POST: Housing First Support Worker

CONTRACT TYPE: Full-time (Subject to funding reviews, annually)

SALARY: £23.500 per annum increasing to £24.000 on successful completion of a 6-month probation period.

DEPARTMENT: Connect Centre – Housing First

LOCATION: Based in Wells, serving the Somerset area, primarily the District of Mendip – Various locations.

BACKGROUND: Connect Community Church is part of the Foursquare Gospel Alliance, a Christian denomination to serve the spiritual, social, physical, mental and emotional needs of the community in an accessible way.

PURPOSE: Housing First provides person centred, strengths based and trauma informed support to Housing First residents and potential residents. Housing First works with people who have various and/or extended experiences of rough sleeping and who often have multiple and complex challenges that have historically made finding, securing and maintaining accommodation extremely difficult. All aspects of the role are informed by core Housing First Principles:

CORE PRINCIPLES:

· People have a right to a home

· Support is provided as long as it is needed.

· Housing and Support are separate.

· Individuals have choice and control.

· Strengths-based, goal and aspiration-oriented approach.

· Active engagement approach is used.

· A harm reduction approach is used.

· OBJECTIVES:

· Developing and maintaining relationships with Housing First participants to enable trauma-informed, person-centred and strengths-based support promoting choice and well-being.

· Actively engaging participants who may have a history of disengaging from services, through adaptive, flexible practices which are resilient to challenge and rejections.

· Promoting system change by supporting individuals previously deemed unable to manage their own homes, providing the support necessary to maintain their tenancy and sustain a home.

· To collaborate with the Connect Team to provide flexible, compassionate, community-based services that promote stability, recovery and community reintegration of individuals.

· Ensuring Connected Housing First continues to develop with high fidelity to the Core Principles.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Working with Housing First participants to help them articulate their goals and aspirations offering person-centred support in appropriate community settings, including home visits

2. To identify barriers of accommodation and managing tenancies, providing support including practical help with benefits, budgeting, furniture, neighbour relations, and liaising with landlords.

3. With the agreement of Housing First participants, to liaise with other agencies to facilitate support including substance misuse and recovery, offending and criminal justice, mental health, Adult social care, debt, domestic abuse, welfare and housing benefits, employment and training.

4. To behave ethically, demonstrate competence in effective communication and team building, demonstrate effectiveness in working in a collaborative environment and demonstrate confidence in decision-making and in building relationships.

5. Maintaining accurate, up to date records manually or electronically on the chosen case management system and maintaining confidentiality. Creating support and safety plans when appropriate and ensuring confidentiality.

6. Develop, maintain and co-ordinate effective working relationships with external partners and agencies, promoting effective communication with Housing First residents. Ensuring Connected Housing First is widely known and promoted in Mendip and Somerset.

7. Supporting Housing First participants to access community resources, to develop positive peer networks and meaningful leisure opportunities.

8. To adhere to good practice Safeguarding procedures to ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable people.

9. To contribute to regular reports on the service evaluation project as required.

10. To participate in reflective practice to support and enhance wellbeing in the workplace and personal development.

11. Record all petty cash and other expenditure of project monies in line with Connect Centre policy.

12. Work within the Connect Centre Lone Working Policy and other Connect Centre Health and Safety Policies as appropriate at all times.

13. Participate in team meetings and work with other members of the wider Connect Centre team. Attend regular supervisions with the Project Leader and identify own training needs.

14. To work flexible with the team and support the success of project.