RECRUITMENT PACK
Organisational Background
SPEAR was founded in 1987 on the principle that people shouldn’t die because they don’t have a home. Since then, we’ve developed a range of services that together provide an integrated pathway from rough sleeping to independent accommodation. We recognise that it takes both time and courage to change; to trust new people; learn new skills; take chances and commit to a hopeful future. We are inspired by our clients; by our dedicated staff and volunteers and by the many supporters, past and present who enable this work to take place.
Homelessness isn’t just a housing problem, it’s also about isolation, fear and self-doubt. That’s why we don’t just provide a roof overhead, we commit to making a lasting difference.
SPEAR Today
Resettlement Team
SPEAR’s Resettlement Programme provides a co-ordinated ‘pathway’ through a range of accommodation based services which support homeless people from the streets to sustainable independent living.
After working with rough sleepers on the street, these services broker access to accommodation and provide tenancy sustainment support across shared housing, training flats, private and social housing tenancies.
The programme aims to make accessible and appropriate housing options available for homeless people and works with around 200 clients at any one time. 100% of clients resettled into private tenancies over the last year sustained their tenancies.
Complex Needs Team
SPEAR’s Complex Needs Team focuses service delivery on the personal development aspect of some homeless people’s journey to self-reliance. Clients in these services may have complex health and social issues including addictions and mental health problems.
The programme ensures that our rough sleeper hostel in Richmond, our second stage supported housing project, and our drug and alcohol service focus on cultivating inner resources through the development of life and social skills in preparation for education, training or employment.
The programme works with around 80 clients at any one time. 80% of clients in the programme either engage with treatment for an addiction and/or move into less supported accommodation.
Young Person’s Programme
The Young People’s Programme provides services to support young homeless people make a smooth transition into adulthood. Many of the young people in these services have chaotic or institutional backgrounds and may have had involvement with the criminal justice system.
The programme focuses on preparing young people to move into independent accommodation once they are 18 years old, to engage in training or education and to progress towards employment. It incorporates two young people’s hostels in Merton and Richmond and works with around 30 young people a year.
Services in Richmond
TheRough Sleeper Outreach Serviceworks with people who are rough sleeping by brokering housing solutions and providing support to move away from a life on the streets.
Penny Wade Houseprovides intensive supported accommodation to rough sleepers in a 14 bed hostel, preparing to move onto more independent accommodation.
TheSandycombe Road Projectprovides temporary accommodation with off-site support to 4 people moving out of Penny Wade House.
TheTenancy Support Servicesupports 71 ex-rough sleepers by providing support in 33 temporary independent tenancies and in social housing and private tenancies.
TheLower Grove Road Hostelprovides supported housing to 3 young people to engage in education and develop the skills to live independently.
Services in Merton
The newly-refurbished Wilton Road Hostelprovides supported housing to 16 young people as they engage in education and develop the skills to live independently.
Services which operate across South-West London
TheSkills Development Servicesupports any SPEAR client with confidence-building activities; in-house and external education and training; and to progress towards secureemployment
TheSouth West London Resettlement Service works with people who are rough sleeping in the London Boroughs of Richmond, Merton, Wandsworth, Sutton and Merton by brokering housing solutions, mainly in the private rented sector.
Our new Homeless Health Link Service serves rough sleepers and former rough sleepers across the London Boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames, Kingston-upon-Thames, Wandsworth, Sutton and Merton. It works with rough sleepers into primary care; supporting mental or physical health services.
Core Team
The Core Team supports all of SPEAR’s operations and includes our resources and finance team, volunteering officer and fundraising team.
The Senior Management Team
The SMT comprises the Chief Executive, Operations Director, Finance Director and Head of Fundraising. They meet once a week for a catch up session and once a month for a full Senior Management meeting to make decisions regarding the day to day management of the Charity.
More information regarding our services can be found on www.spearlondon.org
Why you should work for SPEAR
The ability to change the lives of some of the most marginalised people in our society
SPEAR strives to change for the better the lives of those who experience homelessness, or those at risk of homelessness. We provide services with the simple aim that every single person we work with finds and keeps a home. Whatever your role, working for SPEAR gives you the tools to truly change the lives of the people we work with – and to see the results of your input.
SPEAR’s reputation
SPEAR has an excellent reputation for providing services that truly make a difference to some of the most marginalised people in our society. You will be working alongside experienced professionals who understand the inputs needed to bring about such positive change. We attempt to unlock the potential in everyone we work with and will encourage you to do so too.
We have been appointed to the National Advisory Committee of our sector’s umbrella body and in we were awarded the “Best Charity” Award in 2012’s Richmond Business Awards. We have recently worked with Shelter, Crisis, St Mungo’s Broadway and the Berkeley Foundation to produce “Rethinking Homelessness”.
We are a holder of the 9001 ISO Accreditation dedicated to ensuring quality and constantly working towards more achievements for our staff and clients.
SPEAR’s commitment to training and developing staff
SPEAR is committed to developing the skills and abilities of the people we work with. Training and personal development ideas will be discussed in supervision meetings and one of the aims of your annual appraisal will be to produce a mutually-agreed personal development plan for you and your line manager to work through and refer back to during the year.
We encourage staff to undertake formal or accredited training. Following a satisfactory probationary period we will happily explore supporting you in this area.
