Support Worker - Stella Maris

Depaul; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced annual leave

Paid sick leave

Maternity & paternity pay

Contributory pension

Health cash back

Christmas savers club

Bluelight discount card

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Depaul in Belfast is seeking a hands-on support assistant at Stella Maris to help run the service, manage the front desk and building operations. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support service users, assist with daily living needs, maintain records and assist case workers with personalised plans, while upholding health and safety policies and IT Security.

Join a compassionate team dedicated to reducing homelessness and helping residents move toward independence, with

Qualifications

• Essential criteria include GCSEs A-C (Maths and English) or equivalent.
• 1 year paid relevant work experience or 2 years volunteering.
• Good written and verbal communication; risk assessment knowledge.
• Good IT skills and ability to record client information.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact for service users, agencies, contractors, visitors, etc.
• Support service users with daily needs including meals, laundry and upkeep.
• Maintain service users records and ensure timely communication.
• Assist case workers with personalised support plans and activities.
• Ensure Health and Safety standards are met and IT security policies followed.
• Carry out general administration tasks and building checks as required.
• Participate in handovers and team meetings; mentor volunteers where needed.
• Maintain a professional, warm, welcoming service environment.

Skills

IT skills

Communication skills

Education

GCSEs A-C incl Maths & English

Relevant work/volunteering experience

Tools

Risk assessment knowledge

IT systems for recording

Job description

Salary: £25,394.88 Contract:Permanent
Hours: 35 per week - Varied Rota

Location: Stella Maris, 28 Garmoyle Street Belfast BT15 1DY

Employee Benefits

• Enhanced Annual Leave – 35 days per year, increasing as your length of service increases
• Paid Sick Leave
• Company maternity & paternity pay
• Contributory Pension scheme
• Health Cash Back & Rewards Plan
• Christmas Savers club
• Bluelight discount card

Plus, many opportunities to learn and develop within the organisation

Why work for us?

Depaul is a cross border charity supporting some of the most marginalised individuals, couples and families experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it. Would you like to help us to meet our mission?

We are a values led organisation and aim, at all times, to live and breathe these values in our everyday work. Our values are based on four key principles:

• We celebrate the potential of people
• We put our words into action
• We aim to take a wider role in civil society
• We believe in rights and responsibilities

If you choose to work for Depaul

About Stella Maris

This service is managed by Depaul working in partnership with Radius Housing Association.

Stella Maris is a wet, low‑threshold service supporting men and women experiencing alcohol dependency and homelessness. Our team uses a harm‑reduction approach, helping residents safely reduce or stabilise their alcohol use while building trust and stability. We support people to secure housing through NIHE, develop essential independent living skills, access the healthcare they need, and apply for the grants and practical support that help them move on to a permanent home. Working at Stella Maris means being part of a compassionate, skilled team that helps people rebuild their lives and move toward independence.

Your new role

You will be a member of a multi-disciplined team using holistic approaches to support Depaul service users. Working to a housing-led, low threshold, harm reduction approach, where service users receive a high degree of support and advice. Depaul has a commitment to service user participation and to empowering our service users to manage their own lives.

To support the effective day to day running of the service. You will undertake daily reception and building management tasks, support service users in their transition into the service, to use the service effectively. You will support key workers to deliver bespoke personalised support plans to clients, including the delivery of activities.

• To be the first point of contact for service users, agencies, contractors, visitors etc. Ensuring a warm, professional, welcoming and engagement
• Ensure the practical needs of our services users are met on a day to day basis. Where necessary, supporting service users with meal preparation, laundry and general upkeep of their living space.
• Ensuring service users records are being maintained
• To provide colleagues with timely and accurate communication relating to service users.
• Assist case workers to meet the needs of service users in line with support plans and safety and wellbeing management plans i.e. undertakes activities identified by caseworkers that supports service users in meeting their personal goals. For example; financial, creative or educational activities and assistance to communicate with others
• To ensure that Health and Safety standards are met within the service in accordance with Depaul’s Health and Safety policy and procedures.
• Undertake cleaning duties as assigned by LMT and in accordance with health & safety practices
• To ensure all health & wellbeing and building checks are completed and recorded in line with local procedure and Depaul policy
• To identify building defects in line with organisational health and safety standards
• To ensure that Health and Safety standards are met within the project in accordance with Depaul’s Health and Safety policy and the services risk assessments.
• Carry out project administration tasks such as upkeep of petty cash, project statistics, invoices, record keeping, Service User’s files, OTIS, Incident and Accident Reporting etc.
• To remain vigilant to IT and cyber risks and comply at all times with Depaul’s IT Security policies.
• To be a contributing team player, taking part in handovers, team meetings, core training, the mentoring of Volunteers and supporting other team members in ensuring all decision making is appropriate and consistent
• To at all times undertake your role in a professional manner maintaining a high quality standard of work in line with Depaul Values and ethos.

The above list is not exhaustive; additional areas of responsibility may be added over time and flexibility to cover for other staff roles is required from time to time.

Essential Criteria

• 3 GCSE’s A-C to include Maths and English or equivalent
• 1 year paid relevant work experience or 2 years relevant volunteering experience
• Good working knowledge of risk assessment and risk management processes
• Good IT skills, including working knowledge of using IT systems to record client information

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

• The ability to compile and present accurate written and electronic reports
• Have an understanding of homelessness and the issues that can lead to homelessness
• Have an understanding of what supports can be offered in homeless services to promote positive futures

• Have a knowledge of the statutory and voluntary sector resources available to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness

• Understand the importance for Health and Safety standards in the delivery of services on a day to day basis.

• Knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary agencies and the ability to network/liaise with all relevant bodies

• Knowledge and willingness to work within the guidelines of Depaul vision mission and values.

Circumstances

Ability to work on a rota basis (7-day week – mornings, evenings, weekends and nights).

Access NI

This Post is subject to an Enhanced Access NI check. Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar you from working with Depaul. This will depend on the nature of the position, together with the circumstances and background of your offences or other information contained on a disclosure certificate.

NISCC

This post is subject to NISCC registration, if you do hold a valid registration this must be completed within your probationary period.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Depaul strives to create a diverse and inclusive programme and is committed to ensuring equality of access to our opportunities and equality of treatment for our staff in all our policies and practices. We welcome applications from individuals aged 18 and over from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Our Privacy policy can viewed here: https://ie.depaulcharity.org/about-us/careers/