TAUNTON ASSOCIATION FOR THE HOMELESS

JOB DESCRIPTION – Veteran Support Worker

Objectives:

Working both alone and as part of a staff team:-

  • To be responsible and accountable for delivering high quality support services for previously homeless and vulnerably housed ex Service Personnel.
  • Comprehensively and effectively induct, assess and support clients so they gain maximum benefit from the experience and are able to gain the skills they need to progress towards and/or sustain appropriate accommodation and become active citizens in the local community
  • To be responsible and accountable for providing advice, support, motivation, crisis intervention and future planning, appropriate to the expressed needs of service users with the aim of ensuring that every client goes on to live independently.
  • Proactively encourage clients to take advantage of lifeskills training, workshops, activities and volunteering opportunities so they can develop their social skills, improve their self-esteem and are better placed to access training, education or employment.

Key Responsibilities:

  1. Accept and verify potential service users who are eligible for the service, particularly ex Service Personnel.
  2. Co-ordinate with external agencies such as the Royal British Legion, SSAFA etc. in order to provide adequate support provision to all service user groups including Veterans.
  3. Provide an effective needs led service for clients throughout their engagement with TAH, in line with TAH’s policies and procedures.
  4. Induct new clients into TAH support services and/or accommodation, ensuring they are fully aware of the services on offer and encouraging them to take advantage of the training, workshops, activities and other opportunities available
  5. Assist allocated clients to identify and work towards individual goals consistent with sustaining a tenancy in social rented housing or privately rented accommodation.
  6. Take a lead role in ensuring the safety and security of TAH premises, providing clients with welcoming, safe and comfortable surroundings
  7. Promote TAH’s work to Veteran Agencies and other organisations in a position to refer Veterans with housing and other support needs to our services.
  8. Work with clients to facilitate the best possible outcomes and address issues of social isolation.
  9. Work with clients to ensure rent, service charges and other financial commitments are effectively managed, liaising with benefits agencies and other colleagues, helping clients to communicate effectively with landlords and other organisations, agreeing repayment plans and providing accurate advice and support in relation to debt management and benefits entitlement
  10. Work effectively with colleagues to ensure all services are provided in a consistent, supportive and positive manner whilst showing sufficient flexibility to meet the needs of individual clients
  11. Provide all clients, but particularly those for who you have nominated responsibility, with consistent, responsive, high quality support by:
  • Working alongside clients to complete appropriate risk assessments, agree risk management plans and develop personalised plans for support and development (independence plans) so they can set their own short-term and long-term goals in relation to their journey towards independence.
  • Encouraging clients to be ambitious, to take calculated risks, to take personal responsibility for their own development and to become involved in the development of the service
  • Supportingclients to access the services and skills they need by proactively encouraging and facilitating engagement with TAH staff-led services, TAH volunteer-led activities or with the services provided by other individuals, agencies or organisations
  • Working closely with clients to enable them to maintain their accommodation including early identification of potential issues and joint solution seeking and implementation
  • Where appropriate, working with clients and their families, or other support networks, to facilitate them remaining in the family home, returning to the family home or reconnecting to an area where they have a local connection
  1. As necessary, assist in meal provision and carry out in-house laundry and cleaning to ensure empty rooms are prepared for new clients. Encourage clients to adopt acceptable standards of personal hygiene and to keep their private spaces and communal areas clean and tidy
  2. At all times act as a positive role model, maintaining clear and professional boundaries and promoting the concept of participation and independence
  3. Contribute to service development and encourage the involvement of clients in discussions about service improvements so they are fully involved in all aspects of TAH’s work and are empowered to express their views, ideas and concerns
  4. Help develop and promote appropriate educational, experiential, recreational and social activities
  5. Represent TAH at internal and external events and develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues and partner agencies
  6. Deal appropriately and efficiently with incidents or emergencies in line with established procedures and in a calm, unflappable manner
  7. At all times, be aware of maintenance and health and safety issues, reporting issues appropriately to the TAH property services team or, where appropriate, encouraging and supporting clients to raise the matter with their own landlords
  8. When required, accept financial and gift-in-kind donations from supporters, completing the necessary paperwork and ensuring donors are appropriately welcomed and thanked
  9. Perform all duties in accordance with the Employee Handbook, policies and procedures and carry out such other tasks as may, from time to time, be necessary when consistent with the nature of the post

March 2013

TAUNTON ASSOCIATION FOR THE HOMELESS

PERSON SPECIFICATION – VETERAN SUPPORT WORKER

  1. Relevant experience working with rough sleepers, vulnerably housed people, Veterans or other adults with support needs(Essential)
  2. High level of ability to motivate and support clients to engage in new experiences, develop lifeskills and achieveand sustain independence (Essential)
  3. An understanding of the issues affecting ex Service personnel and their families.
  4. Experience of building positive, effective relationships with internal/external colleagues (Essential)
  5. A working knowledge of the welfare benefit system (Desirable)
  6. A strong commitment to TAH’s Purpose and Key Values (Essential)
  7. Ability to work with a wide range of clients and customers and diffuse difficult situations (Essential)
  8. Good standard of literacy, numeracy, IT, organising and planning (Essential)
  9. High level of ability to work both independently and as part of a team (Essential)
  10. Ability to influence, negotiate with, and mediate between, others (Essential)
  11. Ability to work under pressure with a calm approach to emergency situations (Essential)
  12. Willingness and ability to work outside normal office hours and to work flexibly in response to changing organisational and client requirements (Essential)
  13. Motivated and inspirational with a strong sense of humour and a professional, diplomatic and non-judgemental approach (Essential)
  14. Strong commitment to personal and professional development and to the development of internal/external colleagues and clients (Essential)
  15. Driving Licence and access to a vehicle or ability to make alternative transport arrangements (Essential)

March 2013