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About Us

First started by Aberdeen University students as a soup kitchen, Aberdeen Cyrenians now put the needs of North East Scotland's most vulnerable and socially excluded people first — leading at the frontline of service, care and influence for 50+ years.

Aberdeen Cyrenians work continuously to shift perceptions and change the outlook on homelessness and vulnerability in society — the reality often differs drastically from the 'labels' that people use when thinking of those who need support. Not accepting the current perception of homelessness is something that underpins Aberdeen Cyrenians' work. Our approach puts the reality of these situations front and centre.

This reality reminds us that anyone can find themselves in difficulty, and Aberdeen Cyrenians exist to support anyone and everyone — whether they're living on the street, at high financial risk, in an abusive living situation, struggling with mental health issues, struggling with substance addiction or involved in the justice system. Our core values support a mission that prioritises close assistance, unique care and standing steadfastly by people in the midst of their most vulnerable moments.

It's the passion and integrity of Aberdeen Cyrenians that makes us a formidable force against homelessness, abuse, violence and social exclusion — we make a lifechanging difference when working alongside the people who need their support the most.

Join our team and make a real difference every day

Working at Aberdeen Cyrenians, you will be helping vulnerable people, who are often at the margins of society, every single day. You will be helping them to build a positive future, resolve their current issues and move towards positive outcomes.

In addition to competitive rates of pay, we offer both on the job and formal training, support achieving professional qualifications and good career prospects.

You can expect the following working for us:

• Comprehensive training through our online Learning Management System
• Opportunity to pursue on the job qualifications and career progression
• Industry leading systems and technology - we use an amazing apps to support our care at home services and case management systems, which helps us to ensure paperwork is streamlined and as much time as possible is spent with the service user
• Online timesheets and expenses paid weekly
• We are a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer - pay is reviewed annually each April
• Benefits including Bike to Work Scheme and retail discounts
• Employee Assistance programme offering confidential support 24/7/365
• Mileage paid at the national rate
• A warm and friendly team environment where everyone is valued.

One of our core values is that we value diversity and inclusion: exclusion has no place in our workplaces. Please let us know if you need us to make adjustments to allow you to apply for a role or attend an interview with Aberdeen Cyrenians.

If you are care experienced or have lived experience aligned to our area of work, we guarantee you an interview, subject to you meeting the minimum requirements of the role that you are applying for. We are also a Disability Confident employer.

Nothing we achieve would be possible without our employees - that's why we're as committed to their careers and professional development as they are.

You can find out more about us at www.weareac.org.

About Justice Services

Aberdeen Cyrenians provide justice support services to Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership. We provide intensive support to individuals who are or have been, involved with the justice system, supporting them to re-integrate into the community and regain their sense of citizenship. We help those in need of support to address their offending behaviour and make positive changes.

Position:

Job title: Support Practitioner - Justice Support Service

Responsible to: Team Leader, Community Services Manager

Salary: £20,556.00 (Scale Points 21-28)

Contract: Fixed-term 31 March 2024

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week. Hours will include some evening and weekend work and unsociable hours.

Main responsibilities: To support the Team Leader in delivering the Justice Support Service through key working with Service Users, on an intensive basis, who are at risk of causing harm and/or reoffending, to reduce offending behaviour and support rehabilitation within a community setting, enabling re-integration into their local community with wrap-around support for tenancy sustainment.

Requirements:

Job activities

• Using a person-centred approach to support Service Users on an intensive basis in the community and home setting ensuring all monitoring is in accordance with the requirements of Aberdeen Cyrenians and Justice Social Work.

• Attend HMP Grampian to provide support in preparation for individuals' release from custody back into the community.

• Support Service Users cited for attendance at court, providing emotional support prior to, during and after the process.

·Gathering information to compile a comprehensive risk assessment, ensuring both staff and Service User are supported in a safe environment. ·Ensuring risk assessment and risk management plans are in place prior to any activities being undertaken and compliance to any license conditions and/or court orders, reporting all breaches immediately and as directed.

• To maintain Service User records, ensuring all communication is documented and recorded appropriately, sharing information with partnership agencies in the risk management of Service Users in the community while complying with GDPR legislation.

• Encourage Service Users to engage in appropriate Education, Training and Employment opportunities where practicable. To encourage Service Users to make appropriate practical arrangements regarding accommodation, employment, education, and training needs.

• Monitor and assess Service User circumstances through accurate and appropriate acquiring of information.

• Support Service Users to address and meet all their basic human needs (food, clothing, warmth, shelter, etc).

• Support Service Users to ensure tenancy sustainment, advocate and liaise with a range of agencies on their behalf.

