Youth Support Worker

Pinewood Housing is a young person 24-hour semi-independent supported housing provider. Many of the young people living with us are looked after children under social care. The purpose of the role is to provide advice, assistance, and support to young people along with ensuring the house is maintained and the young people are supervised throughout your shift.

**The Role**:
The Support workers role is to support the safe running of the home that the young people live in. Your role will be to support the independence and skills of young people, promoting engagement with education, employment and independent living skills through a flexible person-centred outcome focused supportThe role holder helps young people to avoid eviction and repeat homelessness alongside ensuring key reporting systems are maintained and the young people are safeguarded.

**Essential Requirements**
- **The ideal Young Persons Support Worker will**:_
- Meet young peoples wishes.
- An understanding of the needs and issues of homeless, vulnerable young people.
- Knowledge of Safeguarding for Children and Adults.
- Experience of problem solving and handling difficult situations, using initiative.
- Skilled at IT including excel, power point, publisher, word, face book and other forms of social media**.**:

- Supporting and motivating young people into Employment, Training, and Education and maintain their accommodation to prevent eviction.
- Able to stay on in an emergency.
- Working from the guidelines from the 1989 Children’s Act, National Minimum Standards, Every Child Matters and any other relevant legislation.
- To provide a caring, supportive and nurturing environment in which children/young people can feel secure and free from harm.
- Establishing positive relationships with young people and always offering them unconditional and positive regard.
- Helping young people gain self-control by challenging unacceptable behaviour and rewarding acceptable, pro-social conduct.
- Ensuring that each young person’s Support plan is followed and amended as appropriate to reflect their changing needs
- Attending to practical matters in relation to childcare (cooking, cleaning, general maintenance around the home etc)
- Providing advice, assistance and support
- Providing emotional support at times of difficulty or stress.

**About You**
- You will be experienced, skilled and enthusiastic in working with young people.
- You will be used to working in a fast-paced environment.
- You will be passionate about working with Young People
- You will be person centred at all times and ensure empowerment is at the heart of everything you do.
- You will strive for excellence in all you do.
- You will be innovative in your approach to working with young people.
- You will be able to keep accurate records and providing written reports on young people for planning meetings, reviews or any other meetings as directed by the line manager.

**To work as part of a team**
- Being aware of the aims and objectives of the home and working collaboratively with colleagues to achieve them
- Attending team/ staff meetings and making a positive contribution to them
- Actively contributing to the development of the team
- Receiving and storing information to improve communication
- Being willing to give and receive feedback on performance with colleagues and managers
- Providing informal practical and emotional support to colleagues experiencing difficulties
- Attending and contributing to regular supervision sessions in line with the National Minimum Standards
- Monitoring the conduct of colleagues and referring on any causes for concern (Whistleblowing)
- Being familiar with all policies and procedures and adhering to them

**General Responsibilities**
- Attending young people’s meetings and contributing to them
- Receiving training appropriate to the role and maintaining an up-to-date training profile
- Responsibility for the accurate maintenance of financial records appropriate to the duties of the post
- Responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and colleagues in accordance with the requirements of the organisational Health and Safety Policies
- Maintaining the upkeep of the house through general cleaning of communal areas.
- Cooking nutritiously balanced meals each time you are on shift for the young people.

**Qualifications**:

- Experience in working with young people
- Be willing to work towards a NVQ level 3 and completing it within 8 months of starting the role.

**Special Conditions**
- This post requires the holder to do varying shifts.
- On occasions you may be requested to change your rota at a given notice as per your contract, to ensure the contingencies of the service are covered. This may also include covering an additional sleep-in duty as an emergency measure.
- In accordance with the guidelines on Health and Safety, to accept responsibility for working within these guidelines and reporting any concerns to the Manager.
- To undert