Title of Post: Offender Resettlement Worker Exeter, East & Mid Devon

Job Description

Title of Post: Offender Resettlement Worker – Exeter, East & Mid Devon

Salary: NJC Scale Point25 – 28: £22,212 - £24,472

Responsible to:Director

Hours:37 hours per week (12 month contract)

The Offender Resettlement Service Pilot is a partnership project between St Petrock’s (Exeter) Ltd and Community Housing Aid (CHA).

Main Purpose of the Post:

To deliver, in conjunction with other members of the Offender Resettlement Team, the Offender Resettlement Service Pilot for Exeter, East and Mid Devon, Torbay and Teignbridge.

To assist offenders in providing solutions to a variety of accommodation based concerns that will ultimately contribute to the local and national resettlement strategy, reduce the likelihood of prisoners re-offending and assist them in a successful reintegration into their communities.

General

To be responsible to the Director for the day-to-day delivery of the Offender Resettlement Service for Exeter, East & Mid Devon working within Resettlement Project guidelines.

To provide housing advice and guidance to offenders on a one-to-one basis at a variety of locations including Housing Options, Engage Hubs and other community based environments

To complete comprehensive client assessments; offer support and advice around accommodation offers and, enter client and service offer details onto the database.

Draw up effective action plans with clients and through case management offer support and advice around sustainable accommodation.

To attend team meetings and take part in service policy and planning.

To participate in the provision of a flexible and responsive service.

To understand, promote and utilize Offender Resettlement services with partner agencies.

To ensure that the pilot compliments existing services by adding value, capacity and cohesiveness

Client Work

To respond and process in a timely and proactive fashion all referrals made to the Offender Resettlement Service and ensure those accessing the project meet the criteria of the pilot.

To carry out comprehensive assessments with all referred offenders.

To provide personalised case management for users who need to be accommodated, turning assessment recommendations into a practical action plan which fully involves the client

To provide as appropriate client advocacy to local authorities, community rehabilitation companies and housing providers to support resettlement.

To ensure all case work is properly recorded and all service offers and outcomes are entered clearly and in a timely fashion onto the database.

To actively collect follow up information with regards to the outcome of accommodations and report to the Manager any need/gaps in key areas that is acting as a barrier to a successful outcome.

To work firmly and persuasively with individuals to explain the role of the service and the benefits of the service.

To provide advice to clients on accommodation options, as well as appropriate on health, welfare benefit claims and other issues as necessary.

To liaise effectively with the Outreach Workers, Housing Support Workers, Community Rehabilitation Companies, specialist workers, police and other agencies.

To deal with the immediate support needs of the clients as appropriate.

To assess client risk and develop risk management strategies with the client and other involved services.

To ensure all service delivery policies and decisions made by the manager or team are observed and followed through.

Administrative Duties

To record accurate statistics of referrals, demographics and service outputs & outcomes

Ensure client records and project database is up to date

Maintain a high standard of record keeping & confidentiality

Handling and sharing of confidential client records with other agencies

Internal Communication And Liaison With Outside Agencies

To liaise effectively with colleagues in the Offender Resettlement Service, prisons, DDC Community Rehabiliation Company, and external partners and services to enable referral and communication of information and support planning and actions.

To ensure issues of confidentiality, public protection, disclosure and risk management are embedded into everyday practise

To liaise effectively on a day to day basis with external agencies including police, social services and other statutory and voluntary agencies.

In consultation with the Manager, represent the Offender Resettlement Service externally at forums, conferences and meetings as required.

To build and maintain good working relationships with colleagues in St Petrock’s & Community Houing Aid’s prison and community based services.

Other Duties

To work as part of a team to ensure the safety and well being of St Petrock’s & Community Housing Aid’s clients, volunteers and staff.

To assist in identifying gaps in provision and opportunities to expand or improve service delivery

Work with Community Housing Aid to explore and develop awareness and understading of payment by results models

Identify opportunities to positively influence challenging or negative client behaviours; whilst recognizing a need to de-escalate/maintian safe boundaries

To engage clients with enthusiasm and encouragement on a day to day basis

To maintain a non-judgemental approach to working with offenders and homeless individuals.

To develop and maintain professional boundaries with all clients in line with Community Housing Aid policy.

To adhere to all Community Housing Aid’s policies and procedures in all aspects of the work including: Diversity and Equality, Confidentiality. Health and Safety and all relevant national and local government legislation.

To carry out any other duties commensurate with the post

To develop professionally and to identify training opportunities in order to improve the level of service St Petrock’s offers to its clients.

To have a willingness to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job holders are expected to demonstrate achievement in the following competencies and areas of knowledge, skills and experience:

Essential Requirements

A working knowledge of housing, benefit and homelessness advice issues likely to arise from the provisions of all relevant legislation

At least 1 year’s experience of carrying a case-load of clients within a social care, statutory or voluntary agency

Knowledge and understanding of the issues facing people with an offending history or background

Understanding of the resettlement needs of offenders and particularly short-term prisoners (with specific reference to housing and wider social exclusion issues), and knowledge of agencies available to meet these needs

Awareness of the criminal justice system, in particular the links between prison and the community

Ability to effectively engage with a wide range of individuals

Problem solving & ability to think creatively

Excellent interpersonal & communication skills

The ability to maintain accurate, up-to-date records of client work and of performance monitoring of outputs and outcomes targets

A demonstrable ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing

The ability to produce cohesive written reports on project activity

A demonstrable understanding of and commitment to anti-discriminatory practices

A positive attitude to the use of volunteer workers

The ability to operate both within a team and also with a high degree of autonomy

Excellent IT skills with experience of Word and Excel.

Desirable requirements

Degree and/or relevant professional or formal qualification

Experience of training &/or supervising volunteers

Previous experience of accommodating vulnerable clients

Knowledge of the range of housing available across Devon and the relevant referral criteria.