Position Description
Disability & Aged Care Support Worker
FEDERATION SHIRE
- Rewarding role in a supportive team
- Permanent Full-time opportunity, based in Corowa
- HPSSW Award – Above award payments + super + generous salary packaging
The Organisation
Amaranth Foundation is a NDIS provider working across the rural communities of southern NSW and NE Victoria, focused on partnering with NDIS participants to help them achieve their life and career goals.
Amaranth is supporting an increasing number of Participants, and we are excited to be looking for an innovative, passionate and progressive team player to provide outstanding service and support to our Participants, to embrace our culture and collaborate to achieve our vision. Our team is our greatest asset and together we strive to provide a strong supportive culture to allow you to work at top of scope.
To succeed in this role, you need to be truly committed and passionate about making people’s lives better by encouraging, engaging and supporting Participants in making independent decisions, by going the extra mile to ensure they are not just “ticking a box” and giving people living with disability choice and control to live their best lives.
Organisational Context
The Vision of Amaranth Foundation, founded in Corowa in 2009, is ‘To develop inclusive and sustainable rural communities where people have access to quality supports and interventions that are appropriate to their needs and stage of life’.
Our Purpose is “To develop an integrated, evidence informed and quality set of services, supports and facilities to meet the needs of rural people experiencing or living with life transitions and challenges”.
Our Values are encapsulated in the acronym HEART – Honesty, Empathy, Autonomy, Respect and Responsibility, Tolerance and Tenacity.
At Amaranth, we believe that How People Live Matters. Our community skills-based Board members are committed to these values and aspirations and actively work in and promote the Foundation’s work.
Our programs have been operating across Murrumbidgee and Southern Riverina regions of NSW providing crisis, disaster and emergency support, therapy and psychosocial services to people with disabilities, people and families with chronic and life limiting health needs including palliative and end of life care, people and families with mental health needs, and the frail elderly.
Amaranth also provides social impact programs for the local and regional community which include social support groups, a local Men’s Table, a Regional Food Bank, opportunities for volunteerism, homelessness support and crisis accommodation and support. The Regional Food Bank, a partnership with Rivalea Australia, Wodonga Food Share and OzHarvest, provides essential food supplies to over 350 people each week across small rural communities in the Riverina and Alpine region. We are supporting and training many volunteers including people with disabilities to work in the Food Bowl and other programs.
Our NDIS disability program includes a comprehensive suite of programs that are built around our vision and values offering a compassionate approach which is, holistic, individualised, person centered, trauma informed and wrap around care.
The Role
You will be an integral member of our NDIS and Participant Support Team.
This diverse, strengths and systems based, people-centred role supports Participants in developing their capacity and resilience and assisting all people living with a disability to live more independently, be an active part of their community and form meaningful relationships with those around them. As an Amaranth Support Worker, you’ll experience the deep satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of others.
You will walk alongside our Participants on their journey to achieve their life goals, including helping them to access all the supports available to them. You will do this by engaging a professional and holistic approach to professional and personal development and growth.
Our approach supports you to work closely with a broad network of internal and external stakeholders to build sound outcomes for Amaranth Foundation, our team and the Participants we support. Your focus is to build a team around our Participants enabling them to live their best lives.
The role of a Support Worker is a very rewarding but at times a challenging and complex role. It requires the development of specialised knowledge and skills so that you are able to support our participants achieve their life, health and vocational goals.
Amaranth Foundation’s Support Worker Team Objectives
1. To provide compassionate, responsive, individualised services and support for each person, their family and care givers that is consistent with the relevant legislation, their NDIS plan, Amaranth’s support worker policy and quality framework, and NDIS funding guidelines,
2. To promote empowerment, choice and control and community inclusion of people with disabilities, their families and care givers consistent with their NDIS plan and the objectives of the Commonwealth NDIS Program,
3. To ensure that each participant and their family members and caregivers are fully informed on the evolving environment of the NDIS and range of services available, both mainstream and disability focussed,
4. To promote a culture that respects a person’s right to the consideration of Dignity of Risk in relation to exercising their choice and control of their NDIS Plan.
Reporting arrangements and accountability
Amaranth Foundation’s voluntary skills-based Board is responsible to people with disabilities and their families and care givers, funding bodies and the community for all aspects of service delivery and management of the Foundation. This responsibility is delegated through the Chief Executive Officer to staff.
Our Support Workers report to the Support Worker Team Leader.
