Independent Skills Support Assistant

This role has a starting salary of £26,777 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week. This is an 11-month fixed term / secondment opportunity.

We are excited to be hiring a new Independent Skills Project Assistant to join our fantastic library services team, based at Woking library. This is a countywide role, and the role holder will be expected to travel across the county to oversee the delivery of the programme.

Do you have a passion to improve the lives of Surrey residents? This is an opportunity to assist in the delivery of a series of bespoke Independent Skills courses. Community partners will deliver sessions on the following topics:

• Financial wellbeing
• Emotional wellbeing
• Physical health
• Digital skills
• Finding volunteering and paid employment opportunities
• Support independence

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the RoleWe are looking to recruit an Independent Skills Support Assistant to help deliver a series of comprehensive, bespoke courses to Surrey residents at risk of escalating care and support needs. This addresses Surrey County Council's Health and Wellbeing Prevention strategy and ensures no one is left behind. Independent Skills courses empower residents to improve their skills, reduce social isolation and live their lives with as much independence and control over their own lives, as possible.

The Independent Skills Programme is being delivered by the Surrey County Council (SCC) Library service and is commissioned by SCC Communities and Prevention. Each of the library locations will provide a bespoke set of courses, tailored to the needs of that area, for example, the partner delivering the session on wellbeing will be local to the area, ensuring ongoing support can be offered as appropriate.

The Independent Skills Support Assistant will support the Project Manager to report progress to the Programme steering board. They will also report to the Independent Skills Project Manager and support them with stakeholder engagement and the delivery of this programme. This will include working with partners and financial resources to ensure high quality professional sessions are delivered from library buildings.

As the Support Assistant, you will:

• Contact potential participants at point of referral to understand the needs of the participant
• Record attendance at sessions
• Follow up with participants to encourage and maintain ongoing attendance by way of email or phone call
• Liaise with partners by way of community events and communication
• Help to promote the project internally to Surrey County Council colleagues
• Organise session dates and coordinate delivery partners

Shortlisting CriteriaTo be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Good problem-solving skills with the ability to work with others to find practical and creative solutions
• An ability to communicate clearly in verbal, writing, over the telephone and via email with staff, customers, suppliers, and other service providers
• Competent in a range of IT skills and ability to assist with researching and analysing data to help with the production of reports
• An ability to assist with the delivery of small projects by demonstrating good project management skills
• Experience of working effectively with a range of internal and external partners and ability to work under pressure and maintain mental resilience when working in a busy environment

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 24th October with interviews to follow.

Our CommitmentSurrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.