New starters bolster Supported Living Service

Diverse Abilities’ Supported Living Service has welcomed five new starters ahead of the festive period as personal support assistants.

The Supported Living Service, operated by Dorset’s disability charity, provides care in the home 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year within the charity’s 21 fully accessible bungalows. Established in 2003, it delivers flexible and individual services, allowing and enabling people to live in their own homes with as much independence as possible. Each person supported has a team that knows them well and are aware of exactly how they wish to live.

Mandy Cunningham, Supported Living manager, commented: “The pandemic has been such a challenge for us in so many ways, and it has also had an impact on recruitment, so to be welcoming new people into our team is really wonderful. We’re always on the hunt for people to join our team; no day is the same, but we can guarantee that you’ll meet some amazing personalities along the way.”

Those supported by the charity get out and about in the community; enjoying swimming, walks along the beach, pub visits, going to concerts and even holidays abroad. The team ensure the adults supported do exactly as they wish and have a very enjoyable and fulfilled life.

They also undertake day to day tasks, such as shopping, cleaning, and washing, as well as doctors’ visits, dentist trips and family meet ups.

Hannah, one of the Service’s new starters, added: “I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into my new role and learning all about the people I will be supporting. Diverse Abilities really stood out to me as an organisation that I wanted to work for because of its values and how it truly provides person-centred care.”

The team is always looking for staff to join the team, offering a flexible range of shifts including full time and part time contracts, zero-hour options, night-time support roles, and on call support assistants. Unlike many care roles, the Supported Living Service aims to let people know their fortnightly shift patterns six weeks in advance.

Benefits include six weeks’ paid holiday, auto-enrolment pensions, cycle to work schemes, and discounts at hundreds of high street and online retailers, restaurants, hotels and more.

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk/supported-living-service for details on what the service offers, or diverseabilities.org.uk/careers for current vacancies.