Support Worker

Right There; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 210h

Pension scheme

Life insurance

Development plan

Wellbeing support

Cycle to work

Family leave

Job summary

Right There Edinburgh is seeking a compassionate housing support worker to help young adults and others transition from homelessness into stable, settled homes. You will build trust, support budgeting and daily living skills, and advocate for clients within local services. A safeguarding and confidentiality mindset is essential.

You will work in a collaborative team, contributing to referrals, outcomes and ongoing reflective practice while delivering support in line with Right There’s policies.

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar housing support environment.
• Empathy and ability to understand people’s views, concerns and needs.
• SVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or SCQF equivalent, or working towards it.
• Knowledge of housing and homelessness policies and local resources.
• Strong communication skills and ability to de-escalate potential conflict.
• Ability to manage a caseload, prioritise time and meet deadlines.
• Computer literacy including Microsoft Office and accurate case recording.
• Awareness of how substances, mental health and trauma affect lives.
• Understanding safeguarding, confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Build support around the person with a person-centered approach.
• Help with budgeting, benefits applications, shopping, cooking and managing a home.
• Assist moves from temporary to settled housing and explore options.
• Advocate for people and connect them with local services.
• Maintain safe records, safeguarding procedures and confidentiality.
• Collaborate with colleagues and partners to improve support and outcomes.

Skills

Strong communication skills

De-escalation experience

Caseload management

Time management

Deadline orientation

Education

SVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About The Role

A safe home is about more than a set of keys. It is about feeling settled, building confidence and knowing someone is alongside you when things get difficult. If you bring compassion, practical skills and a belief in people’s potential, this could be the role for you.

Our Outreach Edinburgh Housing Support team supports people aged 16 and over who are moving out of homelessness into longer-term accommodation, as well as people at risk of losing their home. You will build trusting relationships and help people develop the skills, resilience and confidence to live more independently.

Your Role

• Build support around the person. Develop and review support plans together, using a People First, person-centred and psychologically informed approach.
• Make everyday independence possible. Help with budgeting, maximising income, benefits applications, shopping, cooking and looking after a home.
• Support the move to a settled home. Help people move from temporary accommodation into permanent housing and understand their housing options.
• Strengthen connections. Advocate for people, help them take part in their community and connect them with local services and specialist support.
• Keep people safe and records meaningful. Review safety plans, maintain clear and timely case notes, uphold confidentiality and professional boundaries, and follow safeguarding procedures.
• Work together to improve support. Build relationships with colleagues and partner agencies, contribute to referrals and programme outcomes, and take part in training and reflective practice.

What you bring

You will bring experience of working in a similar environment, empathy and the ability to understand people’s views, concerns and needs. You will also need:

• An SVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care, or an SCQF equivalent, or to be working towards this qualification.
• Knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation and policies, housing and other benefits, and local resources and services.
• Strong communication skills, experience of de-escalating potential conflict, and the ability to manage a caseload, prioritise your time and meet deadlines.
• Confident computer skills, including Microsoft Office, and accurate case recording in line with organisational policy.
• Awareness of how drugs, alcohol, mental health, adolescent development and trauma can affect people’s lives.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, child and adult protection, professional boundaries and the limits of confidentiality, alongside first-aid awareness or certification.
• A flexible approach to working patterns and a commitment to delivering support in line with Right There’s policies and objectives.

Knowledge of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE), awareness of the issues facing young people seeking asylum in the UK, or experience of crisis work with vulnerable people would be helpful, but are not essential.

Our Offer

• Time to recharge. 210 hours of annual leave in your first year, rising to 280 hours in your second year, including public holidays, pro rata. There is also the option to buy or sell five days of leave.
• Support for your future. People’s Pension enrolment if eligible, with employer and employee each contributing 5%, plus life insurance of four times your salary through the YMCA scheme.
• Learning and development. People First trauma-informed training, an annual role-relevant development plan, mentoring and funded SVQ qualifications for appropriate roles.
• Wellbeing support. A 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Hub, self-care resources and a Health Shield plan.
• Practical extras. Cycle to Work, access to discounts and enhanced family leave.

Travel expenses are paid between your usual workplace and appointments undertaken as part of your duties. Home working may be agreed with your line manager, depending on service needs.

If you want to help people feel safer, more confident and more connected as they build a home, we would love to hear from you.

About Us

We are a charity that recently celebrated 200 years of standing alongside people in Scotland. Last year we supported almost 4,000 people to stay in their homes and stay connected to the people they love.