Housing Support Worker

To apply for this role you must have a full driving licence and use of a car

Hours: Full Time: 35 hours - Monday to Friday 9am - 4:30pm – some flexible work may be required

Responsible to: Senior Support Worker

Responsible for: Working as part of a team to successfully resettle ex-offenders and or the homeless into the community and provide on-going support to achieve and maintain independent living.

Recruitment: This post is subject to a satisfactory DBS and reference checks

Restart provides supported housing, working with people leaving prison, and those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. We recognise that often our clients have experienced a lifetime of personal challenges, which has significantly contributed to them falling into crime and hardship.

The purpose of this role is to facilitate support for our clients in addressing complex issues such as homelessness, offending behaviour, family and community relationships, unemployment, mental health, drug and alcohol dependency, learning and life skills, with the aim of achieving independent living.

A CV is required with a covering letter on at least one page of A4, explaining your suitability and experience for the role.

Job requirements

· Welcoming clients into the service, including registering with doctors, completing paperwork and responding to immediate needs

· Facilitating holistic support, offering a creative and assertive approach to client engagement

• Supporting clients to articulate and achieve their goals using the Outcome Star and a person centred flexible approach
• Undertake case management responsibilities, including setting up customers and recording all support on the appropriate internal case management system

· Leading support meetings with clients on your caseload

· Regularly review and develop mutually agreed support plans with clients and any other professional involved in the support of those individuals e.g. Key Workers, Probation Officers

• Updating records with all client and agency contacts, accurately and in a timely way

· Representing Saltbox and provide reports for multi-agency meetings about customers on your caseload

• Completing accurate records of concern, risk, and safeguarding reports internally and externally if necessary

· Responding appropriately to challenging and confrontational behaviour

· Dealing with the immediate support needs of clients as appropriate, providing crisis intervention where necessary

· Providing support to help clients manage their own lives and their home to their full potential including dealing with benefits, budgeting and neighbour relations

· Liaising between clients and external agencies regarding the provision of specialised support when appropriate

· Dealing promptly with all complaints

· Providing clear, accurate and good quality information in respect of all clients in line with agreed procedures ensuring that relevant information is shared appropriately

· An ability to work under pressure, be organised, prioritise and remaining calm

· Computer skills, including the ability to use word, excel and email

· Assisting with securing move-on to appropriate accommodation.

What we’re looking for

• The successful candidate will be passionate about facilitating improved wellbeing and outcomes for those with multiple complex needs and disadvantage
• Someone with a driving license, access to a vehicle and willing to visit clients in their homes
• Ideally someone who has had paid or voluntary experience supporting vulnerable people, such as people with poor mental health, substance misuse, offending behaviour and homelessness
• Someone with an up-to-date understanding of the challenges people leaving prison and those without a home face
• An ability to develop genuine connections, to motivate and inspire behavioural change
• Someone who is able to work flexibly and calmly under pressure, with a can do attitude
• An ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with vulnerable people, their families and other organisations
• Someone with the ability to produce records, reports and letters of a professional standard
• Patience, emotional resilience and a non-judgemental attitude towards our client group
• GCSE standard of education with A-C grades in English and maths or equivalent is desirable