Welcome to the Ability Cooperative Limited

Job Application Pack

Welcome to the Ability Cooperative Limited

Princes Park Garden Centre

Princes Park

Liverpool Road

Irlam

M44 6BR

Tel: 0161 775 0875

Email:

Dear candidate,

Thank you for your interest in working for the Ability Cooperative Limited. The cooperative is a social enterprise run by community members. It exists for the benefit of disabled people and the wider community Our aim is to ensure that disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and their families in can play a full and active part in the life of their community.

Our members are from all communities including people with learning difficulties, sensory or physical conditions and people who are disabled due to long term conditions.

Please find the following documents in this pack:

Job advertisement
Job description
Job specification
Application form
Equal opportunities monitoring form
Information about the Ability Cooperative Ltd and Princes Park Garden Centre.

If you have any problems in completing the application form please do not hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to receiving your application very soon.

Best of luck

Paulette Holness

On behalf of the Ability Cooperative Limited’s Board

Ref:

Horticulture Group Mentor

Employer: Ability Cooperative Limited
Closing Date: Mon 21/04/2017 17:00 PM
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: Points subject to evaluation and review £15882 to £16998 per annum pro rata; based on a 35 hour week.

DBS Check: Enhanced
Location: Princes Park Garden Centre or other sites.

An opportunity exists for a Horticulture Group Mentor position to work as part of a team. The post holder will undertake coordination, development and delivery of horticultural activities and risk assessment to assist in supporting people using services on site. The post will also include direct work with volunteers, people on work placement or apprentices to assist with developing skills and work experience in a safe and enabling environment.

You will be required to work as part of a team, the hours vary seasonally with core hours being between 9am and 4pm during the working week, but there will be the need to work outside of the core times in accordance with a rota.

This busy but supportive team is committed to working with disabled people and their families on a multi-agency, preventive basis to improve outcomes for disabled people.

You will have strong horticulture and gardening abilities supported by appropriate qualifications e.g. RHS level 3 or above or equivalent other qualifications or vocational experience; with skills to engage easily both with local people and senior executives in other organisations You will possess good communication skills both written and verbal, with an ability to meet deadlines within a supportive management structure.

The Ability Cooperative Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you wish to apply for this role, please contact Ability Cooperative Limited for an application pack.The contact details are:

Telephone: 0161 775 0875

Mobile: 0791 739 1198

If you have any questions you should contact Anusha on telephone number 0161 775 0875 or by email to: .

This position is subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.

Ability Cooperative Limited

Princes Park Garden Centre

Princes Park

Liverpool Road

Irlam

M44 6BR

Tel: 0161 775 0875

Email:

Organisation: / Ability Cooperative Limited
Section: / Social Enterprise Team

Job Details:

Job Title: / Horticulture Group Mentor
Grade/ Rate / £15882 to £16998 subject to job evaluation/ review
Location of Work: / Princes Park Garden centre, Salford or other sites
Directly responsible to: / Business Management
Directly responsible for: / Horticulture including garden centre propagation and general plant nursery, plant care, outdoor landscaping services and placement team
Hours of Duty: / 35 hours per week
Primary purpose of the job: / To support the business development by implementing the “greening the space” strategy developed by the cooperative ensuring the achievement of key performance indicators i.e.

Creating an exemplary horticultural environment
Motivating your group to achieve excellence
Working with team to develop horticultural services

Post Ref. No: / 0000011

The post holder will carry out their duties with full regard for the Strategies & Policies on Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, safeguarding and other Strategies & Policies. They will also contribute and demonstrate a commitment to the Social Model of Disability

Main Duties and Responsibilities / Accountabilities:

