West Sussex County Council (WSCC) operate a range of home to school and adults services transport routes across the County.

As part of our team, you will enable vulnerable people to achieve the best possible personal outcomes. You will do this by providing a reliable and consistent, safe transport service.

We're looking for people with an outward looking, caring and professional approach. The ideal person will naturally go above and beyond; acknowledging that our passengers value a friendly face and someone who is thoughtful and considerate.

About The Job

We are looking for Passenger Assistants to join our School Transport team based across the county.

Salary Range: £ 11.59 - £13.21 per hour. If you are on a casual contract your annual leave will be included in the hourly pay.

Work Location: Your base location is Clapham Depot (near Worthing) however, the work will be carried out across multiple locations surrounding. You wont be required to visit the base location every working day.

Contract: We have both Permanent Term Time Only contracts and Casual contracts available. Please indicate in your application which type of contract you would like to be considered for and specify the number of hours you would be available to work each week. Our available contracts range from 0 to 30 hours.

At WSCC, we promote flexible working, and a casual contract is a perfect fit for that! What is a casual contract? A casual contract allows us, as the employer, to offer work as and when it becomes available. It does not always guarantee hours, so you are given the option to accept or deny assignments as determined by us.

What is term time only working? A term time only contract is for our staff who are employed to work only during periods when schools are open. Your pay is calculated on an annual basis and then you are paid over twelve equal monthly instalments.

What you will be doing:

As a Passenger Assistant you will travel to and from schools and other venues, in minibuses, cars and taxis. You will ensure the safe transport of vulnerable adults and school children with special needs.

You will provide a safe, secure and happy environment for passengers, while in transit between destinations. You will also ensure that the passengers safely board and alight from the vehicles and that they are delivered to their venue in a safe way.

Your day-to-day tasks will include:

• Interpreting situations and events as they arise to solve straightforward problems concerning the wellbeing of the passenger or smooth running of the journey.
• Fastening seat belts.
• Attaching booster seats and ensure that passengers are properly seated.
• Working in conjunction with the driver and any other passenger assistants in the vehicle.
• Ensuring that all equipment, such as wheelchairs, are carefully stowed and secured when in transit.
• Working collaboratively and convey messages between the school and the pupil's parents about their health and wellbeing.

Experience and Skills

Key Skills:

• Very good communication skills, in order to communicate effectively with adults and children with special needs, their carers, family members and teachers.
• High levels of patience and sensitivity, able to deal effectively with adults and children with either medical or behavioural needs, calmly and with care for their wellbeing.
• Basic literacy and numeracy skills.
• Able to understand and communicate in basic non-verbal signals -such as an adult unable to speak pointing to something they want.
• A basic understanding of Makaton in order to communicate with those passengers with learning difficulties.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Previous experience working with, or caring for, children or adults, in some capacity, including voluntary work, paid work or through family commitments.
• Knowledge of how to operate and secure items such as booster seats, wheel chairs and similar devices.
• Basic first aid training.
• Knowledge of how to operate and secure items such as booster seats, wheel chairs and similar devices.
• Basic first aid training

Rewards and Benefits

Our values and support for one another is intrinsic to everything we do and will be a key priority within the assessment for this post. We care hugely about wellbeing, allowing time for a good laugh, and developing our team to be the best they can be. Alongside this, we also offer the below benefits.

• A competitive pay.
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring.
• A range of discounts (Including Samsung, Argos, Wickes, TUI, Deliveroo and Asos).
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres.
• A range of commuting and business travel discount and initiatives.
• For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee, go to our Rewards and Benefits page.