Complex Needs Specialist (Support Worker)

The Housing Network – Who are we?

We are The Housing Network (THN), a private limited company with a purpose. We exist to provide ‘More than a Roof’, because when life is at its toughest, we believe everyone deserves a safe and stable place to rebuild their lives.

Operating right across the UK (from Scotland to the South Coast) our team of 175+ dedicated professionals provide accommodation and support to over 5300 vulnerable individuals and families every single night – within self-contained, shared, supported and specialist scheme homes.

Alongside our 100+ Local Authorities and Ministry of Justice (MOJ) partners we work hard to design, and deliver person-centric solutions that meet the needs of our commissioners, communities and of course residents – always striving to ensure best-value and effectiveness.

We are a team that is absolutely committed to innovate, excel and be dependable in all that we do. Working hard together to achieve our mission of providing Better Accommodation, Better Support, Better Partnerships – and as a result Better Business.

This is an incredibly exciting time for The Housing Network as we embark on our Strategy 2024/29 : The missing Piece journey. A journey that will see us expand our services to provide over 10,000 units of safe and inspiring accommodation into 75% of Local Authority areas across the UK !

Role Overview – What is it?

To join one of our Active Opportunity Pathway (AOP) services, working as part of the support team to help those experiencing multiple disadvantage or severe multiple disadvantages to overcome barriers to achieving greater independence.

You will be highly experienced in working with vulnerable individuals or families who have a background of homelessness, mental-health challenges, substance misuse, history of offending and other disadvantages. Using your prior knowledge and skills to help us create one of the most effective outcomes-focused services in the sector.

You will be familiar with and have effectively operated in a strength-based and trauma informed way to help your residents achieve outstanding outcomes. Taking personal pride and ownership in helping those who experiencing multiple disadvantage to achieve more than they ever thought possible.

You will have worked in an accommodation-based setting, with significant experience of intensive housing management, housing benefit and personal benefit topics. Drawing on that knowledge to support residents to manage their finances and access appropriate move-on accommodation on their journey towards greater independence.

This is a specialist role within a new team, offering you the chance to not only deliver life-changing support to those experiencing multiple disadvantage, but also help us shape and create a great service for those who need us most.

Main Duties – What needs to be done?

Support Elements:

• Employ a strength-based and trauma-informed approach to building trusting relationships with residents, using that to help create accurate, realistic and meaningful (outcome focused) support plans.
• Use your knowledge and experience of working with those experiencing multiple-disadvantage to identify and capture risks, using that to help design mitigation strategies and inform coping mechanisms.
• Engage pro-actively and effectively with residents to help them identify barriers which are preventing them gaining greater levels of independence, then working collaboratively to build (and achieve) a plan for success.
• Uphold the highest levels of safeguarding awareness and protection for individuals, residents, colleagues and the wider community. Working within local frameworks to ensure policies and mechanisms are applied correctly.
• Maintain and regularly update accurate records of all support engagements, support plans, risk assessments and other support pathway elements, using them to support appropriate partnership working with local partner agencies.
• Champion the principles of trauma-informed engagement and support across the service and wider organisation, helping colleagues develop their skills and communication approaches to support the achievement of outcomes.
• Take time to engage pro-actively with all residents in the scheme, using the less formal engagements to help deepen the understanding and effectiveness of support plans and achievement of outcomes.
• Work with the service manager and senior leaders to engage pro-actively with local multi-disciplinary and network groups, seeking to maximise outcomes for individuals and build added value into the service as a whole.
• Deliver a blend of both individual and group sessions, with a focus on helping residents to build and develop their independent living skills and abilities, recording all engagements within our digital support system.
• Manage your caseload of residents in an effective and dynamic way, ensuring all residents receive and engage with appropriate amounts and types of support for their needs.
• Work in a non-risk averse and non-judgemental way, helping residents understand the negative impact of their behaviours, then providing harm reduction information and advice where necessary.
• Act as a positive role model for residents, using a strength-based approach to helping them set realistic (but aspirational) goals, prompting, encouraging and motivating them to make them a reality.

Intensive Housing Management:

• Work with colleagues at service and organisational level to ensure maximum levels of service utilisation, including the processing and review of referrals in a non-risk averse and balanced community way.
• Support in the process of referral management and support / needs / risk assessment, recording all relevant findings accurately in our digital support management system.
• Support residents to understand and complete all necessary tenancy documentation and service entry requirements, recording them as required in our various housing management systems.
• Take ownership of any rent management matters for your residents, helping them to understand the importance of appropriate money management and to take necessary action to avoid arears.
• Support residents to understand their benefits and money management skills, using that to identify knowledge gaps which can be added into support plans and future engagement activities.
• Complete regular accommodation inspections, using the opportunity to help residents develop further independent living skills (eg reporting of repairs) whilst ensuring all necessary compliance and H&S requirements are met.
• Proactively support residents to identify knowledge gaps in terms of their ability to manage a tenancy and live independently, building that into support plans and helping them acquire the skills and knowledge required.

Relationships – Who will I be working / engaging with?

• Internal – Other AOP service colleagues (eg concierge, Support Workers) / Maintenance and Facilities Teams / Head of Service and Senior Leadership Team / Residents.
• External – Local Authority Commissioners and Officers / Third Sector Partners / Statutory Partners (eg Police and Probation) / Housing Benefit Officers / DWP and Employment Partners etc.

Competencies – Who with and your skill level?

• Extensive and demonstrable knowledge and experience of working with individuals or families experiencing multiple disadvantage or severe multiple disadvantage.
• Extensive and demonstrable experience of working in an accommodation-based service, with specific reference to effective rent management and accessing positive move-on options.
• Proven abilities to work in a strength-based and trauma-informed way for the benefit of individuals and families, helping them to achieve a level of positive outcomes beyond their expectations.
• Experience of completing and managing accurate support plans and risk assessments, then using those to design and implement engaging and impactful support activities for groups and individuals.
• Extensive and demonstrable knowledge and experience of maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding for vulnerable individuals.
• Comfortable and familiar with working in a non-risk averse way.
• Knowledge and experience of best-practise and current approaches (eg adverse childhood experiences) to deliver effective intervention and therapeutic engagements.
• Highly developed ICT skills and familiarity with digital support management systems, and personal abilities and focus on maintaining accuracy at all times.
• Excellent written / verbal communications skills, with the confidence to engage with external partners and stakeholders for the benefit of residents, the service and organisation as a whole.

General and Additional

• The responsibilities contained within this job description are indicative, but not exhaustive. As the role develops, the requirements of the post may change, and as such the post is subject to review in discussion with the post holder.
• The post holder may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as the organisation may reasonably require which are commensurate with the grade of the post.
• The post holder shall comply with the organisations policies and procedures, ensuring appropriate actions and reporting protocols are followed at all times.
• The post holder shall attend regular staff or other related meetings, contributing positively where appropriate and relevant.
• Extensive travel across the UK will be required from time to time to support the delivery of role requirements, with you holding a full UK driving licence and access to private vehicle for business use when required.
• An Enhanced Disclosure is required for this position.

Successful applicants will be subject of DBS check

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £26,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Bereavement leave
• Casual dress
• Company car
• Company events
• Referral programme
• Sick pay

Day range:

• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Shift:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift

Experience:

• Support Worker: 2 years (required)

Licence/Certification:

• Manual Driving Licence (required)

Work Location: On the road