Senior Support Worker

**Recruiting for a Senior Support Worker to join our Service in Richmond**

GBP £24,500 per annum, working 40 hours per week, plus 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more.

**Shift Patterns**:
7:30am - 3:30pm
8am - 4pm
3pm - 10pm
3:30pm - 10:30pm

5 / 7 days a week, including weekends.

**Job Overview**:
Richmond MHAP team provide support to people living with complex Mental Health Conditions, who hold their own tenancy agreements within a geographical area. The Senior Support Worker will be based at the 24 Hour Supported Living service in Teddington. The role includes shift work patterns and weekend work (No night shifts required). Richmond MHAP Team give practical support to help people sustain their tenancy, stay well, exercise choice and control in their care and lives and participate on an equal footing in the community. Support is also provided to develop a model of re-enablement towards self-advocacy, self-management and empowerment, incorporating the principles and practice of recovery, co-production and peer support. Richmond MHAP Team will work closely with our agencies to ensure people maintain their tenancies successfully long term. As a Senior Support Worker you will be expected to undertake duties as part of the management team which include supporting the team with their responsibilities whilst working flexibly to respond to the needs of their customer case load. This also includes coaching and guiding the team with complex cases. This role will hold line management responsibilities for 2 to 3 support workers.

**Skills, Knowledge and Experience**:
**Essential**:

- NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
- Have experience with mental health
- complex needs/ LD- 1 years as a support worker/ supporting living
- Have understanding/ experience support planning and risk assessments.
- Mental health knowledge and understanding.

**Desirable**:

- Willing to work towards level 3.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the Team Leader/ Manager. Creatively working to engage with customers.
- Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions. Promote positive risk taking.
- Create support/action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available
- Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers.
- Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities.
- Complete case work management with staff, providing guidance and coaching to the team with complex cases.
- Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation.
- Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards
- Proactive development of links with local statutory and voluntary organisations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
- Empower customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
- Encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team and policies
- Undertake housing management duties in line with relevant HM contract.
- Ensure that referrals are chased proactively so that properties which can be used to house those in need are filled as efficiently as possible
- Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned
- Involving customers in the design, development and delivery of the service
- Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
- Adhering to all other Look Ahead’s policies and procedures
- Engaging in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
- Champion coproduction.

**Person Specification**:

- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
- Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
- Able to work alone with good initiative
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement when under pressure
- 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, passionate and drive to achieve success
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour
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