Draft Job Description Community Housing Support Worker
Job Description – Dual Diagnosis Housing Support Worker (Waking Night)
SALARY £20,000
HOURS 40 hours per week (job share applicable), which will involve working on a rota basis
LOCATION 155 Walm Lane NW2
HOLIDAYS 26 days a year plus public holidays
RESPONSIBLE TO Head of Community Services
ACCOUNTABLE TO Chief Executive of Brent Mind and the
Executive Committee of Brent Mind
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: 6 months
PURPOSE OF POST
· To provide a high quality and flexible housing related support service to people with mental health and substance misuse needs. To provide housing related support to all tenants across the service
· To work in a person centred way, ensuring the rights and entitlements of tenants are respected.
· To support and challenge tenants to improve their quality of life and independent living skills.
· To further support tenants to move on by being actively involved in the running of the Resettlement Programme on a rota basis.
· To liaise with other staff and external professionals to provide a safe and supportive environment for tenants
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
STANDARDS
· Meet key performance targets including maximising rent collection, implementing health and safety policy and ensuring high quality standards are maintained at the properties.
· Contribute to providing Quarterly Housing Returns, Quarterly Health and Safety reports, Voids Reports, reports on referrals and any other monitoring reports as required
· Carry out support and resettlement as required.
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
· Assist tenants with the purchase of food, clothing and personal effects
· Assist with personal finances, ensuring that monitoring of income and expenditure is undertaken
· Monitor arrears and voids on WRAPP in conjunction with the Housing Management Assistant and provide reports as necessary
· Where arrears do arise take action to deal with these within the rent arrears policy and in conjunction with the Housing Management Assistant
· Follow purchase-ordering procedure when ordering items for the properties in conjunction with line manager and Housing Management Assistant.
· Monitor budget and adapt requests for spending accordingly.
· Participate in fund raising when necessary for extra items or services for housing
SUPPORT AND TENANTS DEVELOPMENT
·
· To develop warm, well boundaried and trusting relationships with tenants to encourage them to express their needs, views and concerns.
· Provide a supportive and safe environment for tenants, contributing to assessment and management of need and risk
· To assist in monitoring tenants mental health and general wellbeing and to inform the manager and relevant agencies of any concerns or significant changes in their needs and circumstances.
· To report any concerns regarding vulnerable adults with immediate effect to the manager/duty manager
· Contribute a quarterly (more frequently if necessary) Risk Analysis of each tenant
· To advise and support tenants in all aspects of managing their tenancy and maintaining the safety, hygiene and comfort of their home.
· Provide informal support and advice which will include telephone advice
· Support Tenant with life skills development e.g. coping strategies, harm minimisation, goal setting, budgeting, cooking etc
· Support and monitor health and well being and provide prompts re medication
· To support tenant in meeting their cultural and spiritual needs and in expressing their personal identity
· To encourage tenants to identify their strengths and interests and to support tenants in accessing social, leisure and work activities.
· To advise, encourage and support service tenants so as to maximise their self care and independent living skills
TENANT/USER INVOLVEMENT
· Provide information and consult with tenants about Brent Mind services and actively encourage and demonstrate tenant involvement and participation in all areas of the post where appropriate
· Facilitate group work with tenants as required
ALLOCATIONS AND LETTINGS
· Ensure void room is ready to let and assist with move in
· Support tenant with signing of tenancy agreement and claiming of benefits
RESETTLEMENT
· Provide support to all tenants ready for move on which will include:
- advice and assistance to tenants to enable them to move to more appropriate
accommodation
- advice and guidance on what opportunities there are available for move on
- advice in relation to connection to utilities
- advice and assistance in relation to fulfilling tenancy conditions
- advice and guidance on how to manage in independent accommodation
HOUSING SERVICE
· Provide intensive individual housing management including:
- Implementing housing management policies and procedures
- Reporting any maintenance issues to the Housing Management Assistant
- Identifying items that need to be purchased for the properties then following purchasing procedure
- Emptying of payphones monthly and counting money with Housing Management Assistant
- Resolving conflict between tenants
- Contribute to annual budgetary planning and control
TEAM WORK
· To work effectively as a team member including:
- sharing information
- working across the service as required
- providing short term cover for other team members when necessary
- contributing to the development of the service
- meeting key performance targets
BRENT MIND FLEXIBLE WORKING
· Carry out additional duties that may be necessary to enable the successful running of the housing service and the organisation. This includes covering any duties commensurate with the post
· Attend and contribute to meetings as required
· Take responsibility for your own and others safety by ensuring that all Brent Mind’s Health and safety policies are correctly implemented and monitored.
TRAINING
· Participate in training as and when required
· Keep up to date with developments in housing law
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
· Implement Brent Mind’s Equal Opportunity Policy in all areas of your work
· Ensure any breaches of the EOP are challenged as appropriate