My Life Worker

About us

At Share, we're passionate about supporting disabled people to set their own goals for learning and life, and then helping them to achieve their aspirations. The majority of our students are people with learning disabilities and/or autism. We offer a range of training, employment, personal development, and leisure opportunities. We're entering an exciting phase in our development as we seek to modernise our training programmes, reach more young people, and develop robust pathways into independent living and employment for people with learning disabilities.

Share students come to us in order to build their confidence, develop social skills, make friends, and have new experiences. For some, gaining the nationally recognised qualifications we offer is important. We support and encourage people to speak up about what's important to them, make connections with other services and organisations, increase understanding of the world, get more involved in community life, and understand their responsibilities. We work alongside professionals such as speech and language therapists, art therapists, social workers, GPs, nurses and the police in support of our students. We help them to tell carers and those in charge of their care what they would like from life.

The role

In order to provide truly person-centred services, and to meet the diverse needs of people coming to learn with us, we need to invest in our Wellbeing Team, and we're specifically recruiting someone to help us to ensure we're monitoring individuals' development and Share's overall impact. We're introducing the Life Star evaluation tool so that people can set their own goals for learning and life and measure their progress, finding solutions to challenges along the way. The My Life Worker's role is to manage the Life Star process, liaising with students, tutors, carers, and others to support students in achieving their goals and aspirations. This will involve working closely with individual students, ensuring that everyone at Share is communicating in a way that meets individual needs; attending case reviews; facilitating self-advocacy groups at Share; and advising the teaching team on strategies and learning needs. You will report to senior managers on the progress of individual students and on the performance of the Life Skills project. Key in the first year of this role will be to ensure that the Life Star is embedded in our work, and that we're making the most of digital technology to enhance our students' learning and understanding.

Main responsibilities

1. To implement and manage the Life Star, which supports and measures change in our students’ lives, producing high quality data to support students’ individual development and data to evidence Share’s overall performance.
2. To attend student reviews and advise on individuals’ progress, as well as supporting the individual to express their views and future plans.
3. To support the wellbeing co-ordinator with daily interactions with students, parents and carers.
4. To advise teaching staff working in the Life Skills department (including Basic Skills, Food and Hygiene, Arts and Crafts, short courses) on individual students’ goals, needs, communication strategies, and anything else that will help the student to get the best learning experience.
5. To work with Share managers and teaching staff to identify new approaches to supporting independent living and moving people with learning disabilities closer to employment.
6. To develop strong and productive links with organisations and individuals outside Share where this leads to greater empowerment and inclusion of disabled people, especially those with learning disabilities.
7. To compile management reports as required.
8. To report to commissioners and funders as required.
9. To attend internal and external meetings and events as required.
10. To work as a member of a supportive team and undertake any other tasks as may be reasonably required.

Person Specification

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 an educational or social care environment and providing services directly to disabled adults
2. Experience of working in a way that promotes self-advocacy and supports people to make their own choices.
3. Good knowledge of safeguarding and an understanding of the social care system with regard to disabled people
4. The ability to respond to and engage in one to one working with students when needed
5. Experience and enjoyment of managing people, resources, and projects
6. Excellent problem solving skills with a creative and exploratory approach
7. The skills to provide practical support and guidance for students with additional and complex needs
8. The ability to get on with people at different levels and with different abilities
9. Excellent listening and facilitation skills, including the ability to communicate with those who are non-verbal
10. Excellent team working skills and a commitment to creative partnership.
11. The ability to work under pressure, have the ability to plan ahead, achieve given deadlines, and have an eye for detail.
12. The ability to work flexibly, with some out of hours work required.
13. 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, and you should have a facility for using digital technology as a daily tool.
14. Good literacy and numeracy skills, and the ability to produce clear, well-presented, concise reports for internal and external audiences.
15. A passion for supporting disabled people to live independent, autonomous, happy lives, achieving their dreams and aspirations.
16. Knowledge of intensive interaction techniques is desirable.

How to apply:

Please download a copy of our application form and equal opportunities form. Once compete, please email both to Leanne at hradmin@sharecommunity.org.uk.  Please put your name and job title in the email subject line when you apply.  If you wish to post your application form, please post it to: Private & Confidential, Leanne Wood, Share Community, 64 Altenburg Gardens, London, SW11 1JL

To download a copy of the full job description, click here. 

We will endeavour to acknowledge receipt of your application form by email; however only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.  You will be required to provide proof of qualifications and ID at the interview. 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.