We’re looking for 3 x kind, compassionate and resilient Support Workers to join our Homelessness service in Kensington and Chelsea.

£24,856.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you’re part of one team? 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.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you’ll do:

There are 5 hostels in the cluster ranging from high, medium to low support which are all based in the borough of RBKC. The Heaney Cluster an intensively supported housing scheme for the most challenging customers in the borough. 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 hostels are in close proximity to each other and staff will be expected to work across the units. Two of the hostel supports both male and female customers and three are males only.

Support Workers will devise person centered 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.

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:

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.

• If a need arises, deliver all aspects of support to enable a customer to develop independent living skills as appropriate to the individual needs of the customer.
• 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.
• To 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

What you’ll bring:

• 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

Essential:

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

Desirable:

• Relevant specialism experience

About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over 110 services, providing support to around 7000 customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

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.