Shared Lives Development Worker

PSS Shared Lives Manchester

Shared Lives Development Worker

GBP19,599 per annum

37hrs per week

Ref: MCR/SLDW

We're PSS, a social enterprise that helps people change their lives for the better. As one of our Shared Lives Development Workers, you'll have an important job to do. Using your knowledge of care and support planning, you'll put plans in place to help service-users have their needs met and settle in to their new homes. You'll also carry out a risk assessment to make sure everyone stays safe and well.

PSS Shared Lives is about giving people with learning disabilities or experiencing mental health problems the opportunity to live in a happy, safe home with one of our self-employed Shared Lives carers.

Take this scenario:

James is 28 and from Urmston. He works as a shop assistant in a local DIY shop. He's a City fan, loves going out for a pint on a Friday night and is secretly a fan of watching Love Island - not that he'd tell that to his mates. He lives with his mum and dad at the moment, but feels it's high time he moved out. James has a learning disability, which means he needs a little help around the house with things like making his packed lunch, ironing and looking after his finances. He'd love to move somewhere where he knows he'll still get the help he needs, but can also have his independence.

Jacqui is 45 and lives in Stretford with her 18-year-old son, Jaden, and their dog, Colin (named after Colin Bell). After being on her feet all day working in a care home, she loves nothing more than putting her achey feet up, relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine and some trashy TV (she's well and truly caught up with the Kardashians). She likes her job, but wishes she could work for herself. Jaden is off to university soon, and she's worried she'll be lonely without him to look after.

Notice anything?

These two are a perfect match, right?

Thanks to PSS Shared Lives, James now lives with Jacqui, in her house, where she helps him pay his phone bill on time, make his ham sandwiches for work and get his uniform ironed and ready for a Monday morning. James loves taking Colin for a walk, and he's now living closer to his mates. He got his independence and Jaqcui's feet no longer ache at the end of the day.

Shared Lives carers are people who, like Jacqui, have a spare room in their house and some spare room in their heart, too. Jacqui gets paid to be James' full-time carer, but he's become much more than someone she cares for professionally - he's become part of her family.

To do this job well, you're going to need:

• experience of putting care or support plans together;
• experience of working with health and social care professionals to deliver great outcomes;
• a Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (or comparable), or be working towards this;
• great communication skills;
• passion for finding people safe and happy homes;
• an Enhanced Disclosure;
• a big heart, open mind, determination, professionalism and a genuine personality.

Sound like you? Give us a shout. Go to psspeople.com and download an application pack. We like to keep things simple - no mumbo jumbo - so if there's something you want to ask us in the meantime, please get in touch. We're looking forward to meeting you.

Closing date for applications: 8 th September 2017

We also have Shared Lives Development Worker roles available in Staffordshire/ Birmingham and Wolverhampton as well as Manchester. Please visit our website: and go to Work with Us for further information.