• Have crisis management skills to effectively pre-empt and de-escalate accidents and incidents.

• Liaise with a range of agencies on behalf of the Service User such as Social Work, DWP, Housing, Energy Providers, statutory authorities and third sector agencies.

• Support Service Users to address any debts, financial management and benefit uptake.

• Provide emotional support to Service Users.

• Support Service Users with substance use and or mental health issues using a harm minimisation approach, referring to appropriate services where necessary.

• Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required.

Essential Role Requirements

• A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent or the willingness and ability to attain this within five years.

• A minimum 6 month experience in a social care/ housing support environment in a voluntary or paid capacity.

• Experience of working with disadvantaged people.

• Have a clear understanding of current social justice issues i.e. homelessness, mental health, substance misuse.

• An understanding of Legislation and/ or Criminal Justice System pertaining to the work.

• Literacy and numeracy at a level to maintain all the appropriate paperwork, write reports, support plans and give budgeting advice.

• Proficient in the use of Office 365.

Desirable Role Requirements

• Experience working with offenders.

Systems

• Inform System: Maintaining and recording all information in relation to Service User case management , including the use of outcome assessment tool, needs assessments and Risk Assessments.

• CareSkills/ Learning Management System: Organisation and service specific training.

• Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, Email, SharePoint, Teams.

REFERENCES

• How We Work
• Adult Support and Protection
• Safeguarding
• Lone Working
• Practitioner Tasks
• Improving Employability
• InForm Guidelines

QUALITY STANDARDS

• Working to the appropriate Care Inspectorate and National Care Standards.
• Working to N/SVQ 3 standards
• Working to the appropriate Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) standards for the registration of staff
• Working to the appropriate Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator standards.
• Working to the appropriate Commissioners' standards
• Working to the appropriate Environmental Health standards.

GENERAL TERMS OF REFERENCE

In carrying out the above activities, the Support Practitioner will:

• Work on their own and/or as part of a team
• Maximise his/her own performance and contribution
• Ensure they comply with internal and external regulations, procedures and other requirements appertaining to the service
• Maintain the good reputation of the organisation
• Keep abreast of developments and legislation relevant to the service's range of activities
• Seek to improve his/her knowledge and skills by both formal and informal means
• Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required by the Line Manager

BASIS, VALUES AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

• To respect and work according to the mission, aims and values in all aspects of the job, and be responsible for the demonstration of these in the course of the daily work
• To respect and work according to our Equal Opportunities Policy and ensure its promotion in the course of daily work
• Maintain the good reputation of the organisation
• Keep abreast of developments and legislation relevant to the Service's range of activities
• Seek to improve his/her knowledge and skills by both formal and informal means
• Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required by the Line Manager

KEY CAPABILITIES

Essential

Interpersonal understanding – listens and understands expressed feelings; demonstrates concern for others; encourages others to express themselves

Emotional awareness – manages strong emotions and responds constructively; good emotional resilience and positive coping strategies

Service user orientation – strives to meet and surpass Service Users’ expectations; maintains appropriate contact until challenges are overcome or manageable; is available to support service users during critical periods; able to advocate on behalf of service users.

Flexibility – adapts easily to changes at work; modifies behaviour in response to a situation; sees the merits of differing viewpoints.

Initiative – takes responsibility; looks ahead and anticipates what needs to be done.

Team working – contributes fully to teamwork; establishes positive relationships with the team

Working within Professional Boundaries – Demonstrates professional curiosity; accepts responsibility for own work; seeks and uses professional support; understands the principle of confidentiality.

Developing others – assumes responsibility for addressing Service Users’ skills; encourages initiatives in problem-solving and making choices.

Other information:

Other information

It's important to us that we recruit people who share our values and who want to make a difference. Our interview process is designed to get to know you better and to find out why you want to work for us. If you are nervous, please don't be - there are no right or wrong answers.

Because we work with vulnerable people, we have a responsibility to safeguard them. We undertake background and reference checks, and it is a term of employment with us that all employees register with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups ("PVG") scheme operated by Disclosure Scotland.

We guarantee an interview to candidates who have lived experience within the areas of society and the issues that we support and those who are care experienced, subject to meeting the minimum criteria for the role.

We're an equal opportunities employer and value diversity - exclusion has no place in our workplaces. If you need us to make reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend an interview with us, just let us know.

We regret that due to current Home Office rules, we are not able to sponsor applicants for this role, so you must be eligible to live and work in the UK without sponsorship.

The closing date for this position is 5pm on 3rd of May 2023

We review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early should sufficient applications be received.