Support Worker

We're looking for a Support Worker to join Your Place and be part of our dedicated team to help us with our mission to solve homelessness in east London, one person at a time!

About the role

Based within the Intensive Support Service team, this role is responsible for the service delivery of an effective, high quality, person centred support service to residents with a background of rough sleeping and range of medium to high needs. These includes entrenched drug and/or alcohol issues, mental health diagnosis and a range of offending backgrounds.

They will be the principal providers of support to residents in the Intensive Support service and will also work alongside Assistant Support Workers, to promote resident engagement through the development of positive relationships with our residents and contributing towards the promotion of a fulfilling, safe and inclusive environment.

Salary : £28,712 - £32,240 annual salary
Contract : Permanent
Hours:  37.5 hours
Location : Canning Town, London

Other responsibilities include

• To be responsible to the Team Manager for the day-to-day delivery of the Intensive Support service.
• Use motivational and asset based interviewing techniques to interview, assess and create support plans and risk assessments that address the needs of residents.
• Take a positive, trauma-informed approach to working with residents with complex needs and challenging behaviour.
• Conduct regular reviews of support plans and risk assessments as required.
• Take a pro-active approach in multi-disciplinary support required for residents.
• Work within a Psychologically Informed Environment approach and strive to meet targets and deliver results.
• Ensure a high standard of customer service is upheld
• To attend team meetings and take part in service policy and planning.
• To participate in team meetings, team review days and other meetings as agreed with the Team Manager.
• To keep abreast of current housing legislation, welfare benefit legislations and other matters relevant to successful support and move on of residents.
• To respond and process all referrals made to the Complex Needs service and ensure those accessing the service meet the service eligibility criteria.
• To ensure all case work is properly recorded and all service offers and outcomes are entered clearly onto the case management system.
• To actively collect follow up information with regards to the outcome of reconnections and report
• To deal with the immediate support needs of the residents as appropriate.
• To assess resident safety and develop risk management strategies with the resident and other involved services.
• To ensure all service delivery policies and decisions made by the Team Manager or team are observed and followed through.
• To keep accurate records and statistics on referrals, service outputs and outcomes etc.
• To maintain a high standard of record keeping in the office and keep all financial and administrative systems including resident files in the office in an accurate and up-to-date manner in line with policy.
• To ensure that all written work both for internal and external use is of a high standard.
• To ensure the results of all assessments and all service offers are entered clearly and in a timely fashion onto the case management system.
• To liaise and negotiate effectively on a day to day basis with outside agencies including the police, social services and other statutory and voluntary agencies.
• To build and maintain good working relationships with colleagues.
• Ensure that all duties and services provided are in accordance with policies and procedures.
• To comply with individual responsibilities, in accordance with work role for health and safety in the workplace.
• To undertake such other duties within the competence of the post holder which may be required from time to time

About you

Experience

• A demonstrable level of experience and understanding of the range of approaches appropriate to working with challenging behaviour including current drug /or alcohol use, antisocial behaviour, offending, substance misuse and complex needs
• Experience of working with clients in a trauma-informed way with proven effectiveness
• Demonstrate an understanding of statutory compliances and standards such health and safety, equal opportunities, data protection, particularly within a residential setting.
• Demonstrate excellent customer service skills. Ability to develop good working relationships and rapport with residents and stakeholders.
• Using motivational interview techniques to produce and approach referrals, needs and risk assessments and support planning in a SMART manner
• Knowledge of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE).
• Demonstrable experience within local authority, voluntary, independent, charity or social housing sector
• Successful track record of work with colleagues in order to achieve common goals
• Working across agencies and / or partnership arrangements
• Awareness of issues facing single people that experience homelessness or rough sleeping.

Skills & knowledge

• IT skills and particularly Microsoft Office packages
• Knowledge, understanding or experience of working in a casework management system.
• Knowledge in identifying and dealing with substance misuse issues
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting supported housing and vulnerable adult groups
• Understanding of health and safety in a supported housing setting

Abilities

• Willingness and ability to work shifts including evenings, weekends and waking night shifts on a rota basis)
• Ability to motivate those with complex needs to engage with meaningful activities
• Evidence of effective de-escalation techniques.
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively with a wide variety of people at all levels, maintaining professional boundaries
• Ability to interpret and communicate the meaning of legislation, policy, guidance, research and information on best practice
• Ability to work co-operatively to achieve goals
• Ability to set up and work according to schedules

Personal qualities

• Self-sufficient and highly organised with the ability to accomplish goals according to deadlines, and a flexibility and to juggle a variety of tasks
• Ability to act on own initiative and effectively under own direction, as well as productively within a team
• Strong sense of responsibility and accountability
• Awareness of own training and support needs

Desirable criteria

• Experience of using In-Form as a case management system.
• Qualifications relevant to supporting vulnerable adults
• Full current driving licence
• Successful track record in developing services in response to changing needs and demands

About applying

When applying don't forget to answer the questions in our application process to tell us more about how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience to be successful in this role.

At Your Place, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that the different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better resident outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of peoples age, disability, sex, gender, identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and a right to work in the UK.