Homeless Pathway and COS

Homeless Pathway and COS

Oxfordshire

JOB DESCRIPTION

Role: / Homeless Pathway and Rough Sleeper Outreach Support Worker
Hours: / Full Time 37.5 p.w.
Location: / All Oxfordshire Offices. This vacancy is mainly in Oxford City and South and Vale though ongoing flexibility is needed
Salary: / £18,044 - £21,812 (pro rata if part time) Salary Scale points 19-25
Contract Duration: / Permanent subject to continued funding
Annual Leave: / 30 days plus Bank Holidays (pro rata if part time) per annum
Accountable to: / Team Manager

Background

Connection Support provides a breadth of specialist support services to a range of people facing complex life challenges. Our specialist support is tailored around the person and makes a difference to their life now but also provides building blocks to help them help themselves in the future.

We provide flexible and tailored support and advice to a range of adults (young and old) and families in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. The support covers housing support, homelessness, isolation, money management, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse. Often service users have multiple issues which means our work with them is all encompassing.

The Adult Homeless Pathway is responsible for providing individual 9-12 month programmes of planned support for up to 12 people (for full time) with a wide variety of support needs who have experienced homelessness. The aim is to help the individuals to become ready and able to find, take on and manage their own tenancy and live independently when they move on from their current supported accommodation.

The Connection Outreach Service (COS) is funded through Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils. The public and other local service providers are encouraged to report the whereabouts of homeless people. Housing Options teams and other agencies pass referrals to the COS in order to verify the location of the rough sleeper and to make contact with him/her. COS Outreach Workers will attempt to engage them in reconnecting with their home area or placing them in emergency accommodation, while more permanent solutions are found. Rough sleepers will be actively discouraged from continuing to live on the streets. Outreach and verifications are undertaken only when referrals are received as opposed to regularly going out to hotspot areas.

Salary Increments

The payment of increments, cost of living and pension contribution, are subject to sufficient funding being available.

For extra increment(s) to be offered at appointment there must be evidence of significant transferable experience and skills and/or training relevant to the Support Worker’sjob description.

Pension

Connection will make a contribution to the auto enrolment pension scheme which we run, in line with statutory requirements.

Places and Hours of Work

The places of work are all the Connection Support offices in Oxfordshire, although primarily based in Cowley, Oxford, and includes travel throughout Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Districts.Ongoing flexibility will be needed.It will be the post holder’s responsibility in their own time and at their own expense to arrange to travel to and from their allocated Oxfordshire office at the start and end of each day.

Rough Sleeperverifications will need carried out approximately 6.00 a.m. Monday – Friday. This will mean an early start from home in order to arrive at the site on time and a correspondingly early finish that day. When there are no rough sleepers to verify, normal office hours (9-5 pm) apply.

Occasional flexibility will be required to book visits at other times, possibly late in the evening where this is the only way to make contact with specific rough sleepers, or for the annual rough sleeper count.

For all other support work core service delivery hours are 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday with some rota’d cover across the team for Saturday and Sundays.A flexible approach is required to meet the needs of service users in employment or training or who have chaotic lifestyles. It may be possible to meet the service requirements for mornings and evenings via flexible working however it may be that a rota will need to happen in future.

Part time staff will be required to work either a Monday or a Friday as part of their normal working hours.

Purpose and Accountability

Duties

In relation to service users/clients

1. To work with clients to improve skills and overcome barriers so they are able to successfully gain permanent accommodation and move on to independent housing
2. To use a strengths and needs assessment to jointly assess with clients their aspirations, identify individual goals and support needs to achieve them.
3. To draw up appropriate support and action plans using regular individualised review and appropriate tools to monitor progress (eg ladder of Change, Outcome Star)
4. To liaise and work with colleagues in other agencies includingliaison with housing providers, police, treatment services (including GP, drug, alcohol and mental health service, and rehab) to ensure the smooth running of the project.
5. Carry out assessments of the housing and related social and health care needs of clients who are sleeping rough or engaged in street activity. Where appropriate involve specialist teams / agencies and ensure that these needs are met through support plans and action planning and review.

1. Provide assertive outreach (focused and determined discussions on the streets) to assist rough sleepers to improve their current situation and access accommodation, treatment, primary care and other relevant services that will move them away from a street-based lifestyle. Complete risk assessments.

1. To work with clients to achieve their individual goals, including:

• developing and sustaining a working, relationship with clients. Including motivation and constructive challenge
• working with clients with the Homeless Pathway for up to 12 months with regular meetings focussed on clients working towards personal goals, celebrating success and keeping on track to independence
• motivating and facilitating clients to be actively involved in meaningful daytime activity including skills development, training, volunteering, employment, healthy activities
• providing information and advice on welfare rights, housing options, tenancy rights and responsibilities, and advocacy and assertiveness skills support in these areas.
• providing information and assistance to clients to enable them to make choices about the development of their social network and participation in their local community, including employment, education and training opportunities.
• working with clients to help them learn, or improve, their practical life skills (eg budgeting, paying bills, planning meals) needed for their survival in independent housing.

6. To work with clients to identify support needs which can be met by other agencies, to make referrals to specialist agencies, and develop appropriate casework links with such agencies in relation to clients' support plans.

7. To support clients in taking part in, and/or setting up, local groups or networks which are relevant to meeting their support needs, and to be responsive to different ways of delivering support (e.g. in groups), as identified by clients.

8. To visit client properties on a daily basis to provide support and advice. Facilitate monthly house meetings providing a forum for discussion and mutual support between residents.

9. To work to deliver a service which is sensitive to the different needs of black & minority ethnic clients, women, lesbians and gay men and clients with disabilities, and which does not discriminate on grounds of age, class, religion, HIV status or offending background.

10. To take part in a rota’d weekend service.

In relation to the team

1. To attend and participate in regular team meetings.

2. To provide cover on an occasional basis for absent colleagues, and staff the office on a rota basis.

3. To participate in regular support & supervision sessions.

4. To operate agreed health & safety and security procedures.

5. To share responsibility for security of office premises.

6. To attend appropriate training courses, and participate in skill sharing sessions within the team.

In relation to other agencies

1. To represent the agency at relevant external meetings and interagency forums, with the agreement of the team manager.

2. To liaise with voluntary and statutory agencies to develop good working relationships and promote coworking strategies where appropriate.

3. To be aware of legislation and national policies as they affect clients, particularly in the areas of housing, welfare rights, mental health, drug use and community care.

In relation to policy and administration

1. To carry out all necessary administration in relation to the casework task.

2. To keep casework records in order that Connection can monitor and assess its efficiency and effectiveness.

3. To further the aims of Connection and its activities by working within all agreed policies, including the Equal Opportunities Policy.

4. To carry out, within reason, any other duties necessary to the smooth running of the project.

May 2018

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HP & COS SW Job Description May 2018