Direct Payment and Self Directed Support Service

Personal Assistants/Support Workers Vacancies

Updated 17th May 2013

The following vacancies are advertised directly by the disabled person who receives support from the Direct Payment Support Service. It is important to note that it is not Darlington Association on Disability that is the employer.

Would you like the opportunity to work for and assist a disabled person on a one to one basis to have choice and control in their life and live independently within their own home and in the community?

Do you enjoy the company of people, are able to work flexibly, reliable, have good communication skills and willing to learn how to meet the individual needs of the person you are assisting?

If the answer is YES to both of these questions then you may be interested to find out more about the various posts available to work in Darlington employed by a disabled person or carer using a Direct Payment.

Duties may include assisting with personal care, accessing community facilities, shopping and domestic tasks. Having access to transport is desirable but not essential. Previous experience is not essential.

A version of this information in Word format is available by clicking this link: Direct Payments Vacancies(Word). For a PDF version please click this link: Direct Payment Vacancies(PDF).

Personal Assistant Ref: 1436

A person in Darlington requires a personal assistant to support with weekly outing, plus holiday cover when required.

Hours: 2 hours per week to be worked flexibly. Ideally between 11am to 1pm

Hourly rate: £7.00 per hour plus mileage

Duties: To support with using a wheelchair and carrying bags. A car driver with a clean licence essential

Applicants must be: Punctual, fun, sociable, respect confidentiality and privacy, and honest.

Personal Assistant/Support Worker Ref: 1208

An exciting opportunity has arisen to support a young disabled man with social activities. As the personal assistant you would support the young man with his chosen social activities including: going to the cinema, going out for lunch, and going to watch the football. The applicant would need to be creative in thinking of new support activities and be able to encourage and motivate the young man to try new things. The successful applicant would also support with helping the young man to learn independent living skills, such as using public transport, maintaining road safety awareness and managing money. Experience of working with disabled young people is desirable but not an essential requirement as you will be given an induction to the role and training can be arranged as necessary.

Hours: 4 hours once a fortnight on a Saturday but would need to be flexible. More hours may be available during school holidays.

Hourly rate: £6.50 - £7.50 depending upon experience.

Duties: will include taking the young man to chosen social activities as described above. There are no personal care duties involved.

Access to your own vehicle would be desirable but is not essential. Applicants must be responsible and have a sensible attitude. Applications are particularly welcome from male applicants.

Personal Assistant - Mowden Area, Female Only Ref: 49

A Personal Assistant is required to support a 25 year old girl with learning difficulties and autism to access social activities within the local community and also to provide personal care.

Hours: 2 weekends per month (flexible)

Hourly Rate: £9 + mileage allowance @ 40p per mile.

Applicants must be: Car owner/driver essential, non - smoker, trustworthy, reliable, friendly and honest

Personal Assistant Ref: 1342

Personal Assistant required to support a 10 year old boy with social activities.

Hours: 4 per week

Hourly rate: £7.50 per hour

Duties: will include taking young boy out to social activities and planning creative activities around his interests.

Applicants must have: some knowledge of ADHD, be honest, friendly, reliable, open minded, flexible, able to use own initiative and athletic. The post requires a full clean driving license and access to own car.

Personal Assistant Ref: 1337

A great opportunity to work with a DP user to support a man in accessing social opportunities in the community.

Hours: 4 - 6 per week

Hourly rate: £7.50

Applicants: Some experience working with disabled adults preferred.

Creative, motivated and patient applicants welcome. Access to transport preferred.

Personal Assistant/Support Worker Ref: 95

A personal assistant required to support a young man with paperwork, household duties, shopping and some social activities.

Hours: 15 per week

Hourly rate: £7.25

Duties: Support a young man with some tidying, dish washing, laundry, housework etc. Support with dealing with finances and other duties as and when needed.

Applicants must be: Enthusiastic, fun loving, friendly and open, outgoing, honest, genuine and trustworthy.

You will be asked to undertake pre-employment checks, which will include a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Personal Assistant - Town Centre Ref: 147

A gentleman with advanced M.S. is to looking to recruit a PA with experience who will be able to fit into a well established team of 3 PAs

Duties: Assistance with getting out of bed, getting ready for bed, meal preparation, assistance at mealtimes and general domestic tasks.

Hours: Approx 16 hours per week - evenings and weekends and holiday cover

Rate: £7.00 per hour weekdays, evenings and Saturdays; £10.50 per hour on Sundays.

Applicants: Some medical knowledge of MS would be advantageous. Applicants must maintain confidentiality, work for a close-knit family with pets, be reliable, have excellent communication skills and be able to work in a non-smoking environment.

Personal Assistant/Support Worker Ref: 506

A Personal Assistant is required to support a young disabled boy with social activities. The Personal assistant will be employed to care for the young boy for approx 3 hours each week.

