Support Coordinator: Rapid Access Accommodation

Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland.

Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances.

Everything we do is about and for people: the people we support, our staff, our partners, and everyone affected by homelessness.

Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of the Simon Community.

Simon Community is Scotland's leading homeless charity. We are creative and innovative. We get things done with care and compassion that make a difference to our community, being true to our values. We are a community of staff, volunteers, and the people that we support.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma, exclusion and stigma. They often engage in risk taking behaviours that put their physical and mental health, and their lives, at risk. Despite the challenges they face, they have incredible resilience, survival skills and a wicked sense of humour. They know what a good, and not so good, service looks like.

In our Rapid Access Accommodation projects, we work with people who have current and previous experiences of rough sleeping, moving them into their own tenancies or move on accommodation and supporting them to foster safety, choice, and control in their lives. You'll be based in an accommodation setting, working one to one with individuals to provide person-centered, trauma informed support linking in with other agencies, commissioning and partners as required.

As a residential coordinator you will: lead a team by example and support residents in the development of life skills and homemaking in preparation for moving on to a safe space, providing emotional support, and helping to reduce harm caused by homelessness and trauma.

Hours are 37.5 per week on a rota basis - it's a 7 days service operating between 8 am - 8 pm, but no night shift cover is required.

As a Coordinator it will be your job to work with a team and lead on key activities, including:

• Help people in our community to manage and recover their mental health
• Support people who use drugs and alcohol to do so as safely as possible, or to reduce or stop their use in a safe way
• Help people in our community to build a positive network of connections that will help them to gain and sustain their accommodation
• Provide emotional and practical support to our community
• Supporting those we work with to access housing and other services as may be required including healthcare, support for substance use and social inclusion
• Developing effective relationships with those we support by listening, interacting and responding to their needs and requirements
• Ability and willingness to meet people where they are at - physically, emotionally, socially - to build stickable relationships
• Working effectively with internal and external partners to maximise the effectiveness of support available to those we work with, and foster good partnership relations
• Maintaining accurate case notes and records, coordinate and host team meetings
• Effectively coordinate rotas and cover across Rapid Access projects with support from Service Leads
• Coach Support Workers and lead by example in setting our culture and providing an excellent service
• Contribute to reporting on Rapid Access Accommodation and support outcomes
• Any other related activities as directed by your Service Lead which may arise as the role develops, such as outcome reporting to funders and addressing local community challenges

Our values support:

Warmth and positive regard
Inclusion and participation
Innovation and personalisation of care and support
Ambition
Partnership
Learning and leadership

Key responsibilities to support these values will be:

• Developing honest and open relationships with our community that foster trust
• Using our training and reflective practice to develop additional skills to support and respond appropriately to our community who have experienced trauma
• Working with people in our community with a wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds with dignity, respect and kindness
• Working as part of a team with a range of experiences and knowledge to the benefit of our community
• Supporting our community to influence their care and support to meet their goals
• Fostering connection, hope, a positive identity and meaning in life and a sense of control for our community
• Working with other teams in SCS and with partners to support good outcomes for our community
• Seeking opportunities that will make a difference to our community
• Ensuring that our places reflect the respect we hold for our community

Training & Qualifications

Essential:

• SVQ 3/4 social care or willing to work towards
• SSSC registered or willing to become so
• Trauma informed practice
• Naloxone trained

Desirable:

• ASIST / MHFA / SafeTalk trained
• Mental Health or Substance Use qualifications
• Support and Supervision training

Experience

Essential:

• Providing support to people with a range of experiences including homelessness, mental ill health and/or substance use
• Working in a fast-paced environment which requires quick decision making
• Working in environments with challenging behaviour and effectively dealing with incidents
  

Desirable:

• Lived experience of homelessness
• Experience of working with a range of agencies as a team
• Networking and connecting skills
• Monitoring and reporting on outcomes
• Experience coordinating a team and support

Knowledge & Skills

Essential:

• Experience of working with people with a variety of individual and cultural beliefs
• Ability to use empathy and relational skills to build positive relationships with out community and colleagues
• Understanding of, and ability to work within, ethical and relational boundaries
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Desire to reflect, learn and develop innovative practice
• Evidence of good communication skills; written, verbal and digital

Desirable:

• Knowledge and understanding of homelessness, addictions and mental health
• Understanding of services that support homelessness, substance use and mental health

Personal

Essential:

• Being a positive person who leads by example and is a positive representation of SCS
• Positive attitude towards problem solving, employing flexibility and proactiveness approaches
• Have a willingness to learn and adapt to each situation
• Honest, ethical and committed to our values at SCS