Community Development Worker

Emmaus; Bungay; On-site; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading community organization seeks a Community Development Worker to support women overcoming homelessness. This full-time role involves managing a caseload, overseeing a women's project, and ensuring effective support through trauma-informed practices. Applicants should have compassion, resilience, and experience in supporting individuals with complex needs.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting people with complex needs.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of 20 female companions.
• Support women in achieving personal goals and development plans.
• Conduct needs and risk assessments for new companions.

Skills

Compassion

Emotional resilience

Inter-agency relationship building

Person-centered approaches

Education

Continued Professional Development in relevant areas

Job description

Work alongside the women in our community and help them to rebuild their lives and create positive futures!

CLOSING DATE: Ongoing LOCATION: Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney SALARY: £28,000 TYPE: Full Time, 40 hours p/w

We are looking for a Community Development Worker who has compassion combined with ‘inner steel’ to join our team. You will work with a caseload of 20 women who have experienced homelessness and are now living in our main community accommodation and specialist women’s accommodation.

Successful applicants will be involved in overseeing our new innovative Women’s only project , as well as supporting the women in the main community offering trauma informed practice and strength based approaches. The successful applicants will be part of the monitoring and evaluation of our new project and evaluate a theory of change initiative which has been embedded in this pilot year. The postholder will also support their cohort of companions with move on and development plans.

Our Women’s Community is run by women, for women and is therefore restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act2010, Schedule 9 Part 1 and Section 7(2) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Role Accountabilities:Companion Development

• Maintain detailed and accurate logs in accordance with our existing systems, refining frameworks where necessary
• Undertake companion development meetings for a 360 degree approach to companion wellbeing and development and undertake Homestar outcomes for each companion
• Conduct referral interviews, complete needs and risk assessments and induct new companions to the community
• Maintain community discipline and apply sanctions when necessary
• Assist in the management of the facilities of the community building and grounds to ensure they are well maintained, safe, clean and tidy and are in line with health and safety requirements
• Manage a caseload of 20 female companions
• Coordinate and develop the move on journey working with the Community Development Manager and the Director
• Induct all new Companions, ensuring they complete all H&S training during their first week working alongside the community team
• Support Companions in making and attending appointments (e.g. health, legal, housing, training, benefit-related)
• Ensure when appropriate, interventions are put in place regarding companions needs to improve personal hygiene, substance abuse, sleep deprivation, mental/physical health and general wellbeing
• Facilitate and co-ordinate with external agencies in relation to companion health, benefits, support, and personal development
• Represent Emmaus to partner agencies and developing relations with a wide variety of services with whom a relationship will benefit the community and companions
• Work as part of a team ensuring continuous development of the community both as an individual charity, part of the UK Federation and as part of the International Emmaus Movement
• Be part of a team developing our first move-on house and outreach framework

Community:

• Support all women in community, both in the women’s only project and main community throughout the year
• Maintain community discipline and apply sanctions when necessary
• Work in line with quality assurance frameworks and health and safety requirements
• Keep up to date logs and records in accordance with our CRM existing system

People:

• Support all women in community, both in the women’s only project and main community throughout the year
• Maintain community discipline and apply sanctions when necessary
• Work in line with quality assurance frameworks and health and safety requirements
• Keep up to date logs and records in accordance with our CRM existing systems
• Work within budgets to enable the community to be self-sufficient
• Assist with finance for companions’ allowances and holiday monies, ensure any housing benefits etc. are accurate and recorded

General:

• Support the on call rota to ensure 24 hours emergency availability
• Be flexible and willing to carry out any reasonable duties needed to assist the community and business operations, including assisting in business operations, holiday/sickness cover, participation in team meetings, attend 1:1’s and appraisals

Person Specification

• Experience supporting people with complex needs to achieve their goals, using person-centered approaches.
• Able to hold a space where women are able to discuss and explore challenging topics and potentially triggering information, delivering effective support sessions and dealing with behaviours of concern
• Ability to interpret complex situations/problems and identify solutions which meet individuals and organisational needs
• Experience in using appropriate systems for recording, measuring and reporting outcomes related to client welfare, training, development and achievements
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries
• Can demonstrate ability to identify and manage own priorities and conflicting schedule demands
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development, such as drug and alcohol awareness, Safeguarding, Health and Safety, First Aid, managing behaviours of concern
• Experience of building strong inter-agency relationships
• Our Women’s Community is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9 Part 1 and Section 7(2) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Personal Characteristics:

• Strong emotional resilience and able to identify when external support is needed for self and others
• Compassionate and empathetic
• Able to recognise, respond and adapt appropriately to change
• Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the community and business
• Have an understanding of and belief in equality
• An understanding of and empathy for the work of Emmaus, and an ability to uphold Emmaus values

Other Core Competencies:

• Engaging with others
• Planning and organising with good time management and ability to prioritise
• Engaging with people in a positive way, to make sure messages are easily understood and people are valued and respected
• Applicants with lived experience are welcomed

To apply please download the full job pack below and send your CV, covering letter and a one page explanation of how you meet the person specification to Jo Andrews: [e-mail].

We are accepting applications and interviewing on a rolling basis. If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please email: [e-mail].