 6% of your salary into a pension plan for
you, which will grow every year until you retire.
You will have a chance to progress. We give you training and help you gain NVQ
qualifications
You may be required to sleep-in overnight at one of our facilities or people’s
homes. You’ll be paid extra for this and given time off in lieu when you attend
house meetings.
That’s not all. You’ll get twenty days paid holiday plus eight statutory bank holidays.
Who do you report to?
On a day-to-day basis, you will be working under the direction of a Team Leader,
but accountable to a Senior Support Worker.
The hours
Individual needs come first, and so we need a lot of flexibility when it comes to
your working hours. These will be scheduled on a rota basis with the rest of your
team and can include sleep-ins; waking nights; weekends; and Bank Holidays.
The essential purpose of this job
We support Adults with learning disabilities, Autism, Dementia, Mental Health,
acquired brain injury. They are vulnerable, that’s why they need support. That
doesn’t mean that they cannot decide for themselves what kind of support they
want, how they want it and what services they want to access.
So helping them to achieve these things is an important part of this job. So too is
encouraging them to be active and develop connections with other people outside
their circles of support; helping them to seize opportunities like getting a job or
taking part in leisure or learning activities.
You’ll help them to look after the places where they live and to reach their full
potential, becoming as independent as they can be. We’ll teach you all about
positive risk taking and how to encourage it so that service users can live as
normal a life as possible.
Just like you, they and their families have a right to dignity, diversity and to be an
individual. You are there to make sure that these things are respected and
maintained.
You may be asked to provide support services for children and young people. We
expect our staff to demonstrate positive attitudes and be a positive role model
whilst supporting children and young people.
Your general duties whilst supporting Adults.
Help maintain a happy and stimulating environment in which people are given
choice and freedom in developing their own personalities under the principle of
valuing people.
Assist with the implementation and monitoring of Person Centred Plans with a
view to maximising independence.
Support individuals within the community where identified and in line with Person
Centred Plans to provide support to participate in both work and leisure activities.
Help maintain a high standard of living for individuals including shopping, laundry,
decorating, home maintenance, gardening and other aspects of a domestic nature
as far as this falls within the scope of the post holder.
Support individuals to look after and manage their day to day finances in
accordance with income and budget forecasts in line with the company policies.
Support service users to maintain their health and wellbeing including support with
medical appointments, prescribed medication and identified health needs outlined
in individuals Health Action plans.
Provide support identified with personal care needs maintaining high standards of
hygiene.
Attend to the physical and, as appropriate, the emotional needs of people using
services.
Support and assist individuals who may be reliant on moving and handling
equipment to include wheelchairs.
Administer medication to people (as prescribed by the medical practitioner), in
accordance with PossAbilities CIC policies and guidelines.
Assist with the day-to-day running of household, individual accounts, in line with
policies and procedures.
General duties whilst supporting children and young people
Work under the principles of the Every Child Matters Framework five key
outcomes: Be Healthy
Support children with physical health
Support to enjoy healthy life styles provide opportunities so they make better
lifestyle choices.
Educate on illegal drugs.
Explore opportunities to enable young people to feel good about themselves.
Be safe
Support children and young people to learn about risk and be safe.
Provide information on safety, crime and anti-social behaviour.
Enjoy and achieve
Provide support so they can achieve personal and social development and in
enjoy recreational and leisure activates.
Make a positive contribution
Support people to build confidence and self-esteem.
Support children and young people to engage positively in their community
environment.
Achieve economic wellbeing
Explore options for example further education, employment or training to gain
future success.
Your secondary duties (all service user groups)
Attend regular staff meetings and, as directed and appropriate, participate in case
conferences, etc.
Maintain a working knowledge of routine fire safety, health and safety, medication
and safeguarding in line with procedures of Possabilities and current legislation.
Take responsibility for own health and safety and that of people the service
supports, work colleagues and others, to report any risk to the line manager.
Be familiar with and work within the organisation’s policies and procedures,
maintaining records and reports accordingly. ,
Keep senior staff informed regarding the individual development, welfare and
other matters. As directed, to provide written information regarding the same.
Assist with the maintenance of PossAbilities CIC administrative and financial
procedures, keep records/accounts etc. and ensure that as far as possible such
records are kept confidential and secure.
As directed to work with Adults, young people and children, their families, and
staff/representatives of other areas within PossAbilities CIC and external agencies
in the interests of individuals thus ensuring the person’s needs are being met.
As directed, to provide relief cover for other staff working in other locations.
Participate in assisting with individual holidays as necessary.
Work in conjunction with more senior staff to make suggestions for the
improvement of services.
Undertake such other duties and responsibilities of an equivalent nature as may
be determined from time-to-time by the chief executive (or nominated
representative) in consultation with the post holder and, if he/she so wishes, with
his/her Trade Union representative.
Personal assistants will assist the Senior Support Worker/Unit Leader to
contribute to the day-to-day running of services, to promote a professional
standard of social care practice. In addition they will assist the Team Leader and
other Senior Staff in the efficient and economic use of resources provided by
PossAbilities and the implementation of its policies.
Training and Development
Participate in appropriate training and development as required, be responsible in
the identification, and undertaking of his/her own training and development.
Attend and actively engage in supervisions, appraisals’ and team meetings
Equality and Diversity
To work in accordance with the organisation policies and procedures relating to
the promotion of Equality and Diversity.
Our values lie at the heart of the organisation and underpin everything we do. It is
essential that all staff share our values and work together in achieving our mission
statement
Values and Behaviours
Approach the job at all times using the values set out by PossAbilities CIC.
 Integrity – we communicate openly and honestly and build relationships
based on trust, respect and caring.

