Graduate/Gap Year: Practical Assistant/Personal Aide

This is a fantastic opportunity for:

• a new graduate seeking time to plan your next career steps,
• someone here in the UK on a working holiday visa, or
• a student taking a gap year before or after uni.

About you

You are bright, talented and capable and you could become one of the people who make up a team of PAs who make my busy life practical. You don't necessarily have any specific previous experience. You enjoy being active, outgoing and friendly, and helpful.

You are organised, practical and self-motivated, with observation skills and the ability to think ahead. Your friends can always rely on you. You may not yet have as much confidence as you feel you need, but you are thoughtful and good with people, and you ask questions and enjoy learning. You are looking for the opportunity that will make you competitive in your future career.

Right now, you need to earn money but at the same time you want to take a positive next step. You might also want time for travel, volunteering, or a personal project.

About me

My name is Ruth and I am an Independent Employer in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. I am supportive, innovative and bold. My goal is to develop the careers of certain young people who each spend up to one year supporting me. While I lead a full and happy personal and professional life without letting my physical disability stand in the way, you gain skills, knowledge and confidence that will set you up for a brilliant onward career, in whatever you want it to be!

I am an educated professional in my forties. I am a civil & commercial mediator, resolving people's disputes before they get to court; and I also run a small engineering social enterprise which builds technology for disabled people. I have a sense of humour and a can-do approach, which is necessary for me to achieve as much as I do. I live with my husband and our energetic dog, and when we are not working we lead a busy, happy and active home life too. I do everything that anyone else in my position does, but the difference is that I live my life with a physical disability that means I am extremely weak.

I use a powerchair and I need to have someone alongside me (you!) at all times to help me with the simple things that my condition prevents me from doing for myself. Basically, this job is to lend me your arms and legs, and use your brain to make it all look easy! It's a role which is very varied, and you can make as much of it as you wish: there's personal care and support for my health and fitness, it involves helping me as I do my job, there's cooking and stuff in my home, and I'll rely upon you to organise things so it is physically and practically possible to do everything I want.

Our work environment includes:

• Food and accommodation provided while on duty
• Loads of time off (two weeks per month!)
• Growth and career development opportunities
• A stepping stone to many different careers
• Positive about Youth Employment

The residential working pattern of this job means that you live-in day and night for up to five nights at a time, and then you have twice as much time away from work. You can be paid a regular salary for committing to this, or you can work on a zero-hours basis and choose when you work. During each shift you stay with me in my home, or accompany me wherever I go, to be available as and when I need help.

Currently recruiting for the following start dates:

• April 2025
• June/July 2025
• September 2025
• February/March 2026