Health & Wellbeing Officer

Team:
Health & Wellbeing Officer Skills for Life and Work - Disability Action Salary: £33,649.03 - Band 5

Job Location:

Belfast HQ based (with travel across NI when required)

Working Hours:

F/T 35 hours per week

Contract:

Funded until June 2027 Disability Action is a dynamic and thriving charity committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities across Northern Ireland. We provide a wide range of services and support to empower people with disabilities, in employment, skills provision, advocacy and more, ensuring they can live independently and participate fully in society. As part of our ongoing growth and organisational development, we are seeking a dedicated Health & Wellbeing Officer for the SfL&W, to support our newly awarded Skills for Life and Work (SfL&W) provision.

This pivotal role will support the development and delivery of high-quality, impactful skills learning within our new state-of-theart DA Skills Hub, ensuring it operates as a vibrant centre for skills development both in person and online. You will play a key role in sourcing people to gain chosen vocational, technical and life skills for employment and independent living, making a lasting difference to the lives of the people and communities we support.

The Health & Wellbeing Officer is responsible for leading and delivering high-quality pastoral care, wellbeing support, and learner intervention services across the Skills for Life and Work (SfLW) program. The postholder will work with learners aged 16-21 of all ages, ensuring barriers to participation, achievement, and progression are identified and addressed through a holistic, learner centred approach. The successful candidate will report into the DA Skills Delivery Manager.

Key Responsibilities The responsibilities of the Health and Wellbeing Officer (SfL&W), will include:
Learner Wellbeing and Pastoral Support Lead and co-ordinate pastoral care and wellbeing support across Skills for Life and Work and apprenticeship provision. Conduct baseline wellbeing assessments, learner questionnaires, and support screenings to identify learner needs and barriers to learning. Develop, implement, monitor, and review individual learner support plans. Provide early intervention support using restorative and trauma informed approaches. Support learners experiencing emotional, behavioural, social, attendance, or engagement difficulties.

Promote resilience, emotional regulation, confidence, self esteem, and positive mental health. Deliver one-to-one wellbeing support within professional and ethical boundaries. Special Educational Needs and Additional Support Provide specialist support for learners with a range of disabilities and support/needs:
Support learners and families during educational assessment processes. Liaise with schools, SEN Co-ordinators, Educational Psychologists, and transition teams. Review Educational Statements, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), or equivalent documentation. Ensure appropriate reasonable adjustments and support arrangements are implemented and reviewed throughout programme participation. Learner Monitoring and Early Intervention Monitor learner attendance, wellbeing, participation, progress, achievement, and retention. Chair and coordinate learner support and case conference meetings.

Identify emerging concerns and implement appropriate interventions. Maintain accurate, confidential, and up-to-date learner records. Provide crisis intervention and support where required. Family Engagement and Partnership Working Build positive relationships with parents, carers, guardians, social workers, and key workers. Facilitate effective communication between learners, families, staff, and support agencies. Support families to understand and respond effectively to the needs of learners with additional support requirements.

Encourage collaborative approaches that improve learner outcomes and wellbeing. Multi-Agency Collaboration Work closely with external agencies Attend multidisciplinary meetings, case conferences, Looked After Child (LAC) reviews, and support planning meetings. Make referrals to specialist services where additional interventions are required. Coordinate support to ensure a joined-up and learner-centred approach. School Engagement and Transition Support Develop effective partnerships with schools, transition officers, SEN departments, and careers staff.

Support learners transitioning from school into training provision. Attend school careers fairs, employability events, open days, and transition meetings. Work with the Department for the Economy Careers Service and careers professionals to support progression planning. Ensure continuity of support and effective transfer of information where appropriate. Employer and Work Placement Support Support learners and employers during work placements. Advise employers on reasonable adjustments, disability awareness, and inclusive practices.

Help learners develop workplace confidence, resilience,…