Creativity – we thrive on innovation and encourage positive risk taking.

Happy – we believe fun is the key to success.

Person centred – we believe that everyone has the right to exercise choice
and control in directing their lives and support. We inspire people to
achieve greater things.

Passionate – we are dedicated and enthusiastic to providing exceptional
services.
Person Specification
Job role: Personal Assistant
Closing Date: Friday 30th June 2017
As part of our recruitment process we require that you complete the application
form to inform us about your skills, knowledge and experiences you have had to
date, these can either be paid or voluntary.
Please provide written details in relation to each criteria listed below. If you show
that you have the skills and knowledge we are looking for, you will be invited to
interview and asked further questions.
We provide person centred services and with this in mind we Vulnerable Adults to
be involved in the recruitment of staff. You may be required to spend some time
interacting with people in receipt of services and you will be observed doing this.
After the exercise we will ask the person about you, how well they thought you did
and what they liked about you.
We will give you further information should you be invited to interview.
Please complete the required fields in the person specification along with the
application form and return to [email protected]
Alternatively post to:Recruitment
PossAbilities
Cherwell Centre
Cherwell Avenue
Heywood
OL10 4SY
Possabilities wish you the very best of luck in applying for a job with the company.
Provide us with information on the following, which are essential
to the Job role.
We need staff who are willing and are able to:


Work on a rota covering seven days a week including sleep in duties and
be able to work as part of a dispersed team throughout the Borough
Yes
No
Yes
No
Work waking nights as and when required?

Undertake Common Induction Standards and NVQ Level 2 in Health and
Social Care.
Yes
No

Assist individuals who have physical disabilities which may require you to
support people with the use of wheelchairs and moving and handling
equipment.
Yes
No
Please complete the application form telling us about your
qualifications, skills and experiences in:



Providing care/support to children or Adults in either a paid or voluntary
capacity.
Completing written records/documentation, including records of financial
expenditures.
Completing domestic task in relation to organising a house which includes
cooking, cleaning, shopping, and money management
Please tell us what skills and knowledge you have:






To operate basic financial systems.
Tell us about your ability to promote choice, independence and inclusion.
Tell us about your ability to be able to listen and be sensitive to the needs
of vulnerable adults, children and young people.
Tell us why you think it is important to be aware of the social, physical,
emotional and cultural needs of vulnerable adults, children and young
people.
Tell us your ability to be able to communicate and respond to people in a
sensitive manner.
Tell us how you would show commitment in sharing hobbies and interests
with vulnerable Adults, young people and children.
We need people who will approach the job, at all times, using the
values set out by PossAbilities:





Integrity – we communicate openly and honestly and build relationships
based on trust, respect and caring.
Creativity – we thrive on innovation and encourage positive risk taking.
Happy – we believe fun is the key to success.
Person Centred – we believe that everyone has the right to exercise choice
and control in directing their lives and support. We inspire people to
achieve greater things.
Passionate – we are dedicated and enthusiastic in providing an exceptional
service.
How do our values apply to you? Tell us why you think you are
the right person for the job.