Personal Assistant/Buddy

Ref: ES121

Location: Forest Row

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Details

I am looking for personal care for a Man

Drivers licence required: Yes

Own vehicle needed: Yes

Hours per week:

6 hours a month, ideally weekends. There is some flexibility to increase these hrs if needed occasionally.

Hourly pay rate:

£13.50, mileage paid at 40p per mile

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We are looking to employ a PA/Buddy to support my son (23 years old).

Our son is a gamer and is enthusiastic about learning new skills such as coding and IT skills. He is currently teaching himself Japanese. He also adores dogs and has his own dog who he is very fond of. He loves the cinema and eating out.  He is looking for a person with similar interests who would like to support him with his independence and help he build relationships in the community.

The kind of support needed includes support to engage with the community and access social and leisure activities that he enjoys.  It’s important a trusting and friendly but professional working relationship is formed with our son and us in the first instance as he has become very isolated.

Although the hours are set at 6 per month, we have the ability to increase these hours over the adjustment period when the successful applicant starts in the role. Support times are flexible and include weekends or evenings.

This will also give our son and his new PA time to build a good rapport. This will also help getting him back into the community and enjoying activities after all the difficulties caused by lockdown.

It will take time to build your relationship together as he has gone without support for some time. You will need to show patience and have an understanding of anxiety, autism and communication difficulties including selective mutism, so you can support a growth in their confidence in order to function in social circumstances and enjoy activities.

Duties include:

  • Transportation
  • Companionship
  • Looking after pets

  • Accompanying and assisting employer on shopping trips when required
  • Accompany employer when accessing social and leisure activities, such as the cinema.
  • Accompanying when clothes-buying.
  • Dog walking
  • Occasional longer journeys
  • Driving and accompanying to social events such as:
  • Cinema
  • Accompanying on trips out eg to the garden centre, beach, cinema, craft fairs, local visits, out shopping for fun, attending social events.
  • Accompanying to social meetings eg friends, family
  • The above duties could involve driving the employer in the PA’s car.
  • Whilst on duty at the employer’s home watching TV and assisting with craft activities

Candidate qualities:

  • Respectful of the employer's privacy and confidentiality
  • Reliable with good timekeeping
  • Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
  • Hygienic, tidy and well organised
  • Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
  • Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills
  • Honest and cheerful
  • Creative
  • Able to speak and read English to a reasonable standard
  • Must be comfortable with pets
  • Able to always work to high standards of health & safety

  • Experience with autism and selective mutism would be an advantage but not essential.
  • Of a calming nature

Additional requirements

Non-smoker preferred or someone willing to refrain from smoking during working hours

Notes:

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check if required.

Please note, if you are successful in your application for this position you will be employed directly by the individual employer and not Independent Lives. Successful applicants will be entitled to Holiday pay and will be issued employment contracts.

*Exemption for gender is claimed under the Equality Act 2010 Part 1 Schedule 9