Support Worker - Young People Service

The role 

We are looking for a Support Worker to fully assess, support and encourage independence for young people – to enable them to gain a wide range of interpersonal skills, practical knowledge and empower them for independent living.

As our Support Worker, you’ll assist customers in developing their confidence, empower them to have their say and raise their awareness of the opportunities available to them both locally and beyond. You’ll create a motivational, inspiring, and dignified environment that supports young people regardless of background, to enhance their quality of life particularly those with complex issues including social isolation, alienation, trauma, lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem.

We are looking for someone who has the following attributes: 

• Relevant paid or voluntary experience of working with young people including housing advice, advocacy work or residential work.
• Experience of managing support plans.
• Experience of multi-agency working, including statutory and voluntary.
• Knowledge of benefit entitlements for young people. 
• The ability to identify, assess and manage customer risk.
• Excellent communication skills and a strong customer focus.

A relevant professional qualification in social work, housing, youth and community or social care is highly desirable, but not essential.

Role purpose

To fully assess, support and encourage independence for young people, to enable them to gain a wide range of inter-personal skills, practical knowledge and empower them for independent living.

Work with a range of community-based agencies to regularly review customer support and goals to encourage them to be the voice of the service.

Key responsibilities

• To assist customers in developing their confidence, empower them to have their say and raise their awareness of the opportunities available to them both locally and beyond.
• Create a motivational, inspiring, and dignified environment that supports young people regardless of background, to enhance their quality of life particularly those with complex issues including social isolation, alienation, trauma, lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem.
• To ensure that support and risk reviews are conducted weekly and recorded with actions in place through one-to-one meetings.  
• To identify move on plans during the first week of occupancy and progress with the Skills Workers regarding the Preparation for Independence (PFI) and Green Square (CCP) for resettlement, and to apply to the local common waiting list during the first week of support.
• To arrange multi-agency meetings where support concerns, non-engagement and escalating risk issues are identified, producing clear factual minutes and ensure all providers’ agreements are documented and recorded on the customer’s file.

At sign up, to: 

1. ensure that the Money Advisor team are involved to complete benefit checks and financial planning assessments 
2. advise the customer on rent payments and to discuss at each support meeting 
3. ensure that customers’ DWP benefits are in place during support/running smoothly
4. address any issues and update the Supported Housing Officer, to prevent arrears or loss of customer income  

• To ensure that the Supported Housing Officer is aware of upcoming vacancies and pre-void checks required. 
• To conduct and record the outcomes of twice weekly room inspections, notifying the Supported Housing Officer and Senior Support Worker of any room defects or concerns.
• To record the support and risk review sessions on a weekly basis. 
• To complete accurate, factual, and informative incident and safeguarding reports within 24 hours. These must link directly to the customer’s risk assessment, support plan and file notes.  Ensure that evidence is documented, and minutes provided of any multi-agency contact.
• To alert the Team Leader of any significant incidents or issues that may need to be communicated to commissioners.
• To provide handover to Night Concierge service disclosing any concerns to the Senior Support Worker and Team Leader, including checking CCTV for concerns of activities, and recorded appropriately. 
• To ensure that all drug activity and police visits to customers are logged in the Police logbook and use the Force Control email to report suspicious or concerning activity before recording on the customer file.
• To ensure that the daily priority action list is completed, signing off each task and scanning in to the appropriate.  
• To facilitate monthly customer in-house meetings, produce minutes and send them to the Senior Support Worker and Team Leader.
• To arrange Care Leavers Transition Team visits and provide feedback to the Senior Support Worker.
• To ensure that customer quarterly satisfaction surveys are carried out. 
• To check communal areas on a regular basis, record findings, promote and monitor recycling and waste disposal.
• To conduct twice weekly customer welfare checks and monitor customers of concern, reporting to the Senior Support Worker when no customer contact has been received and to raise a missing person’s report with the Police and safeguarding report, when required.
• To ensure that customers are aware of the Complaints Policy and Procedure, that complaints recorded as required and are managed in line with the Complaints policy. 

Essential

• Relevant paid or voluntary experience of working with young people including housing advice, advocacy work or residential work.
• Experience of managing support plans.
• Experience of multi-agency working including statutory and voluntary agencies to maximise service provision.
• Proven experience of working to deadlines and prioritising workloads.
• Knowledge of benefit entitlements for  young people.
• Ability to identify, assess and manage customer risk, write, and review risk assessments. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Customer focussed, externally and internally. 
• IT literate – Microsoft Office software. 

Other details

Pay, rewards and benefits