Deafblind Communicator Guide

Salary: £25,185.16 per annum pro rata (£13.09 per hour)
Hours of work: 4.5 hours per week on Friday mornings (with potential for ad hoc additional hours)
Annual Leave: 26 days rising to 32 days per year (plus bank holidays) pro rata
Location: Home based with regular travel around Denbighshire and outskirts

Who Are We & How Are You Supported

Vision Support is a well-established organisation with a strong history in promoting independence and support to people with vision impairments (VI) and dual sensory needs. Offering a wide variety of services for vision impaired people across Cheshire, Halton and North Wales, including counselling, digital skills, financial wellbeing and benefits advice, home visiting, community outreach, and peer support. These services complement rehabilitation to create a wraparound service for our clients.

Vision Support’s values are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that there is a collaborative approach across the organisation, responding proactively to what people say is important to them and supporting people with warmth, dignity, and respect.

Vision Support will fully fund the Deafblind Communicator guide qualification (which entails a 5-day course in Peterborough), for any successful applicant, on the basis of remaining in the role for a minimum of 12 months.

Job Purpose

This role involves working closely with one person, building trust and understanding their individual communication style and preferences.

To transport and accompany the client on shopping trips, medical appointments and any other ad hoc activities; and provide companionship.

This role often involves guiding someone safely in unfamiliar environments and communicating information clearly in ways that suit them (for example, hands-on or tactile communication).

Who You Will Be Supporting

The client values accurate and detailed descriptions, especially when it comes to colours. For example, if a top feels nice, she will ask what colour it is. If you say it is pink, she will want to know what shade of pink. She also needs to know whether an item has a pattern and, if so, what colour the pattern is.

She needs clear information about dates, such as the use-by dates on items both in shops and at home.

When shopping, she appreciates being told about any offers. For instance, she visits Sainsbury’s weekly to buy similar items each time, however she likes to know if there are any deals available, as she may choose to buy those as well.

Overall, when she is given the right information, she can make her own choices confidently, knowing that they are appropriate for her.

Person Specification

All attributes and skills are essential unless otherwise specified.

• Commitment to complete the Level 2 Communicating and Guiding with Deafblind People qualification, and remain within the position for a minimum of 12 months.
• Ability to perform manual hand communication (desirable).
• Be calm and empathetic.
• Own a car and hold a full UK driving licence.

Please note, we reserve the right to close this advert early should we find a suitable candidate.

You may have experience in the following: Guide, Communicator, Communication Support Worker (specialist / Deafblind), Deafblind Manual Interpreter, Intervener (for congenital / lifelong deafblind), etc.

REF-225 277