Supported Housing Support Worker (YMCA DownsLink Group)

Job introduction

Salary: £27,225 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full time

Closing date: Midnight 10 December 2024
Interview date: TBC

To apply for the role: Job Application | YMCA Downslink Group

Who to contact if you have a query: keri.cooper@ymcadlg.org

About the role

Working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

YMCA Hastings provides supported accommodation for a total of 47 young people at risk of homelessness, aged 16 to 25, and care experienced young people under the age of 18. We provide support to our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures. Our staff team comprises of Support Workers, Night Staff and Managers. Each Support Worker holds a caseload of residents and meets with them weekly to build a support plan and help them achieve their goals.

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our Hastings Foyer team with the expectation on occasion to work across locality. Main areas of responsibilities:

Coaching and Engagement

• Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
• Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community. 
• Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance). 

Housing

• Coach young people to manage their occupancy agreement and adhere to house rules, in preparation for independent living. 
• Promote a credit culture, encouraging young people to keep up to date with all payments for rent.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing and welfare benefits for young people and be well-informed on significant changes to housing law.
• Deal effectively with non-compliance issues, such as non-payment of rent or damage to room, using restorative practices and working collaboratively with the rest of the team.

General 

• Work as part of a team, on a rota shift pattern, ensuring young people at the service have non-judgemental, objective, and supportive staff during the day/evening, along with taking responsibility for personal safety during periods of lone working.
• Contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations.
• Participate in relevant continuing professional development and utilise Reflective Practice Supervision as part of leading psychologically informed practice. 

There will be times when lone working will be a requirement for this role, but you will get to know the team and service, along with an induction and training prior to starting on a rota. Please download the job profile for full role details.  

ABOUT YOU: We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything described below, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk.
• Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people with multiple and complex needs to enable them to achieve independent living. 
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary. 
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills.
• Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.