POSITION DESCRIPTION

Accommodation & Flexible Living Options Residential Support Worker

Organisational Context

Gateways Support Services Inc. provides a range of services to children and adults with disabilities and additional needs in the Western Region. The Accommodation& Specialist Support Services division supports adolescents and adults with disabilities through the provision of supported accommodation and flexible living options.

Gateways is committed to providing quality, safety and wellbeing to every person who uses our services. We have rigorous recruitment policies and procedures in place promoting the safety and protection of all vulnerable people we support.

Service Standards

Gateways accommodation services are required to comply with the Disability Act 2006 and meet the National Standards for Disability Services as a condition of funding. Responsibilities and duties in this position description are linked to the relevant industry standard.

Reporting Arrangements and Accountability

The Gateways Board of Management is responsible to clients, funding bodies and the community for all aspects of service provision and management of the organisation. This responsibility is delegated through the Chief Executive Officer to staff. Residential Support Workers report to and are directly accountable to the Team Leaders. The accountability structure is as follows:

Residential Support Worker’s Duties and Responsibilities

Gateways Support Services Accommodation & Specialist Support Services provides high quality; community based supported accommodationand flexible living optionsfor people with an intellectual disability and additional needs. This support encourages developmental opportunities and choice, enabling maximum integration with the community and a lifestyle that emulates the general community.

Accommodation & Specialist Support Services aim to enrich people’s quality of life through a Person Centred Active Support approach using every available daily opportunity to promote people’s:

  • Participation in household and community activities.
  • Relationship building with other people.
  • Choice in all aspects of decision-making that affects them.
  • Dignity and respect in all aspects of their lives.
  • Skills that are used and developed to create achievement.

This is based on a premise that all people with disabilities can:

  • Make informed choices.
  • Participate in activities of choice irrespective of their abilities.
  • Make a contribution.

Position Purpose

The Residential Support Worker works rostered shifts in Accommodation& Specialist Support Services to support people with a disability. The role is required to liaise with Team Leaders, fellow staff members, managers, families, program providers, community groups, and other interested parties in relation to client related and service delivery issues, and participate in the monitoring and evaluation of service performance and individual outcomes.

Accountabilities

Operating at value range, you will:

  • Provide support to people with disabilities in areas such as personal care, health and well-being, accessing the local community, learning independent living skills and implementation of all support plans including Person Centred Plans, Behaviour Support Plans, NDIS and Health Care Plans.
  • Create and maintain an environment that empowers people with disabilities.
  • Identify and utilise specific communication methods to interact with people with disabilities.
  • Advocate for people with disabilities.
  • Complete administrative work including maintaining client records and household accounts.
  • Plan meals and menus in accordance with food safety guidelines to meet nutritional, cultural and religious needs.
  • Participate and cooperate with managers and Team Leaders in consultative processes to improve health and safety, using the relevant tools and systems such as, procedures, guidelines and policies.
  • Observe the safe working practices you have been trained in, and as far as you are able, protect your own and others’ health and safety.
  • Attend all mandatory training and/or training requested by Program Manager or Team Leader.
  • Read and sign off on all policies and procedures.
  • Attend and contribute to staff meetings.
  • Participate in regular supervision and annual performance appraisals.

Pre-employment Requirements

Note: All applicants will be subject to National Criminal History Records Check.

To gain employment staff need to have the following prior to commencement

Current Level 2 First Aid Certificate

Current CPR valid for 8 months

Current Working with Children Card (WWCC) for employees

A satisfactory health declaration in accordance with Gateways Support Services Pre-Employment Policy

Be assessed by the Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme

Desirable Requirements

Certificate IV in Disability or Community Services

Current Victorian Driver’s Licence

Key Selection Criteria

Specialist Expertise/Role Specific Requirements:

A good understanding of the principles of the Disability Act 2006,the NDIS Act 2013, the Victorian State DisabilityPlan, Victorian Human Rights, Dignity of Risk and Duty of Care.

An understanding of the National Disability Standards and what they mean for people with a disability

Ability to advocate for,and empower people with a disability to self-advocate

Maximise a safe work environment by following policies, procedures and protocols to ensure that

  • the people we supportare safe from abuse and neglect
  • that you respond appropriately to challenging behaviouror health needs following documented strategies

Sound computer skills, including the ability to open emails, perform online training and record case notes on the client database.

The ability to relate to and see issues from the perspective of people from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds.

The successful applicant will be required to work shifts as rostered, including morning, afternoon, active nights, sleepovers and on weekends and public holidays.

Professional Boundaries:

At all times operate within the sector’s legal and ethical frameworks while providing impartial services to those we support.

Adhere to a high standard of conduct working within the scope of your role.

Knowledge and Skills:

Emotional intelligence: Ability to self-reflect, self-regulate emotions, ability to adjust approach based on thereaction of others, pays attention to the present moment.

Effective communication skills verbal, non-verbal and written: Ability to clearly explain information and listen to feedback, speak and write clearly and concisely and keep people interested when communicating, use a polite and considerate manner when dealing with others. Ability to record and report accurately. Awareness ofand ability to adjust body language depending on the situation, including facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture and tone of voice.

Interpersonal skills: Polite and considerate in dealing with others, has awareness of people and temperament.

Responsiveness/stakeholder management: Ability to respond to individual needs and promptly follow through on enquiries, requests and complaints. Maintain contact with individual’s family, friends, advocates and other service providers as appropriate to ensure access to relevant personal, community, social and leisure services.

Policy skills: Understands the purpose of policies, ability to use operational policies to guide their work.

Personal Qualities:

Person Centred Focus: Listens to the people we support and actively seeks to meet their needs to deliver high quality outcomes by supporting individual choice,seeks ways to improve services, and is committed to delivering high quality outcomes. Valuing people with disabilities.

Empathy and Cultural Awareness: Pays attention to words, expressions and body language, paraphrases messages to check understanding, shapes responses to individuals, based on a range of information they have noted, communicates well with, relates to and sees issues from the perspective of people from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds.

Integrity: Committed to the public interest, operates in a manner that is consistent with the Gateways Code of Conduct, inspires trust by treating all individual’s fairly. Aware and accountable for conduct and actions. Provides care, attention and diligence to all aspects of work.

Teamwork: Cooperates and works well with others in the pursuit of team goals and achieving individual outcomes for those we support. Collaborates and shares information whilst showingconsideration, concern and respect for other’s feelings and ideas. Accommodates and works well with the different working style of others.

Maintains a positive solution based approach within a supportive environment.

Reliability & Productivity:Attends all shifts in the prescribed manner. Completes all household and administrative duties throughout their shift. Self-motivated, shows enthusiasm to learn and achieve.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

As per the Gateways Support Services Inc and Health Services Union of Australia Disability Services Sector Certified Agreement 2005, plus specific conditions as outlined in the Employment Contract.

Classification - Residential Support Services Worker.

1

Accommodation\Manager\Position Descriptions\Adult Accomm\RSW Oct 2017