We also like our staff to share their interests or hidden talents with our clients and encourage staff to hold a session at the hostel, sharing their skills in cookery for example.
Remuneration
SPEAR offers competitive salaries that are comparable – and often better – than other agencies in our sector and we are proud to say we are a London Living Wage Employer.
Terms and conditions
All staff start with 26 days holiday per year and this rises up to 31 with length of service. We offer maternity, adoption and paternity leave (as well as other leave) beyond the statutory minimum, to ensure that you maintain a good work-life balance.
Staff are entitled to our pension scheme as well as access to a Childcare Voucher scheme, and an allowance for work-related travel. As well as this, we offer death in service benefit for all employees.
All staff have access to free, confidential counselling (up to six sessions per year) as well as the opportunity for flexible working hours to fit around caring responsibilities and your circumstances. We also run staff mindfulness training for those interested.
Career progression
Several members of staff have come through our trainee scheme, a programme whereby all successful trainees gain valuable work experience and training in key skills. Others have received an internal promotion since joining this organisation as a permanent staff member.
The People
In our annual staff satisfaction survey, we ask staff what the best thing about working for SPEAR is. Nearly all of them say each other! We pride ourselves on developing a culture in which staff meet regularly and communication is free across the organisation. We offer an induction which ensures that new staff tour all the other services and meet the majority of people within the organisation. We also regularly bring both staff and service users together to make decisions which affect the services we offer. Working for SPEAR you truly are part of the team.
Application Form Guidelines
Thank you for your interest in SPEAR
SPEAR is a small and dynamic team and we highly value the characters, talents and potential of all our staff. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities and we welcome applications from all parts of the community especially from those who have experienced periods of homelessness.
Before you start
Before you start filling out your application form, please take the time to carefully read through these guidelines, the person specification and the job description. If anything is unclear – now is a good time to give us a call – we’re always happy to clarify!
We will not accept CVs so please do not send one in place of an application form. Only the information provided on the application form will be considered.
SPEAR are unable to obtain a work permit for you so please make sure that you are eligible to work in the UK.
Filling in the application form
Please read all the questions carefully and try to answer as thoroughly as you can, ensuring that the writing, type or black ink, is neat, clear and concise. A well-presented application form can set you apart from other applicants. You may find it useful to do a rough draft beforehand to avoid making mistakes.
Don’t make any false claims; always be completely honest in your answers.
If you run out of space on the form, you may use a continuation sheet. Continuation sheets should be clearly numbered with your surname and the position you’ve applied for. Please make sure that the continuation sheet is securely attached to your form.
If there are questions in this form that do not apply to you then just write N/A (not applicable) in the box.
Explaining gaps in your work history
We would appreciate your explanations if there are any gaps in your work history so that we can avoid making any unfounded assumptions. These periods may be due to things such as education, maternity leave, travelling or perhaps a period of homelessness. Please provide dates and information to help clarify the situation.
We believe that personal experience of homelessness can give you valuable insight into working in the sector. We would encourage you to take your time answering this section, and to be honest with us.
Demonstrating your skills, knowledge and experience
This is the most important section of your application – you will be assessed by the information you provide in here. You need to clearly demonstrate how you feel your capabilities are relevant to each of the job specific competencies in the person specification, taking into account the position you are applying for.
Write a separate paragraph for each competency. It is vital that you illustrate your answers for each competency with examples from your personal or professional experience, demonstrating that you possess the skills, attitude or understanding required.
For example, it is easy to say that you have had to liaise with clients to identify and respond to their needs but it is more effective to give examples of the skills you used and the achievements you made.
Always write in a positive manner, for example; ‘I was responsible for...I organised...’
When we recruit we look for people who show excellent potential and good understanding. We look for those with transferable skills, not necessarily someone who has worked in a similar position. Always demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience can be applied to the post.
Providing referees
You need to provide us with the names and contact details for 2 referees from the last 3 years. If applicable, one should be from your present or most recent employment / line manager and the others from previous employment.
If there are any gaps in your work history, for example due to education or a period of homelessness, we would request a reference from any services you have named to help us to confirm these gaps. We will not accept personal references from friends or family, except in exceptional circumstances. If you are not sure who could act as a referee for you, please contact us and we would be happy to help. Referees will not usually be contacted until an offer of employment has been made.
Declaring convictions
Your criminal record will only be taken into account if the conviction is relevant to the position you are applying for. We will not disregard your application because you have a conviction but we will need to consider the circumstances and the background of the offence in relation to the particular requirements of the job.
If you are informing us of any conviction(s) please give full details of the offence and the outcome and put into a separate envelope marked with your surname and addressed for the attention of the Resources Manager and securely attach to the application form. This envelope will only be opened in the event that you are shortlisted for interview. The Resources Manager will share the contents of the envelope with the panel and they will make a decision on whether to invite you for interview.
If you do have any concerns, please take the time to discuss them with the Resources Manager on 020 7036 9767.
Your health
You may inform us in writing of the details of any health conditions and any assistance or adjustments you will need for attending the interview and for possible working arrangements. Write on a separate sheet and put this into an envelope marked with your surname and addressed for the attention of the Resources Manager and securely attach to the application form. This envelope will only be opened in the event that you are shortlisted for interview. The Resources Director will share the contents with the panel and you will be contacted should you need assistance in attending the interview.