Hours: The family would like someone to support the 16 year old boy on a weekend or after school/school holidays. They are quite flexible around what hours you will work on the weekend.

Hourly rate: £6.50 - £7.50 per hour

Duties: Duties will include taking the young boy out to participate in social activities. There are no personal care duties involved.

Applicants must be: Honest, trustworthy and friendly. They must be reliable and flexible and have the ability to handle challenging behaviour. Having experience working with disabled children and having access to transport is a plus, however is not a necessity. A fun loving, enthusiastic person would be ideal.

Personal Assistant Ref: 63

A lady is looking for a personal assistant to support with social and domestic work.

Hours: 3 per week spread over 2 days.

Hourly rate: £7.00.

Duties include: tidying up the kitchen and emptying dishwasher and other light duties. Also walking the dogs.

Applicants: Must like animals, be trustworthy, honest and reliable.

Support Worker Ref: 336

A reliable and trustworthy individual is required to support a young person with learning difficulties with social and leisure activities whilst providing support for the parent. This position is initially for maternity cover with a likely start date at the beginning of April but may be extended. Specifically the role will be to support the young person to attend horse-riding so the ideal applicant will need to be confident around horses. Applicants will need to be a driver with access to their own vehicle.

Duties: taking young man out to access horse riding, assisting with mobility, supporting with communication

Hours: Saturday 9:00am-11:30am

Wage: £8.00 per hour with mileage expenses payable.

Applicants Must: enjoy working with young people, with a lively personality, and be available over holidays.

Relief Support Worker Ref:107

Relief staff required to assist as and when needed with supported living for young people with learning difficulties in their own home and within the community in Darlington.

Hours: To be arranged - will include evenings and weekends plus sleep overs on an as and when needed basis

Hourly Rate: £7.15

Applicants must be: trustworthy, able to work on own initiative, reliable, able to maintain confidentiality, able to work flexibly. Car driver would be preferable but not essential. Previous experience of working with people with learning difficulties would be preferable but not essential.

Personal Assistant/Support Worker Ref:1314

A PA required to support a 17 year old boy with social activities.

Hours: basic 4 per week, with extra hours available as needed for certain outings and through school holidays.

Hourly rate: £7.50.

Duties will include: Taking young man out socially to pictures, games shops-arcades, museums and other activities that might interest him.

Applicants must: have some experience with autism. Be honest, caring, kind and patient with understanding of Autism.

Personal Assistant/Support Worker Ref:1206

A personal assistant required to provide one to one support of a teenage girl with complex needs.

Hours: 12 hours per month

Hourly rate:

Duties: Will include supporting 14 year old girl with activities such as horse riding, outdoor activities, exercising, park visits.

Applicants must be: trustworthy, reliable, honest, and have an interest in the above activities. Experience of children with Cerebral Palsy would be beneficial. Having access to transport would also be a plus.

Important information for applicants:

Applicants must be: Able to work flexibly, good communicator, able to respect dignity and willing to learn from the employer.

All applicants will have to provide references and undergo an enhanced criminal records bureau check.

For further information please contact the Direct Payments Support Service on 01325 360524 quoting the job reference number or alternatively e-mail directpayments@darlingtondisability.org

A Direct Payment is made from the local authority to individuals to have control and choice over their own support. Many people who use a Direct Payment choose to employ a personal assistant or a support worker.

Successful applicants will be employed directly by the disabled person who receives support from the Support Service to do this. It is important to understand that it is not the support service that is the employer.

All posts include the statutory requirement of 5.6 weeks paid holiday and other usual employment rights.

It may be helpful to understand that there is a difference between that of a Care Assistant and a Personal Assistant. Although differing posts have varying requirements the general role of a personal assistant is the same. A personal assistant's role is to help your employer to live the way they choose. This means that a personal assistant should listen to their employer to understand and respond positively to any reasonable request for assistance. It enables disabled people to lead an individual, independent life equal to that of non-disabled people.

If you would like to apply for any of the posts please quote the reference number (on the top of each advert). To ensure a smooth recruitment process we ask applicants to apply for only one post at a time and if you are unsuccessful you are then able to apply for further posts.

If however you are looking for work, which is in excess of the advertised post - please speak to the Support Service, as there may be posts, which you could apply for together to make up the hours that you wish to work.

What happens next:

1. After completing your application form and returning it to the Support Service, your application will be sent to employers which you have requested and if indicated other employers which are appropriate.

2. If short-listed you will be asked for an interview, which will give the employer the opportunity to decide whether they wish to employ you. This is also the applicant's opportunity to find out information to decide whether you feel the position is appropriate for you.

3. Where you indicate as such your application form will be kept on file and passed on to an appropriate employer. This means that it may take some time before you are contacted.