Facilities and Compliance Support Officer

22.5 hours per week

Salary £14,040.00 per annum

An exciting new opportunity has arisen within our organisation for a Facilities and Compliance Support Officer on a part time basis.

You will keep our office running on a day to day basis and provide organisational support for our teams in a role that has a lot of variety with a range of responsibilities.

Some of the areas you will be responsible for:

  • Responsible for the condition of our Head Office, internally and externally
  • Ensuring compliance with Health and Safety
  • Organising and scheduling contractors when required
  • Ensuring the company vehicle is road worthy

It’s an exciting time to join SIL. We offer a great salary with annual pay reviews, a positive and well-paced workload, friendly colleagues, and the right training to ensure you are not only on top of the job but actively developing your knowledge and skills.

Should you wish to apply please submit your CV and a supporting statement which clearly demonstrates how you meet the roles and responsibilities and person specification to jobs@S4il.co.uk

As part of our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme, candidates who declare a disability, and meet the key criteria for this role, will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at the interview stage.

We are also a member of Armed Forces Covenant and veterans and family members of serving personnel are guaranteed an interview providing they meet the criteria.

We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds.

This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applications should be received no later than Wednesday 27th March 2024.

If successful, interviews are scheduled to take place on Wednesday 3rd April 2024.


Support Worker – ILH

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Hours: 0 – 35 hours per week

Salary: £11.00 per hour

We are currently recruiting for Support Workers to join our fantastic team. We have vacancies for shorter calls of three to five hours, mornings, and evenings as well as longer and 24 hours shifts.

As a Support Worker you will make a genuine positive difference and be able to support our service users who need help with tasks such as cleaning, cooking, going out for the day or short holiday breaks.

Alongside this you will be helping someone to live independently, and with your input will help them to live the best life possible.

No days are the same and being a support worker covers the opportunities to enable our service users to be supported with daily living skills, participate in activities, and be supported with personal care.

So, if you’re looking for a rewarding career that offers you the opportunity to make a real and positive difference to someone’s life every day, we would love to hear from you.

Experience is not essential, as we provide a full range of training programmes to support you in your role.

It is a requirement that you will need to have a UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle.

If this position sounds the role for you, then we would love to hear from you by submitting your CV to jobs@s4il.co.uk or for an application pack, contact HR on 01568 616653.

As part of our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme, candidates who declare a disability, and meet the key criteria for this role, will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at interview stage.

We are member of Armed Forces Covenant and veterans and family members of serving personnel are guaranteed an interview providing they meet criteria.

We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds.

This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.


Job Description

ILH Support Worker – Waking nights

Location: Hereford

Hourly rate £11.00 per hour during day and £12.09 per hour during waking night period

Services for Independent Living provides care and support services that enable disabled and older people to make their own choices over how they want to live their lives. We support people to live in their own homes and within their community.

Over the years the organisation has developed to become a pivotal health care provider for our community and service users we support.

We are currently recruiting support workers to join our fantastic team and support a female disabled person in Hereford. The shift cover required is between 7:30pm – 7:30am, with a minimum of one shift per week and the opportunity for additional hours to cover when required. You will need to have the ability to provide person centred support and be able to remain vigilant to the needs of the service user. In addition, you will be involved with light cleaning and household tasks, pet care and food preparation.

A car driver is desirable but not essential.

As a support worker your responsibilities are varied, and no two days are the same. Your work gives opportunities to enable our service users to be supported with daily living skills, participate in activities, and be supported with personal care.

Experience is not essential, as we provide a full range of training programmes to support you in your role.

There are a range of benefits and career development opportunities:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Comprehensive induction
  • High quality learning and development opportunities (Care Certificates, Mental Health First Aider, Health and Social Care Diplomas)
  • Free training
  • Enhanced Family Friendly Payments – Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay
  • Shopping discounts via Blue Light Card
  • Recommend a friend bonus
  • Paid Enhanced DBS
  • Regular supervision and support
  • Supportive and flexible working environment
  • Subsidised or free staff events
  • 28 days annual leave
  • Free parking onsite at our Head Office
  • Company pension scheme
  • Paid sickness leave (after qualifying period)

If this position sounds the role for you and you want to work for the Best Place to Word as winners of the Hereford Times Social Care Awards, then we would love to hear from you by submitting your CV to jobs@s4il.co.uk or for an application pack, contact HR on 01568 616653.

