Support Worker - Homelessness

Central Recruitment Services Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Recruitment Services Ltd is partnering with a London-based charity to recruit two Support Workers for a 24-bed service in the Kensington & Chelsea area. You will provide key support to single homeless young people aged 16-24 with medium to high needs, on a 37.5-hour week rota basis.

Shifts run 07:00-15:00 and 15:00-22:00 across Monday to Sunday, for an initial temporary period of around 2 months with a view to extension. Hourly pay is £16.90 (£15.08 base plus £1.82 holiday pay).

Qualifications

• Experience working with young people with mental health needs.
• Understanding of homelessness causes and available resources.
• Experience holding a caseload, key working and enabling strengths/goals.
• Knowledge of safeguarding issues in day-to-day work.

Responsibilities

• Hold a caseload of up to 6 key clients and conduct regular key working sessions with agreed Support Plans.
• Undertake risk assessments for each customer and review them regularly.
• Establish supportive, professional relationships and handle challenging situations sensitively.
• Support customers to achieve independent living and link with relevant agencies.
• Liaise with external partners and access statutory/voluntary services.
• Ensure fair access through interviewing and assessing referrals.

Skills

Experience with homeless young people

Mental health awareness

Caseload management

Safeguarding knowledge

Job description

Central Recruitment is currently working with a London-based charity that is dedicated to creating positive change by providing support to individuals on their journey towards independence. Out client is currently recruiting two Support Workers to work at a 24-bed service in the Kensington & Chelsea area. The service provides support for single homeless young people aged 16 - 24 with medium to high support needs.

• 37.5 hours per week


• Working across Monday - Sunday on a rota basis


• 07:00 - 15:00 and 15:00 - 22:00


• Temporary: approx. 2 months, with the possibility of extension


• £16.90 per hour (£15.08 per hour, with £1.82 holiday pay)

This is a fantastic opportunity to provide key support young people experiencing homelessness.

Key responsibilities:

• Hold a caseload of up to 6 key clients and conduct regular key working sessions resulting in agreed Support Plans


• Undertake risk assessments for each customer and review them regularly


• Establish supportive and professional relationships with customers and deal effectively with unpredictable and challenging situations in a professional and sensitive manner


• Ensure customers are supported to achieve independent living through proactive support and building positive links with relevant agencies


• Liaise with external partners, including accessing appropriate statutory and voluntary services


• Ensure fair access through interviewing and assessing the suitability of referrals, based on the criteria of the project


• Ensure all voids are advertised and lettings made promptly


• Support customers to pay their rent, including providing advice on benefits and debt management


• Support and advise customers on any matters relating to their occupancy agreements


• Support colleagues to remove items and make rooms ready for new occupants, where required


• Carry out regular Health and Safety inspections, taking immediate action to remedy health and safety defects and alerting the appropriate people in line with Health and Safety Policies


• Keep accurate records, including logbooks, service user files, monitoring information etc.

What we're looking for:

• Experience working with young people with mental health needs


• An understanding of the reasons why people become homeless, the needs and challenges they face and of statutory and voluntary resources available to homeless people


• Experience holding a caseload, key working and supporting customer to identify their strengths and goals through our asset-based approach to support, using psychologically and trauma informal techniques


• Knowledge of safeguarding issues and how they apply in day-to-day work

Further requirements:

In order to register with Central Recruitment Services for temporary agency work, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Current valid right to work in the UK


• Minimum 12 months' of paid experience in a front line social care role within the last 3 years (unless recruitment criteria states otherwise)


• A fully enhanced DBS either registered on the DBS update service or issued within the last 12 months, or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60)


• Employment or education history to cover the last 5 years which can be verified through the referencing process