The Specialised Supported Living Service (SSLS) at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is committed to supporting adults with learning disabilities and complex health needs at sixteen locations across Leeds. We have career opportunities for those who put the people we support first.

Are you someone who loves working with people and has a naturally caring nature? Our Specialist Supported Living Service has apprentice and support worker opportunities. In this enriching career in the NHS, you will have the opportunity to enhance our service users’ personal and mental wellbeing. You’ll become an essential part of their lives by building strong relationships with those you work with. As you gain experience, skills, and qualifications, you can progress in your career through apprenticeships and promotions. If you’re interested in becoming a valued Healthcare Support Worker, we’d love to discuss this opportunity with you.

What does a support worker in our Specialised Living Service do?

Our support workers help with personal care such as bathing and domestic tasks like cooking and cleaning, as well as support with leisure activities like shopping, travelling, and socialising. These roles require shift work, including nights, weekends, and public holidays, as we provide support on a 24/7 basis.

The relationship between staff and the people we support should be therapeutic and caring, focusing on meeting the person’s needs. The aim of the relationship should be to promote autonomy, independence, choice and control. The role of the support staff should be to help people reach their potential. Our team establishes a rapport with the people they support, which can develop into a befriending role that helps build trust and a professional relationship to meet the needs of the people they support. The duties are varied, and every day is different.

For your skills and commitment, you’ll receive the following:

• A comprehensive progressive salary
• Enhancements for unsocial hours worked
• Comprehensive induction, training, and development to enhance your existing skills
• An individual personal development plan and career progression

If you’re interested in working for us, you’ll ideally have some experience caring for people, whether professionally or as an unpaid carer of a family member. However, no qualifications or formal experience are necessary. Experience in person-centred care, postural management, or working with people with challenging behaviour is desirable.

Specialised Supported Living Service users share how support workers help them.

Why work for us as a support worker?

We’re a caring, experienced team that offers fantastic opportunities to develop and progress. We’re always looking for people passionate about caring and committed to helping people with complex health needs to live independently and enjoy life.

Our support workers get to know their service users well and form therapeutic relationships with them. You’ll work shifts based in service users’ accommodation doing nights, weekends and public holidays, and we offer extra pay for working any unsociable hours.

You’ll be part of a fantastic, supportive, and experienced team. We offer a comprehensive training package and excellent career progression. Our service users are looking for support workers who are enthusiastic, friendly and motivated to help them enjoy life.

Richard is a Support Manager in our Specialised Supported Living Service. He started as a support worker when he was 21 years old. Richard went from working in a call centre to now being a Support Manager in the Trust.

Level 2 Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker

We offer Apprentice Health Care Support Worker (HSW) posts in our Mental Health and Learning Disability Services.

This programme takes up to 18 months and will allow you to gain a Level 2 Diploma in Adult Care and a Care Certificate. The apprenticeship will teach you the skills, knowledge, and behaviour required to be an essential member of one of our inpatient teams.  You will play a vital role in improving lives in an exciting environment where every day is different.

An apprentice health care support worker in mental health and learning disabilities is often the team member who spends the most time with service users. So the relationships and trust you develop are really important.

In mental health, you will work alongside a nurse or allied health professional within a multidisciplinary team to deliver direct care to service users. You will learn to support vulnerable people with many aspects of their day to day living, helping them take care of themselves and live a fulfilled life.

Benefits of undertaking an apprenticeship with us:

• Potential offer of permanent employment at the end of the apprenticeship period.
• Continue your studies through an apprenticeship at a higher level with the potential option of university.
• Support people in living their lives to the fullest.