Healthy Living Worker

The role

Most people who come to Share have learning disabilities, and more than 25% of those also have autism; but we also have students with mental health needs or long term conditions. Disabled people face significant health inequalities leading to shorter life expectancy and health problems that could be reduced or avoided with the right kind of personalised support and mentoring. 

Your role is to develop a new healthy lifestyle programme at Share, supporting our teaching staff to embed healthy living principles in their courses and developing new self-help, wellbeing, and health promotion activities.  You will support all of our students to assess their current health status, and working with our My Life Worker and using the Life Star tool, you’ll help them to set goals and monitor progress towards them. You will be the caseworker for people with complex health needs, and you’ll help to develop new training materials that can benefit people within and beyond Share.  

About us

Share offers a range of training, education, employment and personal development opportunities to disabled people in order that they may progress towards their personal and career goals and aspirations.  We have a dynamic and forward looking strategy and we plan to modernise our training programmes, reach more young people, develop robust pathways into independent living and employment for people with learning disabilities, improve health outcomes for disabled people, and roll out our programmes into other areas. 

Main responsibilities 

1. To work closely with the Head of Training, Wellbeing Co-ordinator, and the Student Voice group to develop a range of courses that will enable our students, particularly those with learning disabilities, to develop strategies that lead to improved health and wellbeing
2. In conjunction with the My Life Worker, to work with each student at Share to assess their healthy living goals, using the Life Star to set aims and monitor progress.
3. To co-ordinate activities such as sports sessions, outings, and visiting speakers
4. To provide casework support to approximately 20 students with complex health and wellbeing needs, and in doing so, liaise closely with their families and networks
5. To assist in selecting and supporting sessional staff and volunteers to work on this programme
6. To identify project resource requirements and to deliver the project within budget
7. To work with others to design and produce health training materials and apps so that the work of this project continues beyond the project’s 3 years and has a wider reach
8. To work with Share managers to identify new approaches to supporting independent living and wellbeing
9. To develop strong and productive links with organisations and individuals outside Share where this leads to greater empowerment and inclusion of disabled people, and better outcomes, especially for those with learning disabilities.
10. To compile management reports as required.
11. To report to commissioners and funders as required.
12. To attend internal and external meetings and events as required, some of which will take place in the evening or at weekends
13. To work as a member of a supportive team and undertake any other tasks as may be reasonably required. 

Person Specification

You are likely to hold an occupational health or nursing qualification and/or to have trained in mental health and/or learning disability

Experience, skills and knowledge

All of the following are essential to the role, and should be addressed individually in the supporting statement: 

1. Experience of working within a health or social care environment and providing training, personal development, or wellbeing/health related services directly to disabled adults.
2. Knowledge and understanding of health inequalities, and approaches to tackling them, particularly in relation to people with learning disabilities.
3. Experience of delivering positive health outcomes within the disability sector.
4. Experience of working in a way that promotes self-advocacy and supports people to make their own choices.
5. Experience and enjoyment of managing projects.
6. The ability to get on happily with people at different levels and with different abilities.
7. Excellent team working skills and a commitment to creative partnership.
8. The ability to work under pressure, take initiative, plan ahead, achieve given deadlines, and have an eye for detail.
9. A high level of digital proficiency, especially in data systems and in using assistive technology. Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel are essential. Experience of using software that supports people with learning disabilities to communicate would be an advantage.
10. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
11. Good literacy and numeracy skills, and the ability to produce clear, concise reports for internal and external audiences.
12. A passion for supporting disabled people to live independent, healthy, happy lives, achieving their dreams and aspirations.

You can download a PDF of the job description and person specification here.

To apply

Please complete our application form and equal opportunities form and send both to Leanne Wood at hradmin@sharecommunity.org.uk, before midnight on Wednesday 6th July. Please ensure the application form is in word document format.

Please put your name and job title in the email subject line. We would prefer your application by email but if you do wish to post it, please post it to: Private & Confidential, Leanne Wood, Share Community, 64 Altenburg Gardens, London, SW11 1JL.

We will endeavour to acknowledge receipt of your application form; however only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Share welcomes applications from everyone. We focus on ability and believe people work best when they feel valued, safe and happy. We do all that we can to make sure that Share is friendly and welcoming to everyone.

This job is subject to two satisfactory references, evidence of qualifications, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and providing evidence of right to work in the UK. If you have any questions about the role, please get in touch with Leanne on 0207 801 9825. If you have a disability and would like to discuss other ways of submitting your application, please contact Leanne.

We look forward to hearing from you.