Garden Support Worker

POSITION: GARDEN SUPPORT WORKER RESPONSIBLE TO: GARDENING MANAGER PURPOSE: To provide the support and skills development necessary to ensure individuals with learning disabilities and autism succeed in achieving their aim of working for Style Acre’s garden maintenance social enterprise, Green Acre. To provide direct support for people working for Green Acre, helping people to learn gardening skills and tool safety, and to develop professionalism and confidence in the workplace. To be a proactive and positive member of the Green Acre team, working in a flexible and calm way to manage a small group at each garden. To provide transport for the team between the local gardens by driving the garden transit van. To use your gardening knowledge to inspire others or be keen to learn garden maintenance skills such as mowing, hedge cutting, pruning, planting and weeding, in order to inspire others. To have, or to develop an understanding of the methods and communication strategies appropriate to people with learning disabilities and autism. To work in a professional manner in line with the work practices of Style Acre and to ensure the appropriate standard of work practice is adopted by the employee To monitor and record development and progress of the individual employee including helping to set targets and completing regular reviews with the people we support. To take ownership of your own personal development, to be supervised by your line manager on a monthly basis and to commit to attending training and development opportunities identified for your role. To carry out all other duties associated within the role of Garden Support Worker, as directed by the Garden Coordinator or Social Enterprise Manager including providing holiday cover for other Green Acre staff or assisting with other garden groups. To be happy to lone work alongside your supported team of gardeners. Training and Development: Style Acre is committed to providing the training, development and support necessary to ensure all employees understand and achieve the responsibilities of their role and fulfil their personal and professional potential. Mandatory and statutory training is inclusive of this programme. In addition, dependent on the specific service needs and requirements, specialised training will be scheduled into an employee’s individual development programme. Examples of where additional specific training would be applicable would be in services supporting people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, complex health needs, autism or mental health needs in addition to their learning disability.