Activities Co-ordinator

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join the Hopewood team as their new Activity Co-Ordinator to work across The Lookout Adolescent Unit.  The successful candidate will work primarily on Pegasus Ward, Specialist Eating Disorder Unit but provide consistent, timetabled support to both Hercules Ward (Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit) and Phoenix Ward (General Adolescent Unit)

The role will involve working with patients directly and with the ward therapy and nursing teams to plan and facilitate daily individual and group activity programmes, which provide therapeutic and meaningful social and physical activities, enhancing patient's quality of life and supporting their physical and psychological well-being.

Activities would generally be ward based however there is opportunity to organise and facilitate activities off the ward with patients. The time of work would be varied across a 7 day rota and include weekends and occasional bank holidays.

The role will involve working with young people with mental health issues, which will require you to be creative in your approach, dynamic in understanding and assessing risk and developing ideas in engaging young people in activity and making these activities meaningful.

You will need to be able to work under your own initiative with guidance from the Ward Manager, Occupational Therapist, Nursing, and wider Therapy team.

Main duties of the job

Under the guidance of a registered Occupational Therapist (OT) and the Ward Manager you will be expected to assist in the delivery of therapeutic activities for young people. This will include a range of creative social and physical activities, to be carried out in the ward environment and the local community.

As part of your role, you will be required to use your own resourcefulness, engage, form rapport and motivate people to participate in activities.

Candidates should be respectful, non-judgemental, creative and have good communication and problem-solving skills, Experience of working with people with a mental health need is desirable although not essential.

Supervision will be provided for the role, and you will link into an Activity Co-coordinators network to gain opportunities for support and training.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the Ward Manager and input from the Occupational Therapist, the post holder will be expected to assist in the delivery of therapeutic interventions within the service.

To motivate and engage patients in a wide range of individual and group activities.

A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Please note that this post does not meet the pay level required for a Skilled worker visa. Successful applicants with no prior NHS experience would normally be placed at the bottom of the band in line with Agenda for Change. This salary is below the minimum salary required for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa. In these circumstances the Trust would not, therefore, be able to sponsor for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa.

Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.