We have a great opportunity for a Support Worker for this super homeless charity in Bedford who provide safe spaces for vulnerable people within its communities.
About the company
Our client has been delivering services to service users with Complex Needs since 1996. Their mission is to provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within its communities, empowering them to make positive changes and take control of their lives. They currently provide services to people experiencing homelessness and help to prevent homelessness in Bedford and Milton Keynes.
They are proud of their culture and their values: Trustworthy, Respectful, Helpful and Honest. Their values underpin the work they do and the way they relate to their staff, volunteers, families, carers, professional partners and the individuals who learn with them, their funders and trustees. Our client particularly encourages applications from people with lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse and other complex needs.
About the role
As a Support Worker, you will be instrumental in the day to day running of our client’s 24/7 services and duties involve:
1. Assisting caseworkers with the implementation of support plans for rough sleepers or residents (former rough sleepers with complex needs) in their supported accommodation.
2. Maintaining the safety and security of the building and carrying out essential office duties.
3. Keeping the office space tidy and maintaining supplies for residents.
4. Responding to queries and communicating with people that use their services as well as external partners and agencies.
5. Maintaining the office space including answering the phone and responding to queries.
6. Responding to need as it arises and managing a range of situations.
7. Sharing relevant and appropriate information within a multi-disciplinary team.
8. Providing basic guidance and advice to service users, including access to benefits information, support to make appointments and signposting to other organisations.
9. Adhering to the company Diversity & Equal Opportunities Policy.
10. Being familiar with and demonstrating adherence to the organisational and service Policies and Procedures.
11. Ensuring procedures relating to service users are being followed.
12. Keeping service user records up to date.
13. Ensuring the building is well maintained.
14. Participating in rough sleeper counts if necessary.
15. Maintaining organisational, service user and colleague confidentiality.
16. Consistently working within a person-centred approach.
17. Providing practical living skills including, but not limited to, budgeting, cooking, cleaning etc.
About you
To be successful for the role of Support Worker, you will have:
1. Great communication skills and experience of working effectively with others in an office setting, supported accommodation or homeless centre.
2. Some experience of dealing directly with the public and/or customers in a busy 24/7 operational environment.
3. The ability to connect with people who may have had adverse life experiences and present with challenging behaviour (and be able to effectively de-escalate these types of situations).
4. Some understanding of the issues faced by homeless or vulnerably housed people and the difficulties they experience in accessing services.
5. A caring and empathetic approach to helping people and an adaptable approach to individuals with complex needs.
6. Awareness of and ability to manage professional boundaries.
7. The ability to work under pressure in a potentially stressful environment and deal with challenging behaviours and situations.
8. A working knowledge of MS Office software, e.g. Word, PowerPoint & Excel.
9. The desire to help individuals to make positive change to their lives, often when they feel at their lowest point.
The role of Support Worker will require you to have Enhanced DBS clearance.
About the hours and rewards
In the role of Support Worker, you will work 3 days on 3 days off. Day shifts or night shifts are available (no combination of both) and shifts are either 8am-8pm or 8pm-8am. There is a salary on offer of £22,557 per annum and benefits include:
1. Access to Charity Worker Discount scheme.
2. Employee Assistance Programme.
3. 27 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata).
There are lots of opportunities to pick up additional shifts across their homelessness services.
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