As part of our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme, candidates who declare a disability, and meet the key criteria for this role, will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at interview stage.

We are member of Armed Forces Covenant and veterans and family members of serving personnel are guaranteed an interview providing they meet criteria.

We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds.

This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.


Job Description

SIL’s Fundraising Success for Echo

Each December, staff from award-winning Services for Independent Living (SIL), nominate a charity they would like to support with fund raising events throughout the following year.

For 2023 staff chose Leominster based charity Echo and the fundraising bonanza included SIL’s annual Easter Eggstravaganza, a Coronation tea, a Christmas Jumper Party, several raffles and a special on-line Christmas Bingo.

Euan McPherson, SIL’s CEO, said: “Although we are a charity ourselves, we believe that we should also do what we can to support other charities that share SIL’s vision of supporting people to live independent lives and be as active as they can and want to be in their local communities.

“Echo offers a range of projects from work-based day opportunities to inclusive club nights out. Many of SIL’s service users enjoy the clubs and activities provided by Echo and benefit from the support provided.”

Thanks to the generosity of SIL’s staff and service users at the fundraising events the sum of £864.45 was raised. Echo’s Chief Officer Mike Cook, along with Echo service users Jodie and Steph and Echo’s Participant Involvement Worker Claire Mee, recently visited SIL’s Leominster office where Euan McPherson presented the cheque.

Mike Cook said: “We are so grateful to SIL for this generous donation it will really help us continue to deliver the high quality services that we pride ourselves on. It will help all of our participants have some brilliant experiences.

“It is also great to be able to strengthen our links with SIL who support some of our participants and help a lot of people access the services they need.”

This year SIL’s charity of the year is the Marches Family Network, and SIL is already busy preparing the fundraising events for 2024.

Photo: SIL’s CEO, Euan McPherson presenting the cheque to the representatives from Echo
Photo: SIL’s CEO, Euan McPherson presenting the cheque to the representatives from Echo

All the news from SIL AGM and Awards

SIL marked a significant milestone this year with an extra special AGM and awards.

To celebrate our 25th Anniversary we pulled out all the stops to deliver an extra special AGM with special guests, a towering cake and film show.

AGM Formal Business

The AGM was opened by Marion Tweed-Ryecroft. Marion was SIL’s first employee and helped a group of disabled people and carers way back in 1996 to gain support for a Direct Payments pilot in Herefordshire.  At that time very few local authorities were running them but this new approach to social care would allow disabled people to control their own care and support by allowing them a pot of money to buy in the services they want rather than being ‘prescribed’ a care package.

Marion spoke fondly of her time at SIL and about the amazing work we still do now to promote wellbeing and independence amongst our service users.

With the formal business underway it was Chairperson Angie Higham that was the first of the day to commend employees and trustees for their work over the last 18 months during the worst of the covid pandemic. How everyone pulled together and worked with determination, compassion and fortitude.  SIL went through some difficult times especially when over 40% of the Homecare team contracted the virus.  Due to the willingness of the rest of the team and support from ILH no shifts were missed and the care of all service users was maintained.

Trustee and Treasurer, John Rogers spoke of the financially secure position the business holds and how we are well placed to be able to continue to grow and develop the business.  This will ensure that we continue to put service users at the heart of what we do and expand our offer to them.

A item of core business at our AGM is the approval of trustee appointments and we are delighted to say that Trustee David Hughes is continuing for a further term. Angie Higham is to stay as Chairperson and will be supported by Shirley Mackay and Julie Thornby as Joint Vice Chairs and John Rogers as Treasurer.  These were unanimously approved by members present.

CEO Euan closed the morning session recognising the amazing contribution of everyone across the business.

The AGM morning session including Chair’s report, Treasurer’s report, voting and resolutions and CEO’s report can be viewed at: Session 1 (The AGM) https://youtu.be/fCyl712mAZo

SIL Awards 2021

For this years awards ceremony we introduced a few changes;

  • Extra awards, to recognise excellence across the organisation;
  • Programme to display the very best of our shortlisted nominees; and
  • A silver framed certificate for all winners.

