Housing Support Worker

Positive Housing aims to provide supported accommodation and support to disadvantaged citizens right across Birmingham and the Midlands.

Our residents come from Mental Health, Homelessness, Addiction, Ex-Offender and Ex-Services backgrounds. As such they can have lived, and may be living chaotic lifestyles, with a complex set of barriers that may be holding them back from "getting it all sorted".

It's our job (or maybe your job) to build trust and deliver support to enable each of our citizens to start their own process of progression towards independence. The journey may be long for some and will doubtless incur delays and hiccups along the way, however with a supportive (and on occasions robust) approach we know we can help them achieve their potential.

In order to excel in this role you will need to commit fully to it, not be afraid to deliver some home truths on occasion and above all you must want to make a difference. So if that's you, then this is what we need you to do:

- To work as a member of our team to deliver Tenancy Related Support to an allocated set of disadvantaged citizens from within our housing system.

- To build a professional yet personally supportive bond with the citizens being supported, and to genuinely and in a committed way work to assist them in achieving a set of identified goals from within their support plan.

- To continually asses and where appropriate identify additional goals that fall within the scope of the Supported Housing framework that may be relevant and of benefit to the citizens being supported.

- To ensure that accurate, clear and detailed notes are recorded, within appropriate engagement documents, in relation to all face to face, telephone or other forms of citizen related support interaction.

- To apply a robust approach to all tenancy related matters in order to enable the citizens to understand their responsibilities as tenants and citizens of the wider community.

- To ensure that where necessary, in line with internal procedures and policies, that where necessary information is passed to other internal or external departments (ie maintenance requests, mental health support requests etc) in a timely manner and that such onward requests are recorded within relevant documentation.

- To ensure that any incidents of a Safeguarding nature, effecting citizens within the Initial Supported Housing system (whether directly supported or not) are notified immediately to the relevant management.

- To ensure that when preparing to deliver support to any citizens that an awareness of identified risk factors and identified support plan requirements are sought from within the tenant information resource.

- To ensure that where any element of the risk factors or support plan are unclear that clarification is sought from relevant management prior to attending a support session.

- To ensure that where any instance occurs that may require risk factor or support plan records to be updated that these are highlighted to management without delay.

- To liaise with external agencies and companies (eg Housing Benefit Office, Utility Companies, Council Tax Authority, Benefits Office etc) where necessary to assist citizens with their tenancy related requirements.

- To complete basic household inspections (eg Operation of Heating, Lighting, Drainage, TV etc) in order to identify issues that may need addressing via a maintenance request.

- To be aware of the general well being of citizens, and where issues are effecting this that fall outside the scope of Supported Housing framework tasks, to Signpost accordingly to appropriate external agencies.

- To be aware of and comply with Data Protection Policies at all times.

- To always take reasonable care to avoid injury during the course of working within the job role, in line with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and to highlight any issues that may effect this to Senior or Team Leader personnel.

- To always respect the rights of citizens and their family members, that are within the Supported Housing system, and to ensure that at all times a professional relationship and boundary is maintained.

- To at all times be mindful of and work with the best interests of the citizen, other staff members and the company in mind, and where issues or matters that may effect this arise to ensure these are highlighted to management immediately.

It's a long list and you will have busy days, and the citizens can be challenging, but without a single doubt it's rewarding.

So in short, if you want to make a difference to the lives of others, sometimes through more robust approach, but always with progression and promoting independence in mind, then contact us to see what we are all about!

Requirements: Driving License & Own vehicle are necessary, as well as 2 years experience. No applicants will be considered without these.,

• GCSE or equivalent (preferred)


Experience:

• Residential Childcare: 1 year (preferred)


• Support Environment: 1 year (preferred)


Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (preferred)


• NVQ Level 2 Health & Social Care (preferred)