Social Care Worker 

 

Location: Field-based across the South East (Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow)

Salary: €40,000 – €48,000 (DOE) + Premium Benefits

Position Type: Full-Time (Highly Flexible Hours)

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Looking for a different kind of Social Care career? We don’t do four walls.

Our offices are the forests, beaches, and waterways of the South East. Active Connections uses nature-led, adventure-based therapeutic interventions to build resilience and self-reliance in young people. If you are a CORU-registered Social Care Worker (or hold a relevant degree) seeking a refreshing, high-autonomy, and genuinely healthy place to work, this is it.

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A Day in the Life of an Active Connections Social Care Worker:

This is not a generic 9-to-5 or a rigid residential shift. Your day is an active, co-produced journey:

• Autonomy & Prep: You manage your morning logistics, sync with the young person's carer, prep your gear, and hit the road.

• The Main Event: Working predominantly 1:1 with young people (referred via Tusla/HSE at Hardiker Levels 3 and 4), your afternoon adapts entirely to their therapeutic needs. You might be trekking into a deep forest to practice bushcraft, jumping off coastlines in full wet gear, or paddleboarding across calm waters. On low-energy days, it might mean grabbing a hot chocolate and going for a grounding walk.

• Decompress & Report: After safely returning the young person, your drive home is your time. We value and compensate this travel time as a structured space to decompress. You'll wrap up your day with a concise, professional session report.

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What We Offer (The Benefits):

• A True Culture of Self-Care: We practice what we preach. Enjoy monthly team trainings in adventure sports and therapeutic approaches, balanced with quality team bonding.

• The Outdoor Advantage: Real physical and mental health benefits from working in nature, plus company-funded outdoor meals during sessions.

• Financial & Travel Peace of Mind: Company fuel card, monthly vehicle wear-and-tear allowance, and an optional subsidised Company Medical Support Plan (including free GP and dental tiers).

• Flexibility & Growth: A highly flexible model built on trust, a dedicated professional training budget, pension access, and a confidential EAP.

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Core Responsibilities:

• Deliver 1:1 and small-scale therapeutic interventions to young people in nature.

• Co-produce person-centered intervention plans and schedules with your line manager.

• Maintain strong, professional communication with carers, referrers, and managers.

• Produce high-quality, concise session reports and attend multi-disciplinary meetings (e.g., Child in Care Reviews) when required.

• Ensure all outdoor activities strictly comply with health and safety regulations.

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Essential Criteria:

We value transparency. Please only apply if you meet the following:

• Qualification: Degree in Social Care, Counselling, or equivalent. CORU registered (or actively in progress).

• Logistics: Full, clean driver’s license and access to a reliable car (non-negotiable).

• Experience: 12 months of post-qualification experience in service-user support and accurate record-keeping preferred.

• The Outdoor Mindset: A genuine passion for outdoor sports, scouting, water sports, or bushcraft. You must be resilient enough to work comfortably in all Irish weather conditions.

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How to Apply:

Ready to leave the mainstream grind behind for a healthier, more autonomous career?

Send your CV and a brief note detailing why the outdoors suits your style of care to people@activeconnections.ie.