Full Time Support Worker

Together for Mental Wellbeing; Kirtling; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Together for Mental Wellbeing is seeking a compassionate Full Time Support Worker to join our Operations team at the Kirtling House Accommodation Service. You will support individuals with mental health needs on their journey toward greater wellbeing and independence, helping with daily tasks, budgeting, meals, and community access.

Experience is welcome but not required as we provide thorough training. You will work 37.5 hours per week, including some early/late shifts and weekends, with DBS

Qualifications

• Experience in supporting vulnerable individuals (paid, voluntary, or life experience).
• GCSE or Level II qualification in English or equivalent.
• Basic competence in using email and word processing software.
• Demonstrate empathy and non-judgement in service-user relations.
• Able to maintain professional boundaries with service users.
• Ability to create a safe environment at work.
• Willing to undertake domestic tasks for service users as needed.
• Open to formal and informal job-related learning.
• Willing to collaborate with colleagues and external organisations.
• Able to travel or have access to public transport.
• Willing to work a 24/7 rota with notice.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain trust with service users to build engagement.
• Help service users set, prioritise, and achieve goals and manage tenancies.
• Work flexibly with service users at home and in the community.
• Carry out assessments and determine urgency of needs.
• Refer to other agencies and link service users to community opportunities.
• Carry out risk assessments to keep service users safe.
• Attend placement reviews and participate in meetings.
• Support service users 1:1 and in groups.
• Assist with finances, budgeting, benefits and relationships.
• Help with appointments and community access.
• Assist with domestic tasks such as cooking and cleaning with infection control.
• Assist with personal care when required.
• Record concisely using Together systems and write reports.
• Attend mandatory courses and maintain professional boundaries.

Skills

Experience with vulnerable people

GCSE English or Level II

Email literacy

Word processing

Empathy and boundaries

Teamwork and collaboration

Flexible shift work

Willingness to learn

Education

GCSE English or Level II

Tools

Email

Word processing

Job description

Full Time Support Worker

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Kirtling House Accommodation Service

Reporting To: Fay Maybanks

Compensation: GBP 24,968.26 per annum (basic salary) plus GBP 620 per annum (geographical allowance)

GBP 24,968.26 per annum (basic salary) plus GBP 620 per annum (geographical allowance)

Kirtling House is a highly successful Residential Mental Health Recovery & Support Service in central Winchester, and due to our continued success, we are looking to add to our staff team.

We are seeking an inspiring and compassionate person, who can work creatively alongside people with mental health needs on their journey towards greater wellbeing & independence.

Utilising your passion for empowering people with complex mental health and social care needs, you will be supporting individuals to increase their independence & life quality.

Your role will be encouraging and assisting people to complete and learn daily tasks such as cooking, budgeting and exploring opportunities in the community as well as supporting with skills to self-manage metal wellbeing.

Experience is not essential as we offer excellent training opportunities and a chance to work within a dynamic, friendly working environment, competitive pay, career development & other benefits.

However, a passion for supporting people to take control of their own lives and a belief in mental health recovery is crucial.

Please note that preference will be given to those with experience of working within the social care and/or mental health sector.

Because of the nature of our work, you will be expected to work early/late shifts, alternate weekends and sleep-in duties.

We are currently seeking to recruit to 1 x 37.5 hours per week Support Worker.

Please note we offer paid overtime and an additional enhancement for sleep in shifts (the advertised salary includes an average of 1 sleep shift per week).

At Together we value and encourage diversity and inclusion within our workforce.

We are committed to creating a workplace where you can be your authentic self, welcoming applications from people from diverse communities and backgrounds who share our values.

As an employer, we are committed to making any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

Given this role involves supporting vulnerable people, successful applicants will be subject to a DBS check and satisfactory references prior to being offered employment.

Regrettably, we are unable to provide sponsorship for non-UK nationals.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain relationships of trust with service users, to build engagement
• Help service users to set, prioritise and achieve goals, managing their tenancies and move-ons
• Work flexibly with service users in their homes and in the community
• Carry out assessments and determine urgency of service user needs
• Work with professionals from other agencies, and make onward referrals, linking service users into community opportunities
• Carry out risk assessments, in order to keep service users safe and improve the quality of our support
• Attend placement reviews
• Work with service users on a 1:1 basis and in groups
• Assist service users to; deal with financial issues and navigate the benefits and education systems; manage friendships and family relationships; manage their medication, in accordance with Together procedures
• Accompany service users to appointments
• Assist service users to undertake domestic tasks such as cooking and cleaning, ensuring adherence to infection control (training provided)
• Assist service users with personal care as and when required
• Adhere to the Together policy on lone working
• Make timely records which are concise, accurate, written for the service user to understand, using Together computer-based systems
• Write clear word processed and handwritten reports (training provided) and records in English
• Participate in mandatory and job-related courses and learning activities
• Maintain professional boundaries in all aspects of work with service users

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Essential

• Experience in supporting vulnerable individuals gained from paid work and/or voluntary and/or life experience
• Minimum of GCSE or Level II qualification in English, or equivalent
• Basic competence in the use of email and word processing software
• Demonstrate a non-judgemental attitude and able to be empathetic towards service users and create a trusting environment
• Able to work in partnership with services users and establish and maintain professional boundaries in working with service users
• Able to establish and maintain a safe environment
• Willing and able to undertake domestic tasks with, and for, service users as necessary
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills relating to welfare benefits, education and relationships
• Open to - and willing to participate in - formal and informal job-related learning
• Willing and able to collaborate with colleagues and other organisations
• Able to use email and computerised systems for service user records and reports
• Able to travel; have access to car/public transport
• Able to work a varying pattern of shifts on a 24 hour 7-day week rota, with notice

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental distress
• NVQ Level II in Health and Social Care, or equivalent