18657 - Project Worker - PosAbility

PosAbility has been operating in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust since 2002. We deliver a wide range of capacity building programs to help increase disabled children and young people's ability to share their views on disability issues and facilitate their involvement in local and regional children's services planning processes. The project provides a safe and stimulating environment to young people who have a range of conditions that enables them to speak out about issues that impact on their lives. 

Young people are facilitated to exercise their rights to have their say by being supported to attend and participate in influencing forums and meetings with policy makers and service providers. PosAbility operates a Peer Coaching Programme, a Young Person's Regional Group, a Rights-Based School's Programme, and Advocacy Groups. Subsequent to a successful bid for funding from The Community Fund, in 2021 we launched the Transition and Inclusion Service (TIS) as a response to unmet needs shared by our young people in the Southern Trust Area.

Transition and Inclusion Service (TIS)

 The project worker post will be part of our Transition and Inclusion Service (TIS). TIS supports young people aged 16-21 with a disability/special need as they transition into adult disability services. It works with young people living in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. It is a wraparound service and support existing services engaged in transition work with young people with disabilities by bridging any gaps and providing additional support not currently being provided by statutory services.

The project also seeks to increase young people's involvement in the planning of adult disability services.

Initial Specific Responsibilities

The project worker will manage a caseload. They will help young people to increase their independence, negotiate their own transition to adult services and integrate into their community. 

The worker will support young people on a 1:1 basis providing home visits and community-based support on a regular basis. The support provided will reflect the individuals' own needs e.g. advice on benefits/entitlements, learning to cook, socialising, learning to travel independently, learning to advocate on their own behalf, learning to manage emotions etc. The young people will set their own goals using a pathway plan. The project worker will be required to log progress against the agreed evaluation tool to track progress on a sessional basis and measures changes important to the individual.

The workers will also facilitate regular group work opportunities, social outings and two residentials -all offering opportunities for young people to experience independence and develop their teamwork skills.

If agreed by the young person; the outreach workers will provide advice to the young people's parents or a significant adult in their life to support the young person in achieving the goals they have set.

To meet the needs of our young people the project worker will be required to work some evenings and occasional weekends.

 Location of Service/Support Offered:

PosAbility has its offices based in Armagh, from where individual and group sessions are delivered. TIS is provided as an outreach service and most of the work will take place in the community throughout the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.  The worker will be asked to travel within the Southern Trust area and to work flexibly to meet the needs of children and families.

Hours of Work:

30 hours per week. The service operates from Monday to Friday. Due to the needs of the children and young people, afternoon and early evening work will be required and commitment to one Saturday day per month is required. The service operates flexible working.

Please ensure that you outline on your application how you meet the required criteria listed in the attached Additional Information Sheet. 

In return Barnardo's offers a reward package that includes a competitive salary, 26 days annual leave and 10 statutory/public holidays (pro-rata) per annum, a contributory pension scheme, an additional holiday purchase scheme and staff discounts.

Location: Grange Building, Tower Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DR

Salary: £23,400 - £28,600 FTE

Hours: 30 per week

Fixed Contract: 31st October 2024

Closing date: Midnight Monday 6th May 2024

Interview date:  TBC

Contact details: [email protected]

 The successful candidate will also be required to undertake enhanced Child and Adult barred AccessNI check.

A waiting list of Reserve candidates will be held in the event that similar vacancies arise during the next 12 months