Responsible for the delivery of general horticulture / gardening services and day to day garden centre propagation.
1 / To work with others to develop a catalogue of items for sale, improving social media and general online presence
2 / To share skills with others giving demonstrations of the types of skills that can be developed
3 / To work with the team to maintain a safe work environment
4 / To sell products produced on site and
5 / Competent Epos management, daily reports, and other financial management processes
6 / To engage with local community craft persons to develop potential business relationships
To lead the practical development of a horticulture enterprise unit which produces good quality horticultural products
1 / To work with others to develop a catalogue of items for sale, improving social media and general online presence
2 / To share skills with others giving demonstrations of the types of skills that can be developed
3 / To work with the team to maintain a safe work environment
4 / To sell products produced on site and
5 / Competent Epos management, daily reports, and other financial management processes
6 / To engage with local community craft persons to develop potential business relationships
To provide group support for disabled people and people with long term health conditions to have a positive and meaningful experience whilst on placements in the garden centre
7 / To complete a personal development plans to help identify key training & learning outcomes at the start of the placements
8 / To teach and monitor basic skills needed to work effectively in the garden centre and all associated businesses
9 / To support placements attendees, on a week by week basis; to complete their log books, recording their experiences and learning
10 / To contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the project
11 / To attend mandatory training to meet the needs of the business and for personal development
12 / To carry out and support appropriate risk assessments and maintain high levels of health and safety on site.
General:
13 / To satisfy the needs of our customers
14 / To pursue growth opportunities through initiatives and proactivity
15 / Motivating a team to increase sales and ensure efficiency
16 / To promote services using social media and other online facilities including website and face book updating
17 / To manage stock including, stocktaking, bar code creation, for us in qualitative and quantitative information production.
18 / Undertake such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate with the role and tasks of the post

Review Arrangement:

The details contained in this job description reflects the content of the job at the date it was prepared.
It should be remembered however, that it is inevitable that over time, the nature of individual jobs will change, existing duties may no longer be required and other duties may be gained without changing the general nature of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed.
Consequently, the cooperative will expect to revise this job description from time to time and will consult with the post holder at the appropriate time.

Date Job Description prepared: 10 / 02 / 17

Prepared / Revised by: Anusha & Paulette Holness

Agreed Job description signed by Holder: ______

FCA Registration No 31916R, Ability Cooperative Limited

Job title / Grade / Section / Location
Horticulture Group Mentor / Social Enterprise Team / Princes Park Garden Centre

Note to manager

In completing this form, you are setting the expected standard for the person you need for this job on this occasion. Once completed, it will help to create your shortlist of candidates and to devise the questions you ask at interview. Please describe the criterion in ways that are both accurate and capable of being tested. Above all, the requirements must be job related and non-discriminatory. The job description, person specification and advertisement must be consistent. Each of the criteria must be identified under the Essential or Desirable headings. Whilst all criterions are important, those marked Essential must be met before an interview can be offered.

Note to applicants
Whilst all criterions below are important, those under the Essential heading are the key requirements. You should pay attention to these areas and provide evidence of meeting them. Failure to do so may mean that you will not be invited for interview.
Essential criteria / Necessary requirements – skills, knowledge, abilities / * M.O.A.
Must hold current DBS certificate or willingness to undertake DBS application / A&I
Skilled in providing practical horticultural mentoring experience and in producing quality plants, trees in an improving green environment. / A&I
Able to participate in the assessment of individual needs and contribute to the implementation of individual service plan / A&I
Ability to work with disabled people, people with long term health conditions or other excluded/ isolated groups. / A&I
Practical knowledge of setting up and maintaining a clean safe quality horticultural environment / A&I
Able to interpret and communicate skills in horticulture, customer care and health and safety / A&I
Ability to work as part of a team including day to day liaison, forward planning and monitoring, working with manager to give operational support and covering for other staff on leave or due to illness / A&I
Able to communicate clearly with disabled adults and adults with long term health conditions about the service on offer to them and the service they are aiming to provide / A&I
Flexible approach to work and able to work occasional evenings and occasional weekends / A&I
Good organisation skills and ability to work on own initiative / A&I
Excellent level of plant husbandry skills / A&I
Ability to manage and interpret trends to facilitate planning
Evidence of a strong empathy with the needs of citizens and customers / A&I
Able to communicate effectively with parents, carers and others
Demonstrate a personal commitment to equal opportunities and demonstrate a willingness to promote and apply the social model of disability
Able to record information accurately, both written and numerical
Ability to use information technology in an administrative environment, particularly to record sales figures for data analysis and forward planning using IT. packages such as Word, Excel, Access, quick books / A&I
Ability to prioritise workload and working to deadlines
Ability to engage with the local community and maintain effective working relationships with community members, colleagues, other business etc.
To represent the Ability Cooperative Limited in positive and constructive manner
Able to write clear accurate records, to be numerate and able to converse, write and comprehend in English
Ability to organise special promotions, displays and events
Ability to update colleagues on business performance, new initiatives and other issues
Maintaining awareness of market trends in the horticultural industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives and monitoring what the garden centre market is doing
Essential criteria / Necessary requirements – Education & Experience
Able to comprehend and write clear and accurate records in English be numerate and able to converse
NVQ level ll in Health & social care or a willingness to obtain this qualification
RHS level 3 or above or its equivalent
Essential criteria / Necessary requirements - Personal Skills
A commitment to assisting others to achieve their goals and ambitions and a passion for empowering others
Excellent communication, customer care and interpersonal skills
A commitment to the values and beliefs behind social enterprises and willingness to work toward creating social value
Effective time Management
A willingness to model appropriate behaviours to assist placements, vounteers and other trainees to develop appropriate behaviours in the work environment
To work in a way, which demonstrates the highest regard for individual placements, their choice abilities and
To demonstrate effective management of operational risk; including how to assess and manage risk daily
Completed by / Date / Approved by / Date

