Job Title : Specialist Support Worker
Contract Type : Permanent
Salary : £29,635.83 per annum pro rata (£30,551.56 per annum is achieved after 18 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours : part time 24 hours per week
Working Pattern : Three week rolling rota, hours between 9am and 8pm Monday - Sunday. Working one in three weekends.
Location : Carlisle, Cumbria
If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.
The difference you will make as a Specialist Support Worker
You will work collaboratively as part of a team to deliver an outstanding service and a range of practical and emotional asset-based approaches to support. With a real focus on customer engagement and co production within the service, you will link customers with external services to offer a comprehensive engagement offer tailored to their needs. The role will also include carrying a small caseload of our more complex customers ensuring high quality, asset-based support.
About you
We are looking for someone with:
1. Recent experience of support work, risk management and managing caseloads and working with vulnerable and diverse customer groups
2. Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise and organise tasks to achieve results
Why Riverside?
At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.
We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.
Working with us, you’ll enjoy:
3. Competitive pay & generous pension
4. 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
5. Flexible working options available
6. Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
7. A wide range of benefits
Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:
We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.
Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
Role Profile
8. As the Specialist Support Worker you will support the Service Manager with planning within the service, this could include delegating case management, or supporting the service to run effectively
9. Actively connect, engage, influence, and develop relationships with a range of local services and stakeholders to enable customers to access the full range of community resources and regularly update colleagues about how to access external services
10. Attend networking events, other support services and forums promoting our Psychologically Informed Framework and Trauma Informed ways of working
11. Understand local pathways and services to ensure there is a consistent, asset-based support approach for all customers
12. Produce reports and other written documentation as required to support service delivery
13. Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, safeguarding all our customers
14. Develop, co-ordinate and deliver a ‘group-based activities’ programme for the service
15. Share specialist knowledge with colleagues and wider teams to ensure both customers and services are supported in line with latest best practice
16. Follow health & safety and safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure the overall safety and security of all customers
17. Keep accurate and timely records of specific activities
Supporting colleagues
18. Support and provide guidance to team members around your specialism - this could include coaching, upskilling or mentoring other colleagues
19. Provide specialist advice for colleagues through structured guidance to meet targets in support planning, delivery, safeguarding, risk assessments or other interventions
20. Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs, potential risks and goals and agree levels of support and actions
Supporting customers
We employ an asset-based approach including Psychologically Informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles to support our customers to develop new ways of thinking and to take steps towards independence, you will be key in delivering this approach to customers
You will:
21. Lead on co-produced, bespoke customer support and move-on plans, involving all key stakeholders (. family, other support providers)
22. Complete regular reviews of support and risk assessments for customers
23. Identify and promote opportunities for and support customers to gain appropriate access to relevant external support services
24. Ensure the safety of our customers by following local safeguarding procedures, recognising, and acting on any significant risks and escalating appropriately
25. Record and update clear, factual, accurate, strengths-based customer information on the appropriate digital platforms
26. Be reactive to support needs as they arise and be able to take the lead on working in a multi-disciplinary way
Other Information
27. You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours
28. You will be required to travel to different properties within the defined area as and when required
29. Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary
30. Ensure customers are safe at all times - carrying out all of your duties within Riverside’s Policy and Procedure Policy and Procedure framework. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR opportunities, cash handling, etc
31. Deliver your role in line with the Riverside company values – “Our Riverside Way”
32. Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflective practice sessions
33. Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely
34. From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager
Person Specification
Essential
35. Recent experience of support work, risk management and managing caseloads and working with vulnerable and diverse customer groups
36. Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise and organise tasks to achieve results
37. Experience of building effective relationships with customers and stakeholders
38. Knowledge and proven continuous personal development of working with vulnerable adults utilising “specialist knowledge”
39. Be a team player with a caring, empathic, supportive, flexible and resilient ‘can-do’ attitude
40. Ability to listen and communicate clearly, encourage feedback and reflection, empower, motivate, and gain improvements
41. Have conflict resolution skills and be confident and consistent when making decisions
42. Experience of reviewing, monitoring, and evaluating outcomes in the delivery of support services
43. Competent IT skills, including using databases, producing reports and other communications and analysing key outcomes data to understand and drive service improvements
Desirable
44. Experience of coaching, training or mentoring techniques
45. A recognised, recent, formal care, support, or housing qualification
46. Experience of reflective practice and identifying best practices and sharing information to upskill individuals