Assist Coordinator

The National Autistic Society is the UK’s leading charity for autistic people. Since 1962, we’ve been transforming lives, changing attitudes and helping to create a society that works for autistic adults and children. We transform lives by providing support, guidance and practical advice for the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, as well as their three million family members and carers.

We change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and the difficulties many autistic people face. We also work closely with businesses, local authorities and government to help them provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.
We have come a long way but it is not good enough. There is still so much to do to increase opportunities, reduce social isolation and build a brighter future for people on the spectrum. With your help, we can make it happen.

Do you believe that families of people on the autism spectrum should be understood, supported and appreciated? We do too and that’s why we would love to hear from someone like you.

Help make an Everyday Breakthrough happen by joining our team.

A breakthrough can seem like the smallest thing, but it can make the world of difference to someone on the autism spectrum. By becoming a Surrey Family Support Coordinator at The National Autistic Society you’ll help make Every day Breakthroughs happen more often.

Visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do: https://www.autism.org.uk/

Who we are looking for: 
We have an exciting opportunity to join our existing Surrey Family Support team on a ‘Bank’ contract basis to provide early intervention services for young people in the county, whether or not they have a diagnosis.

This means that there is no obligation to offer or accept work. Work is truly ad hoc and there is no pattern or regularity of hours and there are no guaranteed hours.

We work directly with young people aged 16-18 years to provide practical and emotional support to enable the development of their knowledge and understanding.

We do this by;
• Providing 1:1 online support sessions for young people.
• Providing opportunities to develop their skills in an autism friendly and supportive environment.
*Please note that this service will work primarily with the young person themselves.

To be a successful member of our team you must have:
• Experience of working with young people on the autism spectrum within a professional capacity.
• Understanding and experience of using, applying and adapting autism specific approaches and strategies.
• Ability to work in a person-centred way adapting your skills to the needs of the young person you will support.
• Be independent, with the ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Have a good understanding of Safeguarding issues and responsibilities within your professional capacity.

We will equip and encourage successful candidates to undertake the role remotely (from home) but wo do offer access to a workspace at our Godalming centre.

To view the Job Description please click here. 

What we can offer you:

• Auto-enrolled Pension Scheme
• Excellent induction, training and development programme including training about autism and opportunities to attend our conferences
• Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits such as cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan & shopping discounts for places such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Halfords, Nike, Apple and loads more!
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Access to a 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme & counselling programme
• Free access to the Headspace App – a global leader in mindfulness and you can enrol up to three friends or family for free!
• Eligibility for a Blue Light Card

How to apply: 

When providing a supporting statement, please refer to the job description and person specification and include any information that shows your suitability for the role.

For more information about this job please contact: Emma Ellis (Resource Centre Manager) - Emma.Ellis@nas.org.uk

We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

For some roles, successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks which will include additional references and criminal background checks.

Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from those with a diagnosis of autism or Asperger syndrome.

The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks.

We are an equal opportunities employer.