About the job

Key information

Transform lives, champion rights & support adults to achieve their full potential.

• Location: Mendip
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Opportunity to join the path to becoming a fully qualified Social Worker

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this position as it does not meet the requirements of the home office.

What will I be doing?

We’re working with people and their families to help them stay independent for longer in their local communities – and you’ll be a key part of that.

Your day-to-day work will involve:

• Developing great knowledge of your local area, working in partnership with local agencies and providing helpful advice and creative solutions to people at local drop-ins and in assessments.
• Providing useful information and advice to people and their families. You will have conversations with people to identify what they are worried about or what they want to achieve, what support they already have and what they need.
• Advising on the best local services and solutions to suit the person’s needs.
• Encouraging people to be independent, helping them grow their confidence and to make the most of the support available in their local community.

We advocate working in a strength based and personalised way, operating under the three conversations model to enable people to live more independent and fulfilling lives with positive outcomes.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you:

• Are not afraid to do things differently to create support that is better for people
• Have experience of working in a caring or supportive role
• Are passionate about advocating for others.
• Are innovative, creative and solution focused in supporting people to be independent.

What is in it for me?

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset. We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management.

As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• Generous annual leave and flexible working options
• Ongoing support from our dedicated Learning & Development team
• Development opportunities
• Local Government pension scheme
• Optional pension enhancement through our additional voluntary contribution scheme
• Employee assistance and support offering a variety of wellbeing services to support a healthy work/life balance and lifestyle
• A flexible benefits platform including cycle to work and health screening schemes
• ‘My staff shop’ which offers excellent discounts at a variety of retailers including; cinemas, restaurants, clothing stores and insurance providers
• Gym discounts
• Discounted lease car options via salary sacrifice, along with discounts on fuel
• Generous relocation allowance
• Access to the Blue Light Card which offers thousands of amazing discounts online and on the high street for social care staff

DBS check

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Supporting documents and information

You will need to be able and willing to travel countywide, including to areas that are not currently serviced by public transport.

This is a Grade 12 post with a current salary of £27,711 – £31,067 per annum. The starting salary would normally be at the minimum point of the grade.

We are a socially active council and run many webinars and events, team away days, volunteering opportunities plus, hold regular staff Q&A sessions. We encourage professional development and training to support your learning and aspirations. And there are also a variety of networking groups and activities that you can join.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve so we will always welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our teams. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

Got a question about becoming an Adult Social Care Practitioner with Somerset Council? Get in touch with Sipo Tshuma – sipo.tshuma@somerset.gov.uk

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don’t delay, apply today!

A bit more about Somerset Council

We are reclaiming narratives about social work and believe in the power of lived experiences of people (including workers) and sharing stories. To get a sense of this, listen to Social Work Sessions podcast: Social Work Sessions

Somerset is situated in a beautiful, rural county in a central southwest location but with good city links. With scenic countryside, historic sites, charming towns and villages, family-friendly attractions, beaches, festivals (Glastonbury!) and events, outdoor activities, zoos, water parks and plenty of local produce to try, there’s something for everyone!

Apply on the Somerset Council website

Apply now