Values implicit in the role
Amaranth have adopted the ‘6 Cs1’ in Health and Social Care, which are the foundations for providing the highest quality care possible to all people regardless of ability, diagnosis, location of care and support. The ‘6 C’s’ ensure that the standard for health and social care staff remains consistent, compassionate and high quality. The ‘6 Cs’ include Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment.
CARE: people expect the highest quality care that is right for them along every step of their journey
COMPASSION: Compassionate care is achieved by empathising with people, respecting them, and treating them with dignity
COMPETENCE: This is about having the necessary clinical and technical knowledge and expertise to carry out a high level of care that is individualised to each person’s situation.
COMMUNICATION: Truly listening to a person, building trusting relationships, communicating honestly and in an open manner and using language that is appropriate for each person are all integral components of good communication.
COURAGE: Being able to speak up and advocate, to safeguard a person’s rights, being able to raise concerns and issues, always doing the right thing for a person takes courage. Courage is also being able to ask for help when needed.
COMMITMENT: Commitment encompasses the need and ability to continue working for and with a person and their family and care givers throughout challenging times, for the entire journey, and wanting to improve care through research, feedback and lived experiences.
If you see yourself reflected in Amaranth’s ‘6C’s’ of health and social care – then this is the perfect job for you. Amaranth’s Support Coordination Team works in a creative, thriving, fast paced environment. The focus is on providing quality supports to NDIS participants to understand their Plan, help them to choose and connect with appropriate and equally high-quality supports and service providers in the implementation of their Plan.
If you are considering this role, you will have:
· Training – Cert 111, IV, Diploma or equivalent in disability, individual support, health and aged services or a related field.
· Have previous experience in a similar support worker role.
· Be knowledgeable about the NDIS and the disability sector.
· Demonstrated experience in record keeping, reporting and maintaining confidentiality.
· Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport and maintain professional boundaries with participants and their families.
· Be able to work independently and as part of a team, and to provide guidance and support to less experienced staff as required.
· A commitment to maintaining professional standards and ethical behaviour, with an understanding of the importance of dignity and respect for participants and their families.
This exciting role also requires you to have:
· The ability to work in a pressured, changeable environment and with complex and often challenging behaviours.
· And you will have highly developed negotiation, communication and problem-solving skills and the ability to act quickly in a crisis situation.
Acting in this role, it will be expected that you:
1. Be open and when appropriate be available to support the Social Impact Programs run by the Foundation,
2. Be open to working outside of normal working hours, if required,
3. Provide information to the participant and their care team in the language or mode of their choice,
4. Be literate in computer data bases, Excel, Word and appropriate use of the Internet,
5. Maintain confidentiality of all people, their families and carer givers and the organisation,
6. Be aware of privacy legislation and risk of fraud and cyber security,
7. Participant in effective networking internally and externally to assist individuals achieve their desired personal outcomes,
8. Manage and disclose any perceived or actual conflict of interest,
9. Provide NDIS with high quality reports on specific goals, outcomes, and success indicators within the agreed reporting frequency,
10. Participate in the development of new services or programs as required,
11. Participate in relevant committees, reference groups, forums etc as required,
12. Enhance Amaranth Foundation’s practice and reputation through continuous improvement, business development, attracting new clients and referrals, and innovation.
To be considered for the role, you will need to hold (or be willing to obtain):
· NDIS Worker Screening clearance.
· Hold a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable car with comprehensive motor vehicle insurance.
· Working with Children’s Check.
· A pre-employment requirement is to undertake the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission online Worker Orientation training module called ‘Quality, Safety and You’ prior to attending or during induction.
Terms and conditions of employment:
• Casual and Part time positions are available
• Location: COROWA
• As per the appropriate Award
• A 6-month probationary period applies.
• In order for Amaranth Foundation to fulfil funding and duty of care obligations, the position includes ongoing requirements that must be met by designated dates. These requirements include mandatory training, updating police and Working with Children Checks and providing a copy of your driver’s licence. Failure to meet these requirements will result in consequences commensurate to the task.
We provide:
· Excellent work facilities to assist you with carrying out your role.
· Regular team catch ups to discuss and identify support and training needs.
· A workforce of experienced and supportive team members.
· A variety of online NDS training courses ranging from induction through to complex care.
· Opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of people with disabilities.
· A supportive induction and orientation process.
· Local offices, managers, and regular social events
· Personal development and career progression opportunities
Want to make a real difference in people’s lives? Want to work with a charitable organisation that lives and breathes values? Then you need to apply today.
How to apply
We want to get to know you better, so please include a cover letter addressing the selection criteria along with your resume and 2 x referee contacts.
Enquiries can be made to: Claire Davidson
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to receiving your application and discussing your situation, goals and availability.
