Support Assistant

**Project Assistant**

**This is a full time permanent - Job 37.5 hours per week**

**Located: Guildford, Surrey**

**Salary: £19,904
Want to make a real difference to the lives of people? For over 90 years, The Riverside Group has been providing affordable housing across the UK to people as well as care for the elderly and support for those who face homelessness.

**This is permanent position**

Townsend Gardens is a safe and secure home in the suburb of Selly Oak, Birmingham, for young women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We support those who may have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse or family breakdown, as well as those who are pregnant and homeless or with refugee status.

**The difference you’ll make**

You will be key in the day-to-day running of our supported housing services. We don’t run care homes, so there’s no need to provide personal care. The priority in your role includes the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our accommodation, including our customers.

Working with people who have a range of needs, you could be doing any number of things. From supporting customers in conversations with calls from their GP, Social Services, or Benefits teams - to dealing with the emergency services including the Police and Ambulance, when the need arises.

You’ll log all incidents to make sure we have an accurate record of events. And when a customer leaves, you will clean and prepare their room, ready for the next occupant.

**So, who are you?**

At times this role can be challenging but most of the time it can be incredibly rewarding. You will need to be resilient, empathetic and able to leave your work at work and not take it home with you.

As a minimum requirement you’ll need:

- Experience of working with people in a customer facing environment

Ideally you’ll also have:

- An understanding of supporting vulnerable people - this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction

You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours and may include Lone Working.

**Enjoy the rewards**

Working with us, you’ll enjoy competitive pay, 28 days holidays plus bank holidays, a wide range of benefits, flexible working and the chance to learn valuable new skills. We empower our people to do great work by investing in learning, personal development and technology.

If you’re the kind of person that wants to do a really great job and make a difference to our customers, we think you’ll love it here. Sound like a challenge you’d like to take on? Then get in touch and let’s talk about how you can help us transform lives and revitalise neighbourhoods.

We encourage applicants from all sections of the community so that we can truly reflect the neighbourhoods in which we work.

**Role Profile**

To Assist the provision of a housing and support service for Riverside’s vulnerable clients ensuring at all rimes a professional and supportive approach is maintained. To assist in the day to day delivery of the service for supported schemes promoting client achievement through personalised support outcomes.
- Act as an initial point of reference on the phone, or in a reception area as required.
- Assist in the provision of a comprehensive housing management and support service, including working with tenancy agreements and collecting rents and charges.
- Carry out day to day office administrative functions to ensure that all records and files are maintained and held securely and that the confidentiality of information is upheld.
- Have an awareness of the clients support needs, working, under direction, supporting clients to help them achieve their agreed outcomes.
- Contribute to the formulation and delivery of person centred support plans. Assisting clients with day-to-day support and tenancy issues.
- Using IT systems appropriately including adding updates to the Support Database.
- Advises management promptly of any signs of problems or concerns about a client.
- Recognises signs of distress in clients and identifies ways to reduce this.
- To correspond and liaise as necessary with external agencies on behalf of clients.
- Report repairs and maintenance needs behalf of the client following agreed procedures.
- Work in line with, monitor and report any discrepancies in health and safety standards within schemes.
- Address and report any issues of anti-social behaviour to a senior staff member.
- Ensure culture and diversity issues for the clients are considered at all times, and report any forms of discrimination.
- Promote and encourage a high level of client involvement, consultation and communication.
- To clean and prepare rooms as appropriate.
- To participate in a shift rota system that includes weekend working.
- Service delivery
- To understand your role within Riverside and be responsible for your contribution
- To understand the importance of a client led