Work for us

What's it like to work with VAMW?  We offer a friendly and caring working environment where the emphasis is providing creative, flexible and person centred supports to adults with learning difficulties.  We use an approach based on a concern for the promotion of individualisation, integration and choice, supporting the development of lifestyles meaningful to the individuals themselves. 

We pride ourselves on our reputation and to keep this intact we are always striving to better ourselves believing in organisational change to suit the needs of current legislation and trends.

VAMW's Comprehensive Enhancements Package offers staff unrivalled incentives and is designed not only to support you but to help you support yourself.   

If you have excellent values, can work both as part of a team and on your own initiative and are interested in supporting people to lead fulfilled lives within their own communities then VAMW is for you.

Go to current vacancies 

Holiday Entitlement

From 1st April 2009 employees will receive 5.6 weeks annual leave, this is the equivalent of 28 days annual leave per year plus recognised public holidays which are paid at a higher rate.

Sick Pay

VAMW operates a sick pay scheme which provides for payment in addition to Statutory Sick Pay.  NB when payment of contractual sick pay is made this is inclusive of any SSP entitlement ie employees are not entitled to both.

Sick pay is paid on a sliding scale ranging from 2 weeks full pay to 2 weeks half pay for those employed for less than 1 year to 4 weeks full pay and 4 weeks half pay for those employed 1 year or more.     

Service at commencement of absence from duty	Full Allowance	Half Allowance
Less than 1 year	2 weeks	2 weeks
One year or more	4 weeks	4 weeks

 * The organisations sick pay scheme is subject to qualifying criteria

Having a baby?

VAMW realise that expectant mums are going through an exciting yet worrying time and all expectant mothers are entitled to take time off with full-pay during their working hours to receive antenatal care.

We also realise what an exiting time parents experience and we actively encourage parents to bond with their little ones.  We offer a range of maternity leave to mums and dads inline with current legislation to make sure you bond with your little ones (and catch up on your sleep!)

Out of Pocket Expenses

We will reimburse expenses incurred to staff in the course of their work transport where appropriate.

Support and Supervision

All staff regardless of their role are provided with Support and Supervision from their Line Manager.  This is a time set aside for discussion between a Supervisor and Supervisee, however we recognise that there are many different types of supervision.  The main aim being to ensure that you feel listened to and valued and to help and support you to develop in areas of competence, accountability, professionally and to clarify the functions of your role.

Christmas Gift

All staff are given a diary at Christmas-time to keep a note of their shift dates/times.

Work Life Balance

At VAMW we believe in the work life balance philosophy and we work hard to ensure that each employee has a fair, balanced and flexible work schedule.

Learning and Development

Here at VAMW our product is our people and we believe that by investing in our staff, they go on to provide the excellence that we have come to expect.  We have a "Core Training Programme" which all new staff are expected to complete within the first year of employment.  These include;

• Elementary Food Hygiene (REHIS)

• Basic First Aid

• CALM* Theory

• Moving and Handling (generic)

• Support and Supervision

• Social Role Valorisation

• Social Role Valorisation Follow-up

• Risk Assessment

• General Training Day

• Financial Procedures

• Medication Handling/Administration

• Recording Skills

• Challenging Behaviour System Awareness Day

At VAMW the service we provide is person centred and for this reason each individual that we support has an additional "Service Specific Core Training Programme" which is tailored to suit the needs of the individual and their staff teams learning and development is directly linked to the these needs.  Opportunities are provided in a variety of settings from shadowing, to on-the-job to formal and facilitated courses, some of the development opportunities on offer are;

• CALM* Physical Intervention

• Specific Moving and Handling ie tracking hoist

• Epilepsy

• Epistatus Midazolam Buccal

• Diabetes Awareness

• Cornelia de Lange

• Managing High Cholesterol

• Autistic Spectrum Disorders

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Personality Disorders

• Mental Health Awareness

• Pump Training

• Tourette & Pica

• Dementia Awareness

• Rebound Therapy

• Stoma Care

• Self Harm & Suicide

• Paranoia & Schizophrenia

• Phenylketonuria

• Infection Control

• Sensory

*     Registered trademark of CALM Training Services Ltd

Book & Video Club

There is a comprehensive Book and Video Club available for staff/focus persons to borrow books, videos and DVD's.  A budget of £500 per financial year has been set aside for this and staff/focus persons can request an item for the club if they feel that they/their team or their studies would benefit from the item.

