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Job description

About us

Connect Community Church is based in Wells, and operates a day centre. Dairy House is situated near Radstock and is a Direct Access Hostel with the sole aim of Ending Homelessness. We are looking for a passionate Support Worker who wants to be part of an exciting team enabling change in people's lives.

POST: Senior Support Worker

SALARY: £24,720

HOURS: Full Time – can be negotiated depending on applicant. The hostel is staffed 7 days a week.

DEPARTMENT: Connect Community Church – Dairy House and Supported Accommodation

LOCATION: Stratton-on-the-Fosse and Wells

REPORTS TO: Housing Pathways Team Leader

BACKGROUND: Connect Community Church is part of Elim, a world-wide mainstream Christian Church. Our aim is to serve the social, physical, spiritual, mental and emotional needs of the community in an accessible way. In partnership with Somerset Council and a local farm, we aim to contribute to the eradication of rough sleeping in Somerset. The Direct Access Community is a 7 - bed hostel on a working farm, blending the requirements of emergency accommodation with an innovative community promoting sustainable change. Evergreen is move on accommodation in Wells, currently one house with four residents who are usually moving from the Dairy House as part of a pathway for change.

OBJECTIVES:

· Work as part of a weekly rota, often alone but also as an active participant of the wider team and volunteers

· Maximise the success of the projects by providing high quality and cost-effective housing and support services

· Ensure the hostel and move on spaces provides safe, secure, pleasant, welcoming accommodation to clients and visitors

· Play a key role in creating and maintaining a positive, healthy, nurturing and supportive atmosphere in which clients can stabilise, flourish and reach their goals

· Induct, assess and support clients so they gain maximum benefit from living at in a direct access and, where possible, progress towards more permanent and appropriate accommodation

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Support Worker will provide assistance to the Pathways Team Leader in the day-to-day delivery of the project, deputising where necessary.

· To support Housing Pathways Team Leader on the coordination of support for people placed at Dairy House.

· To ensure the smooth day to day operational running of the Diary House. To organise the weekly calendar of activities, training, support sessions and liaise with other agencies and projects to ensure a good partnership working. To take residents house meetings.

· To take the lead in ensuring rent and service charges are paid promptly, including the monitoring and collection of arrears and liaison as required with benefits agencies. To hold petty cash.

· To organise induction for volunteers and bank staff for the DH.

· To oversee and recruit volunteers to join the team at DH and to regularly supervise them.

· To represent DH at monthly Somerset Supported Housing Move-on meetings.

· Assist in assessing referrals including, where appropriate, liaison with referring agencies and other support agencies. Sign up and induct new clients into the project.

· Record, store and share relevant information concerning applicants and clients using both manual and electronic systems (InForm) and ensuring proper confidentiality is maintained and assisting in the measurement of outcomes.

· Ensure client and visitor behaviour is in line with the relevant Occupancy Agreement and house rules, dealing appropriately but sensitively with any breaches.

· Be a lead support worker for a casework of people using the service, to make sure the team are keeping up to date with there one to one support hours and recording.

· Carry out Keyworker responsibilities so as to maximise support and meet current and future needs including carrying out risk assessments, assessing support requirements, identifying/liaising with support agencies, maintaining regular contact with clients, developing and monitoring action plans, assessing appropriateness for move-on accommodation, securing appropriate move-on opportunities etc.

· Ensure empty rooms are clean and prepared for new clients by the whole team. Encourage clients to adopt acceptable standards of personal hygiene/appearance and to keep rooms clean and tidy.

· Complete entry and exit information for our residents, helping with data entry and statistical gathering for Management purposes. To help with residents moving on and encouraging visits from families and carers to improve the chances of success.

The Dairy House:

· Complete building checks which may include patrols of the building and ensuring fire exits and external doors are free from obstruction.

· Maintain Health and Safety records including fire and other records as Appropriate.

· Actively ensure the security of the building

· To help maintain the fabric of the building, to keep records of work done and to plan for the future.

· Ensure Health and Safety of our residents by using basic first aid skills and calling for emergency assistance i.e. 999 and evacuation of site in the event of the fire alarm, where necessary.

· Clean office space and communal areas on a scheduled rota.

· Adhere to OCH policy on COSHH, and relevant areas of Health and Safety.

General:

· To work in a flexible manner, taking initiative and prioritising the needs of projects and the organisation.

· To attend regular supervision sessions with your line manager.

· To attend relevant training sessions as required by the role / your line manager.

· To actively participate in the wider life of Connect Community Church

· To support the Project Team Lead in the supervision of Project workers.

· Any other reasonable duties as required by the Project Team

· Perform all duties in accordance with the Employee Handbook, policies and procedures.

May 2023

PERSON SPECIFICATION

REQUIREMENT

ESSENTIAL or DESIRABLE

Education / Qualifications:

GCSE C grade and above / NVQ Level 2

E

Qualification in Health & Social Care, housing management or similar

D

Work Experience / Skills:

At least two years’ experience in working with individuals with complex needs

E

To recognise, record & know how to assess risk in all areas of the work place

E

Experience in a related field such as supported housing, mental health, homelessness, substance misuse etc

E

Experience of working with external agencies especially around mental health

E

Knowledge of agencies providing support to clients with drug/alcohol issues, homelessness, mental health issues and other support needs.

E

Team working skills and initiative to work alone.

E

Good administration, report writing and IT skills

E

Excellent communicator, orally and in writing, with people at all levels

E

Highly motivated and displaying initiative and determination

E

Experience in developing care/support interventions, completing needs assessments, support plans and client risk assessments

D

Practical approach to time management and organisation

E

Understanding of the welfare benefits system

D

Ability to promote client independence through enhancement of their life and social skills.

E

Full driving license and own transport

E

Experience in handling sensitive and potentially volatile situations

E

Special Attributes (characteristics/qualities):

Able to liaise effectively with a range of professionals / agencies

E

Confident, professional and calm, even when under pressure

E

Resilient and able to cope with multiple internal/external demands

E

Sense of humour

D

Values:

Personal Integrity

Honesty; Openness; Reliability; Accountability; Confidentially

E

Outstanding Service to People

Honouring and empowering those we serve; Offering choice wherever possible; Enabling people to take control of their own lives

E

The Importance of Every Individual

Respect; Caring for people; Treating everyone as we would want to be treated; Equal opportunities; Valuing differences; Non-discriminatory; Non-judgemental; Non-exploitative; Person centred in approach

E

The Importance of Working Together

Supporting each other; Working as a team; Being flexible and creative when responding to needs; Recognising more is achieved in harmony than alone

E

Faith

Respecting and Understanding that the Elim Connect Centre is a Christian Charity with a Church at its hub

E

Professional Competence

Getting the basics rights; Earning a high regard in our field; Maximising delegation; Empowering and developing staff; Giving best value; Maintaining a quality service

E

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £24,720.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension

Day range:

• Every weekend
• Monday to Friday

Physical setting:

• Care home

Shift:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Radstock: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• GCSE or equivalent (preferred)

Experience:

• Support Worker: 2 years (required)

Language:

• English (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 18/06/2023
Expected start date: 01/07/2023