Independent Living at Home (ILH) Registered Manager, Lisa Bradley kicked off our awards ceremony with the ILH awards which you can view at Session 2 (Awards Ceremony) https://youtu.be/x9ll24w-FDo

The Judy Phillips Memorial Award – Support Worker of the Year (Peer nomination)

The winner of this award was Pauline McLaughlin with runners up Joyce Taylor and Ruth Davies.

The Ian Jones Award – Support Work of the Year (Service-user nomination)

The winner of this award was Zara Cook and the runner up was Emma Bird.

The Adam Cove Award – Team Leader of the year (nominated by Support Workers and Service Users)

The winner of this award was Donna Tranter and the runner up was Katie Loughran.  This is the second year running that these two have been placed in these positions.

ILH Team of the Year (Service user nomination)

The winners of this award were Michael Baillon’s Team including David Hopkins, Nikyta Carey, Nick Gray and Richard Baynham.  The runners up were Josh Long’s team; Katie Loughran, Joe Williams, Emma Bird, Sam Gawler, Megan Thimm and Naomi Fulcher.

Homecare Registered Manager Tara Jones was on hand to present the next award for her service area. Tara closed the first section of the awards with a tear jerking thank you to her team, with particular thanks to Jade Perks, Homecare Co-ordinator who she credits with getting her through the worst 12 months.

Homecare Service Award for Support Worker of the Year (Service user nomination)

The winner of this award was Carolyn Layton and the runner up was Rebecca Guerin.

You can read about all of the winners and runners up in the AGM Programme to see why they all are worthy of their awards.

Extra Awards for 2021

Traditionally SIL awards have recognised excellence in our care providing teams as it receives so little acclaim elsewhere.  One of the positives to come from the Covid-19 pandemic is that the care sector is now receiving much more recognition for it’s value and we have proudly and diligently lived up to the keyworker title.

We continue to recognise excellence in our care teams but with this celebratory event we wanted to acknowledge the outstanding people that are part of the wider SIL team and those that support and care for people outside of our workforce. To that end we have introduced 5 new awards:

Direct Payment Services Award Outstanding PA of the year, nominated by DPSS SUs.

Nominations were sought from our DPSS users and family members for their support staff or personal assistants; those that they feel are the best example of what an outstanding PA should be and the winner was Jackie Innis as nominated by Dr Choesang Fenner- Tensin.

Team awards for Outstanding achievement for:

Implementing a new banking system while homeworking  was awarded to the DPSS team;Christy Dallow, Amy Deacon, Caroline Batley, Bee Phillips, Rhiannon Evans and Jess Pantall.

Supporting the growth of the organisation through sound financial management  was awarded to the Finance Team; Mike Moyles and Jennie Jones.

Maintaining all office functions during lockdown  was awarded to HR & Business Support; Gemma Lewis, Karen Hunt, Chib Alexander, Millie Davies and Paula Palmer.

And with all the awards given it was time to celebrate with a glass of fizz and a slice of cake.  CEO, Euan McPherson and our longest standing Trustee Maggie O’Neill were on hand to do the honours and cut the eyecatching and very delicious cake.

Then it was on to the final session of our day, the launch of our new SIL mini movies; showcasing the excellent services that SIL has to offer.  These were produced by Wild Edric Media and starred our brilliant service users and staff.

You can view these over on our Youtube channel at Session 3 https://youtu.be/oSsiIj86jt4

A tongue in cheek special news broadcast very ‘amateurly’ produced by SIL employees Briony and Paula ended the film show.  They brought together a cast of faces old and new to tell SILs story right from 1996 to the current day. With thanks to Marion, Ginnie Jacques, Maggie O’Neill, Service users Sam and Sheila and everyone else who starred in our broadcast.

So all that was left to do was to close the show and say thank you to everyone for the last year, for taking part in our AGM and films, for helping to plan and put on our AGM and so much more.  As Euan remarked in his closing statement and look to the future “We just need to keep on doing what we’re doing.”