Support Worker

Job Details

• Job Title: Support Worker
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Salary: £29,713.46 per annum
• Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, full time
• Working Pattern: Monday – Sunday rolling rota including early and late shifts, weekends and bank holiday
• Location: Lewisham Young People Service. Catford/New Cross

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

Please note that while we will accept applications on the basis of any valid legal permission to work in the UK, we will be surrendering the Riverside Sponsorship licence, so for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to apply for any further sponsorships whether on behalf of existing colleagues or candidates.

About the Role

You will be working from one of our supported services providing support to our customers in a variety of ways. For example, connecting them with employability coaches and other support agencies, helping them manage their money, signing up for benefits or to move on to a more permanent home. It will be your job to help boost their confidence and support them on their journey as they rebuild their lives. Through all of this you will need to keep records of everything, so there is some admin to do. At times this role is tough, but most of the time it can be incredibly rewarding. You will need to be resilient, empathetic, and able to leave your work at work and not take it home with you.

About You

• Experience of working with vulnerable people
• Experience of delivering structured support and risk management
• To be a team player with a caring and empathetic nature with a resilient, can‑do attitude, able to work as part of a team
• An understanding of supporting vulnerable people – this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction
• Ability to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours and may include lone working

Benefits

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.

Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.

Role Profile

Support customers

• Lead on co‑producing bespoke support and move‑on plans, involving key stakeholders (e.g. family/other support providers), where appropriate
• Organise and carry out regular planned reviews of support and risk plans, or follow an incident/significant change in a customer’s circumstances
• Engage customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills
• Assist customers with day‑to‑day support and tenancy‑related matters
• Identify and promote opportunities for employment, education and training and support customers to remove barriers to accessing these opportunities
• Signpost customers to appropriate external support services, including interventions such as food banks and other community resources
• Support customers to be ‘tenancy ready’ to enable successful move‑on
• Support customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income
• Support and monitor customers’ healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals
• Empower customers to move towards self‑management of their medication by following the medication procedure
• Lead on support initiatives including group work
• Ensure the safety of our customers by following local safeguarding procedures, recognising and acting on any significant risk, and escalating appropriately
• Record and update clear, factual, accurate, strengths‑based customer information on the local or appropriate digital platform

Deliver a support service

• Facilitate the referral process into the service and assess potential new customers
• Contribute to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy‑related support
• Work with customers to maintain a safe environment by reporting repairs and health and safety concerns
• Clean and prepare rooms as appropriate
• Resolve difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with responsibilities for the safety of the service
• Develop and maintain local partnerships to provide a holistic range of support for customers
• Carry out day‑to‑day administration and operational duties

Other Duties

• Required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours
• Required to travel to different properties within the defined area as and when required
• Use the lone worker system as and when necessary
• Ensure customers are safe at all times – carrying out all duties within Riverside’s policy and procedure framework (e.g. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR, cash handling, etc.)
• Deliver your role in line with Riverside company values – “Our Riverside Way”
• Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflecting practice sessions
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely
• From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your line manager

Additional Information

• Travel to other locations may be required to effectively perform this role
• The role will be exposed to sensitive information; therefore, the role holder is expected to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Work flexibly during the hours of operation
• Commitment to equal opportunities and non‑discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken

Person Specification

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs
• Experience of delivering structured support and risk management
• Team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and resilient can‑do attitude
• Previous experience in positively resolving incidents
• Demonstrate initiative and confidence to make and act on decisions
• Competent administrative and IT skills (to produce reports and other communications)

Desirable

• Knowledge of psychological or trauma‑informed approaches to support
• Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise, organise tasks to achieve results
• Knowledge of current benefit systems
• Experience of working in a care and support environment

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