PA/Buddy for fun-loving, young adult with Autism and Learning Disability DP6148
| Posting date: | 03 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £13 per hour |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 02 April 2026 |
| Location: | Lancing, West Sussex |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Independent Lives |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | DP6148 |
Summary
PA/Buddy for fun-loving, young adult with Autism and Learning Disability
Ref: DP6148
Location: Lancing
Details
This role is to support a Child
Drivers licence required: Preferred
Hours per week:
Afternoon/evening (after college) and/or at weekends, depending on the activities chosen. Some flexibility would be appreciated.
Hourly pay rate:
£13 per hour
-
We are looking for a PA/Buddy to take a young man out into the community two to three times a month.
No personal care is required — this is purely companionship and support with accessing community-based activities, such as attending Mencap events (including Buddy’s Café), going to the cinema, and bowling. There may also be occasional trips further afield, to be discussed as and when.
Some emotional support may be required, as he can sometimes struggle with self-regulation and may be a little unpredictable at times. However, he is generally a lovely young man who simply wants to enjoy a more independent and fulfilling life outside of the home.
He absolutely loves Doctor Who, so a fellow Whovian would be a huge bonus! He’s also a gamer (think Fortnite and Roblox) and enjoys sci-fi in general, including Star Wars and the Alien and Predator franchises.
He is currently attending a specialist college and is 17 years old.
There is a health condition for which a medical protocol is in place. The risk is minimal and there are very clear guidelines to follow. No medical intervention would be required, and further details can be discussed at interview.
He has a bus pass with a +1 for a carer, as well as an Access Card that enables a carer to attend activities. Any activities that incur a cost will be covered by us.
We are looking for someone who can offer support in the afternoon/evening (after college) and/or at weekends, depending on the activities chosen. Some flexibility would be appreciated.
An own car/driver would be ideal; however, the bus pass can be used where appropriate.
Most outings would be in Worthing, occasionally Brighton.
We are based in Lancing, so someone local would be ideal.
Duties include:
- Other relevant duties as required
- Companionship
- Support accessing the community
- Going to the cinema and bowling
- Occasional trips further afield (TBD)
Some emotional support as and when required
Candidate qualities:
- Respectful of the employer's privacy and confidentiality
- Reliable with good timekeeping
- Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
- Hygienic, tidy and well organised
- Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
- Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills
- Honest and cheerful
- Creative
- Able to always work to high standards of health & safety
- Driving license and own vehicle ideal, but not necessary as his bus pass with the +1 for carer can be used
Notes:
All applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check if required.
If you are successful in your application for this position, you will be either engaged directly or employed by the individual employer and not by Independent Lives. The role may be offered on an employed or self-employed basis, depending on the suitability and agreement with the employer. If the role is employed, you will be entitled to holiday pay and issued an employment contract.
Please note: If you do not hear back within three weeks of applying, unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Ref: DP6148
Location: Lancing
Details
This role is to support a Child
Drivers licence required: Preferred
Hours per week:
Afternoon/evening (after college) and/or at weekends, depending on the activities chosen. Some flexibility would be appreciated.
Hourly pay rate:
£13 per hour
-
We are looking for a PA/Buddy to take a young man out into the community two to three times a month.
No personal care is required — this is purely companionship and support with accessing community-based activities, such as attending Mencap events (including Buddy’s Café), going to the cinema, and bowling. There may also be occasional trips further afield, to be discussed as and when.
Some emotional support may be required, as he can sometimes struggle with self-regulation and may be a little unpredictable at times. However, he is generally a lovely young man who simply wants to enjoy a more independent and fulfilling life outside of the home.
He absolutely loves Doctor Who, so a fellow Whovian would be a huge bonus! He’s also a gamer (think Fortnite and Roblox) and enjoys sci-fi in general, including Star Wars and the Alien and Predator franchises.
He is currently attending a specialist college and is 17 years old.
There is a health condition for which a medical protocol is in place. The risk is minimal and there are very clear guidelines to follow. No medical intervention would be required, and further details can be discussed at interview.
He has a bus pass with a +1 for a carer, as well as an Access Card that enables a carer to attend activities. Any activities that incur a cost will be covered by us.
We are looking for someone who can offer support in the afternoon/evening (after college) and/or at weekends, depending on the activities chosen. Some flexibility would be appreciated.
An own car/driver would be ideal; however, the bus pass can be used where appropriate.
Most outings would be in Worthing, occasionally Brighton.
We are based in Lancing, so someone local would be ideal.
Duties include:
- Other relevant duties as required
- Companionship
- Support accessing the community
- Going to the cinema and bowling
- Occasional trips further afield (TBD)
Some emotional support as and when required
Candidate qualities:
- Respectful of the employer's privacy and confidentiality
- Reliable with good timekeeping
- Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
- Hygienic, tidy and well organised
- Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
- Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills
- Honest and cheerful
- Creative
- Able to always work to high standards of health & safety
- Driving license and own vehicle ideal, but not necessary as his bus pass with the +1 for carer can be used
Notes:
All applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check if required.
If you are successful in your application for this position, you will be either engaged directly or employed by the individual employer and not by Independent Lives. The role may be offered on an employed or self-employed basis, depending on the suitability and agreement with the employer. If the role is employed, you will be entitled to holiday pay and issued an employment contract.
Please note: If you do not hear back within three weeks of applying, unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.