Support Worker

Tamfol; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Riverside is seeking a dedicated support worker in Wakefield to assist vulnerable customers using trauma-informed approaches. You will co-produce move-on plans, conduct reviews, and help customers access employment, education and community resources.

The role involves day-to-day tenancy support, safeguarding, budgeting, and coordinating with external services to promote independence and safe housing. You will travel between properties as needed and participate in team meetings.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with vulnerable people.
• Structured support and risk management experience.
• Team player with a caring, empathetic nature and resilience.
• Understanding of supporting vulnerable people (lived experience preferred).
• Ability to work flexible hours including weekends/bank holidays.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate referral process and assess new customers.
• Contribute to housing management service delivery, including income collection.
• Work with customers to maintain safe environment and report issues.
• Clean and prepare rooms as appropriate.
• Resolve challenging situations sensitively and maintain safety.
• Develop local partnerships to provide holistic support; undertake admin tasks.

Skills

Experience of working with vulnerable

Structured support and risk management

Empathetic team player

Lived experience understanding (homel/

Job description

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Working Pattern: Working alternate weeks of 2 days and 3 days including weekend and bank holidays

About You

• Experience of working with vulnerable people
• Experience of delivering structured support and risk management
• To be a team player with a caring and empathetic nature with a resilient, can‑do attitude, able to work as part of a team
• An understanding of supporting vulnerable people – this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction.
• Ability to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours and may include lone working

Why Riverside?

We’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. Our portfolio includes over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK, with services ranging from homelessness support to social care, employment support and retirement living.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside: We are inclusive. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered and heard. Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If an applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.

Role Profile

Support Customers

We use Psychologically Informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles to support our customers to develop new ways of thinking and to make steps towards independence, by:

• Leading on co‑producing bespoke support and move‑on plans, involving key stakeholders (e.g., family/other support providers), where appropriate.
• Organising and carrying out regular planned reviews of support and risk plans, or following an incident/significant change in a customer’s circumstances.
• Engaging customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills.
• Assisting customers with day‑to‑day support and tenancy‑related matters.
• Identifying and promoting opportunities for employment, education and training and supporting customers to remove barriers to accessing these opportunities.
• Signposting customers to appropriate external support services, including interventions such as food banks and other community resources.
• Supporting customers to be ‘tenancy ready’ to enable successful move‑on.
• Supporting customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income.
• Supporting and monitoring customers’ healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals.
• Empowering customers to move towards self‑management of their medication by following the medication procedure.
• Leading on support initiatives including group work.
• Ensuring the safety of our customers by following local safeguarding procedures, recognising and acting on any significant risk, and escalating appropriately.
• Recording and updating clear, factual, accurate, strengths‑based customer information on the local or appropriate digital platform.

Deliver a Support Service

• Facilitate the referral process into the service and assess potential new customers.
• Contribute to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy‑related support.
• Work with customers to maintain a safe environment by reporting repairs and health and safety concerns.
• Clean and prepare rooms as appropriate.
• Resolve difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with responsibilities for the safety of the service.
• Develop and maintain local partnerships to provide a holistic range of support for customers.
• Carry out day‑to‑day administration and operational duties.

Other Duties

• You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
• You will be required to travel to different properties within the defined area as and when required.
• Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary.
• Ensure customers are safe at all times – carrying out all of your duties within Riverside’s Policy and Procedure framework (e.g., health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR, cash handling).
• Deliver your role in line with Riverside company values – Our Riverside Way.
• Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflecting practice sessions.
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely.
• From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager.

Additional Information

• The Group has offices across the UK and on this basis, there may be the requirement to travel to other locations to effectively perform this role.
• The role will be exposed to sensitive information; therefore, the role holder is expected to maintain levels of confidentiality at all times.
• In order to fulfil the requirements of this role, you will be required to work flexibly during the hours of operation.
• The role holder is expected to be committed to equal opportunities and to promote non‑discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.

Person Specification

• An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Experience of delivering structured support and risk management.
• Be a team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and have a resilient, can‑do attitude.
• Previous experience in positively resolving incidents.
• Demonstrate initiative and confidence to make and act on decisions.
• Competent administrative and IT skills (to be able to produce reports and other communications).
• Knowledge of Psychological or Trauma Informed approaches to support.
• Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise, organise tasks to achieve results.
• Knowledge of current benefit systems.
• Experience of working in a care and support environment.