Job Description
Family and Community Engagement Manager
Location: South East
Hours of Work: 21 hours
Shift Pattern: Can be flexible dependent on candidate and needs of service
Salary: £14.42 - £15,750pa
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About the Role:
Family Support Services
Aspens Family Support Service helps families to care more confidently for individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC), a learning disability or complex needs. We understand that finding the right information and support can be hard, we are here to listen and offer advice. We strive to increase understanding, challenge perceptions and encourage acceptance of autism spectrum condition, learning disabilities and other complex needs. We offer support before, during and after an ASC diagnosis.
We understand the challenges for individuals who do not yet have an autism diagnosis and how confusing things can be post diagnosis. Our advice, guidance, signposting and support is on-going, for as long as a family wishes.
Autism Central
The National Autism Peer Education Programme is a national programme funded by Health Education England. The programme is being delivered in partnership with nine organisations: National Autistic Society, Autism Education Trust, Great Minds Together, Contact, Autism Alliance, British Institute of Learning Disabilities, Autistica, Ambitious about Autism and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums. The overarching aim is to provide high quality and easily accessible autism education, support and training to families, carers, and personal assistants.
Aspens is the Autism Central provider of the South East Hub, which includes Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, IOW, Surrey, Kent and Sussex. The programme will be managed through a Autism Central website, which will provide peer education training materials, resources, delivery of autism peer education training programme, wrap around support which will include coaching/mentoring and wrap-around support for families, carers and personal assistants.
About the Role:
You will work alongside the family support team, under the supervision of the Family and Specialist Support, Regional Area Manager to oversee the family support service.
A key component of the role would be to raise the profile of both our family and specialist support services, raise awareness of ASC, mental health and other complex disabilities underpinned by a PBS (positive behaviour support) methodology.
You will produce regular service updates, support monitoring and evaluation processes to measure outcomes and ensure a high-quality service.
Person Specification:
As a charity we are looking for caring, hardworking and understanding people to join us to promote the values that Aspens champions; respect, honesty, empowerment and professionalism.
Ideal candidate is those who are able and willing to work toward their own personal progression, for self-development and to be able to better support the people we work with. We have an incredible internal training team who support staff from day one to not only benefit your career going forwards but to offer you that first step in a new career if this is what you’re looking for.
Below you will find our essential and desirable criteria for candidates applying for a project coordinator role with us.
Essential Training and Qualifications:
A Levels or equivalent
GCSE Maths and English at grade C (or above).
Desirable Training and Qualifications:
a degree level qualification in a related field OR proven ability to work at degree level.
Essential Experience and Knowledge:
Experience of office administration and/or project coordination
experience of working/volunteering with people with ASC and/or learning disabilities and/or behaviour of concern and/or mental health
Effective communication skills, ability to advise, support families, parents and carers
Desirable Experience and Knowledge:
knowledge of Autism specific strategies
experience of setting up a new project from the beginning
experience with financial planning and monitoring, with the ability to identify and manage risks
experience in growing income streams within the voluntary sector
Essential Skills and Attributes:
Commitment to the aims and ethos of Aspens Charity.
Ability to maintain high standards of ethics, integrity, and professionalism
excellent organisation and planning skills
ability to communicate effectively
able to build good relationships and work effectively as a team.
motivated, dedicated and creative.
be flexible according to the needs and delivery of the programme
ability to maintain thorough reporting records.
IT Skills; including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
good data collection and analytical skills.
good organisational and planning skills.
ability to able to work alone, manage own workload and prioritise conflicting deadlines with little supervision
Additional Essential Criteria
have a full, clean driving license
drive your own vehicle with the appropriate ‘Business cover’ Insurance as required by Aspens.
open to travel to any destination within South East if required
How to Apply:
If you are friendly, hard-working, dedicated and passionate about supporting others we would LOVE to speak to you about our available roles - apply today
After reviewing your CV, we will arrange a phone call with you to discuss any questions you may have before sending you a copy of the job description and an application form.
Application forms will then be considered for interviews which are due to take place before the end of April.
Any offer would be subject to Disclosure and Barring checks, which we will complete on your behalf if you don't already have one, Right to Work checks and satisfactory employment references. We will consider job share and part time arrangements for all posts in line with the needs of the charity.
What you can expect from us:
- Fantastic paid training and career progression opportunities (including recognised qualifications in health and social care)
- Paid DBS (we will recover the cost should your employment terminate for any reason, other than redundancy, before passing your probation)
- Flexible work arrangements with opportunities to take on additional bank shifts too
- 30 Days Annual Leave (including Bank Holidays) / Pro rata dependent on hours. Annual leave entitlement increases with length of service
- Nest Pension and Death in Service Benefit
- Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and Access to Mental Health First Aiders
- Access to the Blue Light Card (providing discounts on the high street and online) as well as 25% discounts in our own stores and Cafés.
- Refer a Friend scheme, so you can earn up to £250 for every person you refer to work for Aspens
- Recognition schemes, including ‘Employee of the Month’
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Salary: £14.42 per hour
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
- Store discount
- Wellness programme
Schedule:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- South East: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- If you require Sponsorship this must be advised at this stage or this could affect your application should it reach interview and you have not disclosed this information. Aspens Charities are limited to the number of sponsors we can offer and there is a threshold that needs to be met in terms of salary.
Do you require sponsorship in order to proceed?
Experience:
- social work: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person