Support Worker

eRecruitSmart; Bedford; On-site; GBP 23,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity in Bedford is seeking a Support Worker to assist vulnerable individuals by providing essential support and guidance. This role involves working directly with residents in supported accommodation, aiding their transition and helping them meet their basic needs while ensuring a safe environment. Applicants should possess strong communication skills and show an empathetic approach towards individuals facing challenges.

Benefits

Access to Charity Worker Discount scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

27 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata)

Qualifications

• Experience working in supported accommodation or homeless centre.
• Ability to connect with people facing challenges.
• Caring and adaptable approach with understanding of complex needs.

Responsibilities

• Assist caseworkers with support plans for residents.
• Maintain safety and security of the building.
• Provide practical living skills support.

Skills

Communication

Empathy

Crisis Management

Tools

MS Office

Job description

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We have a great opportunity for a Support Worker for this super homeless charity in Bedford who provide safe spaces for vulnerable people within its communities.

About the company
Our clienthas been delivering services to service users with Complex Needs since 1996. Their mission is to provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within its communities, empowering them to make positive changes and take control of their lives. They currently provide services to people experiencing homelessness and help to prevent homelessness in Bedford and Milton Keynes.

They are proud of their culture and their values: Trustworthy, Respectful, Helpful and Honest.Their values underpin the work they do and the way they relate to their staff, volunteers, families, carers, professional partners and the individuals who learn with them, their funders and trustees. Our client particularly encourages applications from people with lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse and other complex needs.

About the role
As a Support Worker, you will be instrumental in the day to day running of our client’s 24/7 services and duties involve:

• Assisting caseworkers with the implementation of support plans for rough sleepers or residents (former rough sleepers with complex needs) in their supported accommodation
• Maintaining the safety and security of the building and carrying out essential office duties
• Keeping the office space tidy and maintain supplies for residents
• Responding to queries and communicating with people that use their services as well as external partners and agencies
• Maintain the office space including answering the phone and responding to queries
• Respond to need as it arises and managing a range of situations
• Share relevant and appropriate information within a multi-disciplinary team
• Provide basic guidance and advice to service users, including access to benefits information, support to make appointments and signposting to other organisations
• Adhere to the company Diversity & Equal Opportunities Policy
• Be familiar with and demonstrate adherence to the organisational and service Policies and Procedures
• Ensure procedures relating to service users are being followed
• Keep service user records up to date
• Ensure the building is well maintained
• Participate in rough sleeper counts if necessary
• Maintain organisational, service user and colleague confidentiality
• Consistently work within a person-centred approach
• Provide practical living skills including, but not limited to, budgeting, cooking, cleaning etc.

About you
To be successful for the role of Support worker, you will have:

• Great communication skills and experience of working effectively with others in an office setting, supported accommodation or homeless centre
• Some experience of dealing directly with the public and/or customers in a busy 24/7 operational environment
• The ability to connect with people who may have had adverse life experiences and present with challenging behaviour (and be able to effectively de-escalate these types of situations)
• Some understanding of the issues faced by homeless or vulnerably housed people and the difficulties they experience in accessing services
• A caring and empathetic approach to helping people and an adaptable approach to individuals with complex needs
• Awareness of and ability to manage professional boundaries
• The ability to work under pressure in a potentially stressful environment and deal with challenging behaviours and situations
• A working knowledge of MS Office software, e.g. Word, PowerPoint & Excel
• The desire to help individuals to make positive change to their lives, often when they feel at their lowest point

The role of Support Worker will require you to have Enhanced DBS clearance.

About the hours and rewards
In the role of Support Worker, you will work 3 days on 3 days off. Day shifts or night shifts are available (no combination of both) and shifts are either 8am-8pm or 8pm-8am. There is a salary on offer of £22,557 per annum and benefits include:

• Access to Charity Worker Discount scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 27 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata)

There are lots of opportunities to pick up additional shifts across their homelessness services.