Farm Support Worker (Learning Disasbilities) - Easter Anguston Farm (Peterculter)

VSA is a well-respected local social care charity, helping support the people of Aberdeen for over 150 years.

Our mission is to provide the best of care to enable the best of lives; supporting individuals and communities to fulfil their potential.

VSA provides vital support and services to people of all ages. At VSA we support a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing through a range of residential and outreach support Services.

Working in social care is a hugely rewarding career, and you can help change the lives of vulnerable children and adults. At VSA, we are looking for motivated and compassionate individuals to join our team.

VSA currently have an exciting opportunity available as a Farm Support Worker (Learning Disabilities) based at Easter Anguston Farm in Peterculter,Aberdeenshire. This is a full-time position of 35 hours per week and in return, you will receive a competitive salary and benefits.

Hours: 35 hours Monday to Friday- 8.30am-4pm (weekend cover required on a rota basis 1:3)

Salary/Rate: £11.10 per hour

We offer our Support/Care Workers fantastic benefits including:

• Company pension
• Employee assistance programme
• Generous annual leave
• Refer a friend programme-Receive £200 when you introduce a family member or friend to VSA,
• Investment in your personal development and career through our learning and development programmes,
• Gain recognised SCQF Qualifications
• Access to our employee discount scheme

Service Information:

Easter Anguston Farm is an operational farm, and local community resource, which serves as a training facility for adults with learning difficulties and other additional support needs.

Situated in Peterculter, the farm has 75 acres of arable land, used as a working farm, plus 20 acres of woodland which normally attracts over 20,000 visitors from across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and beyond.

The farm and its associated woodland, conservation and education areas provide a vital community resource that is invaluable. As a charity we do not charge any entry fee for the community to access this resource. Instead, we rely on voluntary donations to enable us to provide free access for all.

About the role:

To contribute to the day to day running of the farm and support service users to successfully participate in the operation of a working farm.

Responsibilities of our Support/Care Worker will include: -

• Contributing to the day to day running of the farm.
• Communicating effectively with individuals according to agreed standards and procedures, accessing and updating records in keeping with guidelines and policy.
• Helping to provide a safe and protective environment by complying with health, safety, and security procedures, including medication, and reporting accidents/incidents when appropriate.
• Supporting service user to successfully and safely participate in the activities and tasks on the farm, according to their recognised and agreed needs and adhering to practices which promote well-being, choice, and treating people with dignity and respect.
• Assisting service user in developing and maintaining social networks and relationships and promoting social inclusion and participation in the local community.
• Assisting and encouraging service user to develop skills and knowledge to live as independently as possible.
• Contributing to the development and implementation of care plans in consultation with key stakeholders.
• Performing the role of key worker for identified service user.
• Participating in the development, implementation and review of personal plans with service users.
• Developing one’s knowledge and practice continuously through participation in training and development activities.
• Carrying out any other tasks from time to time, provided they are reasonable and within the postholder’s capabilities.

What we are looking for in our Support/Care Worker:

• Willingness and ability to achieve SVQ 2 in Health and Social Care within 3 years of appointment or as determined by VSA.
• Must have experience working with children or adults with additional support needs and challenging behaviour

Essential

• Experience of working with animals, preferably within a farm setting
• Experience of supporting adults with learning disabilities
• Ability to communicate well verbally with individuals
• Ability to write short reports
• Approachable
• Ethical
• Non-judgemental
• Team-worker
• Health and Safety aware
• Client Focused
• Organised