Lead as a Autism Group Leader!
"Can’t" is not a word we use at Resources for Autism.
We believe everyone can take the next step with the right support.
For over 20 years that is exactly what we have been providing.
From one to one care to social groups and holiday clubs, our practical support helps autistic children and adults and those who love and care for them, live life the way they want to.
Right now, we provide this support to 2000 individuals every year.
We want to double this number as soon as we can.
This is more than caring day to day.
Join us and you can help change the way everyone views and supports autistic people.
What we are looking for
We’re looking for an energetic, proactive and self-mivated individual to support the delivery of RfA’s adult services across Southwark and Lewisham.
You’ll be a strong team player who can motivate and support autistic adults to build confidence, independence and peer connections through engaging, high-quality group programmes. You’ll lead and develop our new AuStruck group for autistic adults aged 25+, alongside overseeing our existing 18–25 social group, helping participants make positive progress and access pathways across RfA’s services.
The role also involves supervising staff and volunteers, co-delivering sessions, and ensuring programmes achieve meaningful outcomes for participants.
Main Responsibilities:
- Group leadership: Adapt session plans, resources, accessibility features; ensure content is neuro-affirming and progression-focused.
- Practice supervision: Provide supervision to support workers/volunteers; co-facilitate sessions; lead debriefs and quality reviews.
- Outcomes framework: capturing/ measuring impact (confidence, life-skills domains, social connection indicators); adhere to entry/exit criteria and progression pathways.
- Data & reporting: Collect service evaluations as per the required timelines, produce short narratives, case studies as required in collaboration with the Area Coordinator meeting any required outcomes and KPI’s.
- Risk & safeguarding: Lead on risk assessments for activities, boundaries in volunteer-led spaces, maintain boundaries, incident reporting, and accessible practice; escalate concerns; ensure psychologically safe spaces.
- Proactive journeys: Create progression plans with participants (goals, timelines, milestones); prevent stagnation by offering next‑step activities or 'graduation' pathways.
- Partnerships: Liaise with local hubs, adult education, employment services, and peer networks to widen opportunities and promote RfA's adult offer.
Core Responsibilities:
- Uphold and adhere to the values of RfA at all time
- Ensure there is always compliance with RfA’s safeguarding policies and procedures
- All staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in our services
- Undertake any other duties asked of you that are commensurate with your grade
Safeguarding, Risk & Behaviour Support:
- Ensure all safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented and embedded.
- Ensure risks are identified, assessed, and managed effectively.
- Collaborate with other team members to ensure individuals are supported in line with RfA’s person-centred approach.
- Promote a culture of safety, dignity, and respect in all service settings.
Confidentiality
You will have access to confidential information concerning families and other service users and will be required to maintain confidentiality at all times.
Staff Benefits
- 90% of our staff say that Resources for Autism is “a great place to work”.
- Not only will the work you do ensure we are making vital differences and inspiring others, but our other benefits also include:
- flexible working patterns with the option to work in a hybrid way (only available for some roles)
- 25 days of leave (pro rata for part time roles) each year plus 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 Celebration days that could be used between Christmas and new year, but may be used for other religious days or significant days such as your birthday
- access to ongoing training and progress in the areas that interest you
- access to our wellbeing initiatives and an Employee Assistance Programme
- enrolment on to our pension scheme
- a supportive, warm and fun working environment made up of values driven people who are passionate about changing the world for autistic people
Application process:
In order that we adhere to Safer Recruitment processes, all applicants are required to complete an application form which must include your full employment history with clear details, any gaps in employment need to be outlined and explained. You are also required to provide details of your education history.
In your personal statement we would like to see how you feel you meet the person specification and the requirements/responsibilities of the role.
If for any reason, such as due to accessibility, you feel you would struggle to complete an application form you can contact us directly via our website and we may explore other options with you.
We particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates, because we would like to increase the representation of these groups at Resources for Autism. We want to do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for our community.
As you would expect, we are a neuro-affirming employer, with a strengths and rights based approach to neurodiversity which affirms neurodivergent identity – we don’t want to “fix” or
“cure” autism, and we don’t see it as a “disability” however we do recognise it can be “disabling”. We are working to improve the ways in which we recruit and support neurodiverse employees and those with lived experience of neurodiversity.
RfA is a Disability Confidant employer and candidates who meet the minimum essential criteria, that have a disability will be guaranteed an interview.
Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: £17.58 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Shift:
Application question(s):
- Are you willing to undertake any necessary training required for this role?
- Experience in planning and delivering fun based activities for individuals with diverse needs, such as varying abilities, ages, or cultural backgrounds
Experience:
- Working with Autistic People: 1 year (required)
- facilitating groups with colleagues or volunteers: 1 year (required)
- Leading/facilitating Group Activities: 1 year (required)
- supervising and mentoring a people: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
