JOB TITLE / Support Worker
SERVICE PROVISION / Homeless Day Services
SCALE POINT / Scale Range 16-18 (£17,277 - £18,035)
CONTRACT TYPE / Permanent
LINE MANAGER / Senior Recovery Worker/ Team Leader
DATE OF ISSUE / January 2018

Area of Work:

You will work in the Society of St James’ (SSJ) Homeless Day Services in Portsmouth, providing a range of day to day support to people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Client Outcomes:

·  Improved access to housing opportunities

·  Improved access to advice and information

·  Better health outcomes

Specific Duties:

Service Users
1.  Undertake assessments for new service users accessing the homelessness provision to ensure that there is a genuine homeless need, identify the most urgent presenting needs and how these can be best met.
2.  Undertake risk assessments in partnership with new service users and other agencies involved with them to ensure that appropriate risk management plans and safeguarding processes are implemented.
3.  Make referrals to both the housing and the substance misuse support where appropriate and /or signpost service users to other services in Portsmouth that can better meet their needs if referral within the service is not the best option.
4.  Promote the concept of recovery to service users emphasising the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and personal responsibility for their own long-term health outcomes.
5.  Participate in all aspects of service delivery to ensure that all contractual requirements are met.
6.  Help facilitate and deliver group work activities in the centre, including cooking, budgeting and other life-skills, and encourage and support service users to participate in all the activities.
7.  Work in partnership with colleagues and other agencies, both statutory and voluntary, to provide effective support and achieve the best outcomes for service users.
Finance and Administration
1.  Account for and record all incoming monies, including rent and petty cash, in accordance with the Society’s Financial Procedures.
2.  Adhere to the Handling Client Monies Policy when a client receives individual support with managing their own money.
3.  Ensure all relevant service user information is uploaded to the appropriate IT system and is regularly updated.
4.  Maintain service user files and records to the standard required.

Health and Safety

1.  Participate in the cleaning rota to ensure that the hygiene and cleanliness of communal areas are maintained to the appropriate standards.
2.  Participate as required in all regular health and safety checks and procedures.
3.  Ensure that all accidents and incidents are reported following the correct procedures.
4.  Ensure that all safeguarding concerns relating to service users are reported following the correct procedures.
5.  Adhere to the Society’s Health & Safety Policy and follow all additional policies and procedures relating to health and safety contained within the Health and Safety Management System, with specific regard to your responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 that requires you to be responsible for your own health and safety at work as well as that of those around you.
Additional Requirements:
1.  Attend all staff meetings, supervision meetings and other meetings as directed by your Line Manager.
2.  Participate in setting, monitoring and achieving annual organisational and team targets.
3.  Attend all training courses as directed by your Line Manager.
4.  Adhere to all of SSJ’s Policies and Procedures at all times.
5.  Willingness to work flexibly in order to meet the needs of the service.
6.  Undertake any other duties that reasonably fall within the scope of the job role as and when required to ensure the safe and smooth running of the Service.
Experience, Knowledge and Ability – the successful candidate must demonstrate the following: / Assessment
Experience of working with people with histories of homelessness, mental health problems and substance misuse / FORM/
INTERVIEW
Experience of liaising with statutory and voluntary organisations in relation to the support and care of vulnerable people / FORM/
INTERVIEW
Experience of dealing with challenging and dangerous behaviour / FORM/
INTERVIEW
Knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity, with respect to staff and clients / INTERVIEW
Knowledge of other local organisations providing support and interventions to people with complex needs / INTERVIEW
Knowledge of safeguarding and protection procedures and protocols for vulnerable adults / INTERVIEW
Knowledge of lone working procedures and staying safe at work / INTERVIEW
Ability to listen, consult and communicate effectively with clients / FORM/
INTERVIEW
Ability to carry out risk assessments, develop risk management plans and actively manage risks presented by clients / FORM/
INTERVIEW
Ability to motivate clients and encourage them to seek meaningful occupation and to live more independently / INTERVIEW
Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel sufficiently to write letters, emails, reports, comprehensive support plans and produce spreadsheets when required / FORM
Ability to liaise effectively with both external agencies and with the Society’s other services / INTERVIEW
Ability to deal with difficult and challenging behaviour calmly and effectively / INTERVIEW

The SSJ Competency Framework

SSJ uses a Competency Framework as part of its recruitment procedures. The SSJ Competency Framework identifies specific competencies that staff in each job role are required to demonstrate. As well as being able to demonstrate the experience, knowledge and abilities required for the role, all staff are required to demonstrate competencies that contribute to each area identified in the Framework Model below:

Core Competencies - All staff are required to:
·  Be open and approachable
·  Be honest and fair
·  Be willing to listen to and share ideas
·  Be a team player
·  Be able to use own initiative to make decisions and be accountable for them
·  Find constructive ways to deal with conflict
·  Be able to build trusting relationships with colleagues, service users and other stakeholders
·  Be aware of own behaviour, maintain professional boundaries at all times and demonstrate self-awareness at all levels.
·  Consistently demonstrate a commitment to the values and ethos of the organisation
·  Be able to use IT systems and email effectively.
·  Be able to communicate effectively in all ways with other people

Role Profile – Support Worker Page 2 of 4