Newsletter

A Newsletter is issued to staff to keep them up-to-date with organisational developments this offers a wealth of information from winners of the bonus ball, to procedures and local news.  Staff are more than welcome to contribute to this and can have submit their own articles.

Age Positive Practice & The Matching Process

At VAMW we put prospective employees through a "Matching Process". The purpose of this process is to ensure that new employees are well matched and meet the person specifications set down by the people we support themselves.  The general rules of the matching process are to recruit people of similar age with similar interests who are able to carry out tasks within the specific service regardless of their age.   

The demographics of our nation are changing and 40% of our population is now 50 or over with this set to climb.  In VAMW alone over 48% of the people we support are over the age of 50.  So it makes sense that we support prospective employees, regardless of their age into our employment.

Investor in People

VAMW is an Investor in People, not only are we proud of this accolade but we believe in the entire philosophy that each persons employed within an organisation has a vital role to play and the smooth running of VAMW is dependant on its

       employees at all levels. 

Positive About Disabled People

VAMW is a Positive About Disabled People Employer it is a recognition given by Jobcentre Plus to employers who have agreed to make certain positive commitments regarding the employment, retention, training and career development of disabled people.

These commitments are:

• to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and to consider them on their abilities

• to ensure there is a mechanism in place to discuss, at any time but at least once a year, with disabled employees, what both parties can do to make sure disabled employees can develop and use their abilities

• to make every effort when employees become disabled to make sure they stay in employment

• to take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make sure these commitments work

• to review these commitments each year and assess what has been achieved, plan ways to improve on them and let employees and Jobcentre Plus know about progress and future plans

Employee Counselling Service

VAMW realise that sometimes our lives do not run as smoothly as we would like and for this reasons we are affiliated to the Employee Counselling Service (ECS).  It is a FREE, CONFIDENTIAL service, INDEPENDENT of VAMW, who work with nearly 200 companies in Scotland and England providing free, confidential, external counselling services away from the workplace.  We think this is very important and you can be sure that in times of trouble we will give our utmost support to you when you need it. 

You can access the ECS Helpline and receive structured counselling. You can refer yourself and we are only told the numbers who have used the service and the types of issues being raised. We do not know who has attended.

You may wish to attend with our support and this can be through your support and supervision or line management. Early evening and flexible appointments are available.

Telephone counselling is available for those who find it hard to attend appointments. And counselling sessions are arranged at a time when you can be comfortable and private, the cost of the calls are met by the ECS.  

Family Matters

At VAMW we believe that not only do you count but your family counts too.  We know that sometimes family life is not always rosy and this can affect you not only at home but at work.  This is why we have a counselling service that you and your family can use, its FREE, open 24-hours and most of all its CONFIDENTIAL.  This service is provided through our insurers by DAS.

* The contents and conditions of the Comprehensive Enhancements Package are subject to change without notification.

Current Vacancies

Support Workers

Bank opportunities available at present

Reference Number: PL0209

£7.00 per hour

To find out more please click to download an Information Pack and Application Form.

Information Pack*

Application Form*

 * The information pack and application form are in PDF format, to view these files you will need a PDF reader - you can download the FREE Adobe Reader at http://www.adobe.com/ 

Alternatively if you are unable to download our application form/pack you can contact the JobLine on 01698 244346, email jobs@vamw.org or call in person to;

John Thomson House, 86 Glencairn Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TT

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Registered Office: John Thomson House, Glencairn Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TT

Tel: 01698 244344    Fax: 01698 244345    Email: care@vamw.org    Web: www.vamw.org

Registered Company N^o 125649    Registered Charity N^o SC 008731