Support Worker

Support Worker

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Social Care Homelessness and Complex Needs service in Kensington and Chelsea.

£28, per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The Heaney Hub Cluster is an intensive supported housing scheme for the most challenging customers in the Kensington & Chelsea. The majority of the customers come with a history of entrenched rough sleeping; often coupled with enduring mental health difficulties. The aim is to offer a home to those who would have difficulty finding accommodation because of their lifestyle choices involving extreme drug and alcohol misuse. The high-support hostel caters for eleven service users with complex needs and is staffed 24-hours a day with the minimum of three staff on duty. The medium support services are staffed from 9am to 9pm where the customers present with varying degrees of mental health issues. The Assessment Centre is staffed 24/7.
The hostels are in close proximity to each other, and staff will be expected to work across the units. Three of the hostels supports both male and female customers and one is males only.

Heaney Hub implements and promotes the Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) model. This is an approach to supporting people out of homelessness, particularly those who have experienced complex trauma or are diagnosed with a personality disorder. It also considers the psychological needs of staff: developing skills and knowledge, increasing motivation, job satisfaction and resilience.

Support Workers will devise person centred support plans with customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet their needs and goals. This will include sign-posting them to the local drug and alcohol services to address substance misuse issues. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team to promote independent living, encouraging customers to maximise their skills and choices.

The team comprises of Therapist, Move on coordinator, Housing Officer, 16 support workers, 2 Team Leaders, One Project Manager.

The role requires one to work on a shift pattern:7.45am to 3.45pm and 2.00pm to 10pm.

What you'll do:

• Support customers to maintain their tenancies.
• Support to budget and prevent rent arrears.
• Assess their practical and emotional needs to incorporate in their support plan.
• Develop support plans and risk management plans.
• Carry out weekly health and safety checks.
• Carry out security duties / welfare checks to ensure the safety of the customers and premises
• Monitor the CCTV throughout the shift
• Carry out support duties to enable customers to integrate into the community including e.g. accompanying the customer to attend benefit agency appointments and meetings, go shopping, to enquire at colleges about possible courses, to visit various public amenities
• Report any observations relating to customers welfare
• Adhere to all the policies and procedures of Look Ahead Care, Support & Housing plus those specific to the project including any statutory requirements
• Ensure Look Ahead Health and Safety policies and local protocols are adhered to at all times
• Maintain records as required at the project under the direction of Management
• Participate in team meetings/reviews and the general development of the service
• Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

• Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team
• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
• Flexible
• Open to feedback and self development
• Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
• Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
• Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
• Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
• Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
• Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience within charity/social care sector

Desirable:

• Relevant experience in supporting those experiencing homelessness and people with complex needs

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

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