Summary
Devon County Council’s Sensory Team is looking to recruit an Assistant in order to join the Apprenticeship Programme as an Apprentice Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Officer. The Sensory Team support people with sight loss in Devon with rehabilitation, training, support and advice, via qualified Rehabilitation Officers for visual impairment.
Wage
£24,790 a year
Training course
Vision rehabilitation specialist (level 5)
Hours
Monday to Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.
37 hours a week
Possible start date
Monday 31 March
Duration
2 years
Positions available
1
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
Working within the Integrated Adult Social Care service, you will work with a mentor from an office base in Barnstaple.
* Travel around the county leanring how sight low can impact upon people and how new skills and techniques can be taught, in order to maintain independence and wellbeing.
* Learn about assessment techniques, promoting independence, supporting carers and professional networking.
Where you’ll work
Derby Road
Barnstaple
EX32 7EZ
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY
Your training course
Vision rehabilitation specialist (level 5)
Equal to higher national diploma (HND)
Course contents
* Identify an individuals vision impairment and the impact on daily life and wellbeing.
* Provide person-centred interventions that meet individuals social, psychological, physical or disability needs.
* Undertake function vision assessments to maximise any remaining vision and teach low vision strategies.
* Conduct health and safety risk assessments.
* Conduct environmental access audits.
* Adapt delivery method to meet the learning style of the individual.
* Work within the scope of practice and professional boundaries and refer or escalate to appropriate individuals when needed.
* Identify and develop intervention strategies to support individuals with vision impairment.
* Teach independent life skills relevant to individuals with vision impairment.
* Make recommendations of environmental adaptations required by individuals with vision impairment.
* Select appropriate communication methods and adapt to the individuals needs and preferred format including braille, deafblind manual, block alphabet, audio equipment and other low vision aids and strategies.
* Maintain records in accordance with legal, policy and procedural requirements.
* Manage and prioritise caseload.
* Identify referral pathways suitable for individuals with vision impairment.
* Source and teach the use of assistive devices, mobility aids and specialist equipment and utilise existing resources to promote safe and sustainable independent living skills.
* Teach the use of assistive technologies and telecommunications to meet individuals needs.
* Work in partnership with stakeholders to maintain the principles of a duty of care, safeguarding and protection.
* Obtain consent from individuals or escalate when consent is not available.
* Identify an individual with vision impairment acquired deafblindness and impact on daily life and wellbeing.
* Teach Braille to grade one to individuals with vision impairment.
* Conduct a person-centred assessment of individuals with vision impairment.
* Recognise the inter-relation between aging and vision impairment.
* Provide orientation and mobility training to individuals with vision impairment using appropriate techniques and equipment; pre-cane skills, sensory travel skills, cane skills, cognitive mapping, route-planning techniques, use of public transport and the use of technology to promote independence to travel safely indoors and outdoors.
* Recognise mental health issues and or cognitive impairment in individuals with vision impairment and know when to refer to appropriate services.
* Interpret legislation, policies, standards and codes of conduct of practice for adult social care.
* Participate in appraisal, training and development activities, gain feedback, reflect and evaluate the impact of learning on own practice.
* Identify an individuals vision impairment and the impact on daily life and wellbeing.
* Provide person-centred interventions that meet individuals social, psychological, physical or disability needs.
* Undertake function vision assessments to maximise any remaining vision and teach low vision strategies.
* Conduct health and safety risk assessments.
* Conduct environmental access audits.
* Adapt delivery method to meet the learning style of the individual.
* Work within the scope of practice and professional boundaries and refer or escalate to appropriate individuals when needed.
* Identify and develop intervention strategies to support individuals with vision impairment.
* Teach independent life skills relevant to individuals with vision impairment.
* Make recommendations of environmental adaptations required by individuals with vision impairment.
* Select appropriate communication methods and adapt to the individuals needs and preferred format including braille, deafblind manual, block alphabet, audio equipment and other low vision aids and strategies.
* Maintain records in accordance with legal, policy and procedural requirements.
* Manage and prioritise caseload.
* Identify referral pathways suitable for individuals with vision impairment.
* Source and teach the use of assistive devices, mobility aids and specialist equipment and utilise existing resources to promote safe and sustainable independent living skills.
* Teach the use of assistive technologies and telecommunications to meet individuals needs.
* Work in partnership with stakeholders to maintain the principles of a duty of care, safeguarding and protection.
* Obtain consent from individuals or escalate when consent is not available.
* Identify an individual with vision impairment acquired deafblindness and impact on daily life and wellbeing.
* Teach Braille to grade one to individuals with vision impairment.
* Conduct a person-centred assessment of individuals with vision impairment.
* Recognise the inter-relation between aging and vision impairment.
* Provide orientation and mobility training to individuals with vision impairment using appropriate techniques and equipment; pre-cane skills, sensory travel skills, cane skills, cognitive mapping, route-planning techniques, use of public transport and the use of technology to promote independence to travel safely indoors and outdoors.
* Recognise mental health issues and or cognitive impairment in individuals with vision impairment and know when to refer to appropriate services.
* Interpret legislation, policies, standards and codes of conduct of practice for adult social care.
* Participate in appraisal, training and development activities, gain feedback, reflect and evaluate the impact of learning on own practice.
Your training plan
The Apprenticeship course involves 7 separate study weeks up in Birmingham and a North Devon based placement, over each of the 2 academic years, plus submission of assignments and a final assessment.
More training information
You will be employed by Devon County Council as an Assistant Rehabilitation Officer for Visually impaired people, on a fixed term contract, until September 2025 - prior to being engaged on an Apprenticeship contract.
The reason for this is to allow you the opportunity to gain experience prior to the course start date and the training providers (BCU’s) assessment day, in order to support you in securing a place on the apprenticeship programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade C/4 or above)
* maths (grade C/4 or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Organisation skills
* Problem solving skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Initiative
* Non judgemental
* Patience
Other requirements
You will need independent means to travel around Devon including to rural areas. Full support and mentoring will be available from the Sensory Team Manager, plus Qualified Rehabilitation Officers and BCU staff.