POST: Nightstop Coordinator

DATE: January 2018

POST: Nightstop Coordinator

CONTRACT: 12 months Fixed-Term contract

HOURS: 37.5

ROTA: Office hours although - Flexibility essential as some out of hours working will be required

SALARY: £20,450 plus pension and other benefits

HOLIDAY: 25 days per annum plus bank and statutory holidays

RESPONSIBLE TO: Nightstop manager

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An enhanced DBS check is required as this position will involve directly working with vulnerable young people or adults at risk.

BACKGROUND

Depaul UK delivers a wide range of support and housing services for young people and adults at risk of homelessness. We specialise in the provision of services that; prevent homelessness, increase the resilience of those we work with and energise opportunities for employment, education, training and volunteering in the communities we work within. Our organisation reaches from Newcastle to London, Greater Manchester to Sheffield and Kent.

Nightstop enables homeless and vulnerable people to access emergency accommodation in the homes of approved and trained volunteers across South Yorkshire. Guests receive immediate assessment and where appropriate, will be matched with a local volunteer who will provide overnight accommodation, breakfast and an evening meal and the use of washing and bathing facilities etc.

Once placed with a host, guests receive support from project staff and volunteers to help them find a more permanent place to live and to address the factors that have caused their homelessness.

Nightstop South Yorkshire is part of a network of approximately 30 affiliated Nightstop schemes throughout the United Kingdom. Each scheme works towards the same Nightstop Quality Standards which they must meet in order to remain a member of the Nightstop UK network.

SUMMARY OF JOB

The Nightstop coordinator role is a busy and varied role that involves recruiting, training and managing volunteers, promoting the service to key stakeholders, and supporting young people directly. It will include being part of a team delivering an assessment and support service that enables vulnerable and homeless people to access emergency accommodation in the homes of trained and approved volunteers. Guests receive immediate assessment and if appropriate, will be matched with a local volunteer who will provide overnight accommodation, breakfast and an evening meal and the use of washing and bathing facilities etc. The postholder may also be working with people who are on a longer term placement with host homes, providing a comprehensive support package to enable a smooth transition towards the goal of independent living.

Your work will be underpinned by the Depaul Endeavour model of assets based, psychologically informed delivery. The aim of which is to ensure that every guest leaves a Depaul service with the skills and resilience to be confident and self determining in their lives.

Working under the direction, guidance and support of a manager/senior worker you will be responsible for guests needing emergency accommodation and longer term support, as well as sharing responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of all volunteers and staff at the service.

The service is available to anyone who is homeless, aged 16 to 25. It is available 365 days per year. Project staff work with homeless people across identified local authority areas to support and achieve the best possible accommodation and support outcomes for each individual.

The role will have responsibility under Depaul’s commitment to successfully deliver the contracted outcomes.

KEY DELIVERABLES

·  You will ensure the safety and wellbeing of guests and volunteers in the service at all times, including using Safeguarding and emergency alert procedures as applicable,

·  You will be the first point of contact for homeless people and agencies providing needs led advice and signposting

·  You will lead on the efficient assessment of needs and risk, predominantly focused on suitable risk management plans for the safe placement of guests in the homes of volunteers

·  Arrange all aspects of a guest’s stay with a volunteer host, taking into account the needs and risks of individuals

·  You will engage with guests to produce individual support plans, with key focus on securing longer term accommodation suitable to their needs

·  To work with guests and their families to promote relationship reconciliation, including returns to live at home where appropriate

·  You will be an advocate for guests in all aspects of their support needs and with all necessary agencies

·  You will recruit, vet and train volunteers both formally and informally in accordance with Nightstop UK’s quality standards

·  You will have key responsibilities as part of the team for ensuring the health and safety of volunteers homes meet Nightstop UK’s quality standards

·  You will support and provide regular supervision to volunteers who hold a variety of roles integral to the Nightstop model, taking steps to rectify poor performance whenever necessary and respond to good performance

·  Be proactive in maintaining volunteers’ skills and motivation, including training and celebration events, and provide opportunities for them to shape service delivery

·  Active promotion and selling of Nightstop services to all potential stakeholders through marketing, training, attending events and meetings.

