Supported Housing Support Worker at YMCA DownsLink Group

Community Base; Eastbourne; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Base is recruiting a Supported Housing Support Worker for Eastbourne Foyer, with responsibilities across Eastbourne and Hailsham sites. You will manage a resident caseload, run regular key work sessions, and help develop personalised support plans to progress residents toward independent living.

The role emphasizes housing guidance, budgeting, safeguarding, and engagement within a trauma-informed framework, on a seven-day rolling rota including evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing or supported accommodation.
• Strong understanding of occupancy agreements, rent management, welfare benefits, and tenancy sustainment.
• Ability to manage arrears, ASB, and non‑compliance issues using restorative approaches.
• Good knowledge of housing legislation, safeguarding procedures, and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with statutory and voluntary services available to young people and ability to work with a caseload toward independent living.

Responsibilities

• Support residents with occupancy agreements and house rules to prepare for independent living.
• Promote rent payments and help residents understand financial obligations.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation, welfare benefits, and organisational policies.
• Respond to breaches of agreement, including rent arrears or ASB, using restorative approaches and teamwork.
• Coach residents to articulate aspirations and develop independent living skills.
• Encourage personal development and community engagement.
• Follow safeguarding and Trauma-Informed Practice and maintain professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form detailing journeys, risks, and outcomes.
• Maintain clear records and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and signpost services as needed.
• Work autonomously and as part of a team.
• De-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour.
• Working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Skills

Housing experience

Trauma-informed practice

Record-keeping

Communication skills

Caseload management

Safeguarding

Tools

In-Form

Job description

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our team at Eastbourne Foyer, with the expectation of working from our other sites in Hailsham when required. You will hold a caseload of residents and carry out regular key work sessions with them each week. Through these sessions, you will work together to develop personalised support plans, track progress, and help residents achieve their goals.

Our Eastbourne and Hailsham services provide 24-hour supported housing for young people aged 16–25, offering low to medium levels of housing-related support. Eastbourne Foyer houses 33 young people, while our two Hailsham sites - Grove House and Newton Park - houses 7 and 3 young people respectively, all with shared communal facilities. Across all three sites, we support residents to develop the skills needed for independent living. This includes managing finances and budgeting, building life and work skills, and maintaining personal self-care.

Our staff take a trauma-informed and psychologically informed approach, supporting residents to build essential life skills, identify personal goals, and work towards their aspirations so they can move on to independent and fulfilling futures. Our dedicated team of Support Workers, Night Workers, and Bank Workers provide personalised guidance, practical assistance, and signposting in key areas including housing, budgeting, daily living skills, employment, and healthy relationship building.

Main areas of responsibilities are:

Housing and Compliance

• Support young people to understand and comply with their occupancy agreements, including coaching them to meet house rules and responsibilities as part of preparing for successful independent living.
• Promote a strong rent‑payment and credit culture, encouraging residents to maintain regular payments and understand their financial obligations.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of housing legislation, welfare benefits, and statutory requirements affecting young people, ensuring practice aligns with current housing law and organisational policies.
• Respond promptly and effectively to breaches of agreement, including rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or property damage, using restorative approaches where appropriate and working collaboratively with the wider team.

Coaching and Engagement

• Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
• Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community.
• Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance).

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience in housing or supported accommodation, ideally supporting young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Strong understanding of occupancy agreements, rent management, welfare benefits, and tenancy sustainment.
• Ability to manage arrears, ASB, and other non‑compliance issues using appropriate and restorative approaches.
• Good knowledge of housing legislation, safeguarding procedures, and compliance requirements, with the ability to maintain clear professional boundaries.
• Familiarity with statutory and voluntary services available to young people and ability to work proactively with a caseload to support progression towards independent living.

Skills and Abilities

• Confident in record‑keeping, including case notes, incident reporting, and health and safety checks.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary.
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills.
• Ability to de‑escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.