Holiday Leader

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Sense is looking for people who have experience and knowledge of supporting and leading groups of people to create safe, engaging and fun holiday experiences for those with Deaf-Blindness and complex disabilities.

Leading a unique Sense Holiday is a deeply rewarding and life enriching experience and a fantastic opportunity to expand your skillset and experience in working with varied groups. This is an excellent development opportunity for aspiring leaders and managers.

As a Holiday Leader, you will be leading, supporting, and motivating a team of volunteers so that every holidaymaker receives the person-centred care and support they need to have a fantastic holiday which is built around them as individuals.

As a Holiday Leader you will be overseeing the care and support of the individuals during the week and you will have overall responsibility for the group’s wellbeing and for maximising the holiday experience for all its participants.

You’ll join a diverse team and network of passionate leaders devoted to enabling individuals to get the most from their holiday. Sense will give you a high level of individual support via phone and email, face-to -face training, and support at our weekend preparation events, and you’ll benefit from creative, innovative and practical ideas from the experience of your peers.

This role is ideal for those who have specialist skills, including Nursing or Learning Disability Nursing, School nurses, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, experience supporting people with PMLD and those who can use British Sign Language. Also ideal for SEND Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Care/Support Workers and Nurses looking to use their professional skills in a new and exciting setting.

The holidays are running on the following dates in 2023 (you will need to be available for at least 1 whole period):

Dates and locations of holidays 2023 (More dates to be added for October at a later date)

• Canal boat Holiday 1st July-7th July from Hemel Hempstead
• Rosliston Lodge 3rd-7th July in Derbyshire
• Brickhouse Farm 7th-14th July Lancashire
• Avon Tyrell 17th-21st July near Bournemouth
• Macaroni Woods 22nd-29th July Gloucestershire
• Macaroni Woods 30th- 5th August Gloucestershire
• Macaroni Woods 6th- 12th August Gloucestershire
• Brickhouse Farm Cottages 5th -11th August in Lancashire
• Beamsley Centre 19th-25th August in North Yorkshire

(More dates to be added for October at a later date)

Being a Holiday Leader will give you a range of benefits, including:

• Free DBS Check
• Your pay will be £11.24 per hour for the residential holiday, Training days and the Feedback day. In addition to this, we will cover your travel expenses to the location/s for the residential holiday and also the Training weekend.
• Free face to face training
• Health and well-being support

Your duties will include:

• Preparation and planning before the holiday including liaison with families, carers and holiday volunteers
• Day-to-day management of the holiday
• Reviewing and evaluating the holiday after it has finished
• To provide a customised, responsive and high quality service to people with multiple sensory impairments, physical and/or learning disabilities.
• To deliver services which meet or exceed organisational expectations and standards.

Full job specification is attached below.

Your required skills and experiences:

• Availability to attend Leader Training weekend: 17th-19th March 2023, Birmingham is essential.
• Availability to travel to and lead a 7-night residential holiday in England between July and October 2022 is essential. Expenses for travel will be covered.
• Commitment to complete any additional training as required for your holiday is essential. Depending on training needs, this may be online or face to face.
• Experience working with, supporting, or caring for children, young people, or adults with complex disabilities or other needs at a personal or professional level is essential.
• Knowledge of or qualification in British Sign Language or similar is desirable( BSL / Makaton etc.)

Full person specification is attached below.

About Sense

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.

Our short Sense Holidays video shows just some of our fantastic holidaymakers, volunteers and leaders in action.

Scott, who led his first Holiday in 2019, said "You will be proud of yourself if you do it! It’ll be an exhausting but incredible week - a chance to give holidaymakers a week of adventure they might not otherwise have access to and to offer parents and families a well-earned break."

To apply:

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your supporting statement to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly. We would recommend that you read the candidate guidelines, job description and person specification (found at the base of this advert) before applying.

If you are shortlisted, the hiring manager will be making their initial contacting with you via a telephone call within 7 days of the application. The interviews for this role will take place at either our office in Birmingham or London for a full day..

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

If you require any further assistance, please contact the Recruitment Team on 0121 415 6735 or recruitment@sense.org.uk

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. We value everyone’s contribution and ensure people are given the opportunity to realise their potential. We will promote equality and diversity in all that we do and the work we do in partnership with others. For more information please visit: https://www.sense.org.uk/about/equality-and-diversity/