Method of assessment (* M.O.A.)

A = Application form, C = Certificate, E = Exercise, I= Interview, P = Presentation, T = Test, AC = Assessment centre

Registered Name and Office: FCA Registration No 31916R, Ability Cooperative Limited, Princes Park Garden Centre,

Liverpool Road, Irlam, M44 6BR

APPLICATION FORM

All information supplied on this form will be treated as

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Application Form

POST APPLIED

FOR:

Personal Details

SURNAME

INITIALS

Address and Postcode:
Address for correspondence (if different):
Telephone No(s) / Home: / Work:
Email Address: / Mobile:
Are we able to contact you at work? / By Phone: / By Email:
Do you hold a current full car driving licence?

References

Please give two referees, who can comment on your professionalism /

work ability, oneshould be your present / most recent employer

a) Present/Most RecentEmployer / b) Second Referee
Name
Address / Name
Address
Position / Position
E-mail / E-mail
Tel. No. / Tel. No.

Details of Secondary / Further Education(continue on a separate sheet if necessary)

Dates / School/College/University/ training / Qualifications Gained

Professional Qualifications / Membership of Professional Bodies

Dates / Full Details of Professional Qualifications

Interests / Leisure Activities

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Have you any convictions which are not regarded as “spent” Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974?
If “yes”, describe the offence and date of conviction
Are you currently the subject of any criminal proceedings or convictions?
If yes please state
Failure to disclose any convictions which are not “spent” may render you liable for dismissal.

Relationship

Are you related to any Employee of Ability Cooperative Limitedor Officer of this organisation or the partner of such persons?
If yes please give details (e.g. Name, Position Held, Relationship)
Please note that Canvassing of Officers shall lead to disqualification.

Present / Most Recent Employment Details

Employers Name & Address / Job Title
Date Appointed
Date Terminated
Latest Salary / Scale
Length of Notice
Summary of main duties / purpose of job

Previous Employment (starting with the most recent)

From / To / Employer & Position Held / Final Salary/Scale / Reason for Leaving

Reasons for Applying

Relevant Experience / Skills

Please give details of any achievements, career plans or areas of work experience (Includingvoluntary work), which you feel are most relevant to this post. Continue a separate sheet if necessary.

Please state where our advertisement was first seen: ______

I declare that the facts given in this application are to the best of my knowledge correct. I understand that any false information may result in my dismissal, if appointed.

Signed:Date:

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF APPLICATION IS SENT BY EMAIL, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN THE FORM IF SELECTED FOR INTERVIEW

Atthe Ability Cooperative Limited we monitor our recruitment processes to ensure that all applicants are fairly assessed and that we meet our obligations under the various Acts of Parliament and related Codes of Practice concerned with equality. Please help us to carry out this monitoring by answering the questions below. They are placed on a separate page to the application form to emphasise that they relate only to monitoring

This page will be detached, and will not form part of the selection procedure but will be used only for statistical purposes. Please tick appropriate boxes.

Gender

Male Female

Gender Reassigned

Do not wish to answer

Preferred TitleMiss Mr Mrs Ms