·  You will proactively work in partnership with multiple agencies including statutory teams, to support the well being of Depaul guests in accordance with data protection and information sharing protocols.

·  You will be flexible, reflective and creative in your engagement with guests and personalised in your support to them.

·  You will involve guests in the decisions made about them and encourage participation in Depaul’s wider community programme of activities

·  You will support all guests to participate in Education, Training, Employment and Volunteering opportunities as appropriate to the development of their skills, assets and aspirations

·  You will also have responsibility as part of a team for ensuring the health and safety of the environment for guests, staff, visitors and volunteers through regular checks and reporting.

·  Be an active member of the team, collaboratively effectively, and working closely with your line manager.

·  You will comply with the Nightstop UK quality standards

·  Be jointly responsible for maintaining up to date records on all guests and volunteers, and support project management with all aspects of report requirements

·  Ensure financial and payment systems, including rent payments where relevant are completed in line with Depaul’s financial policy and procedures

·  Facilitation of a 24 hour service including rota based on-call and crisis intervention

·  The post will require some flexible working including evenings and weekends.

·  You will undertake further duties as commensurate to the role and identified by your line manager.

Additional Local Deliverables

·  You will recruit, vet and train providers for our Sheffield supported lodgings service in accordance with Depaul UK standards and procedures.

What we are looking for from you – Person Specification

When completing your application form please address all the points set out below.

·  Experience of working with homeless and vulnerable people in crisis

·  Experience of supervising or supporting volunteers or staff

·  Experience of working under pressure with the ability to respond to conflicting demands.

·  Experience of writing, implementing and evaluating Risk Assessments and Support Plans

·  Experience of selling or marketing a product or service

·  Ability to find creative and positive solutions to problems, using own initiative

·  An understanding and commitment to working in an assets based way

·  An understanding of the needs of people who experience homelessness, the problems they face and the resources available to address their support needs

·  Understanding of current legislation that impacts on guests’ access suitable long term accommodation, including entitlement to welfare provision

·  Ability to effectively support the arrival of guests to host premises and external appointments

·  Able to respond appropriately to challenging situations, within the framework of Depaul’s Values and Endeavour model of working

·  Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills and the ability to maintain concise and accurate records

·  Able to demonstrate clear understanding of safeguarding requirements and procedures and follow them through to conclusion

·  Commitment to working in a manner, which promotes diversity and equality ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and dignity and no one, suffers from discrimination.

·  Commitment to promoting an environment, which has the highest regard for the Health and Safety of others.

·  Personal and professional integrity

·  High level understanding of professional boundaries and ability to maintain them

·  Effective collaborative working with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

·  Ability to effectively reflect on own practices for ongoing learning and development

·  Respect for the values and ethos of Depaul and its founding partners.

What we will do to support you in this role

Will provide the following resources to assist in the successful achievement of the responsibilities outlined above:

·  A full induction and training to enhance the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills required’.

·  Training in the Depaul Endeavour model

·  Continuous support and supervision including reflective practice to develop your learning and skills as a practitioner.

Vincentian Values

The Depaul Group began in the UK in 1989 at the initiative of the late Cardinal Basil Hume, as a response to the needs of the growing numbers of homeless people on the streets of London.

Vincentian values are at the heart of what we do, they focus on:

·  A commitment to rights and responsibilities

·  A focus on putting our words into action

·  Taking a wider role in civil society

·  A belief in the potential of people

You can read more about St Vincent Depaul, Depaul UK and Depaul International on our website.

THE DISCLOSURE & BARRING SERVICE – DISCLOSURE

Depaul UK aims to promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. Depaul UK welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Criminal records will be taken into account for requirement purposes only when the conviction is relevant.

As Depaul UK meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013) by SI 2013 1198’. All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings, as well as convictions.

This job description is a statement of requirements at the time of writing and is not contractual. It should not be seen as precluding future changes after appointment to this role.

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