Job profile

We’re looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young People service in Barking and Dagenham. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£24,856.00 per annum working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you’re part of one team? You’ll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren’t token gestures - we’ve thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

The Vineries provides supported accommodation for 31 young people, aged 16-19, with varied support needs including accessing education, training and employment; managing finances; support with mental and physical health problems; emotional support; support with substance misuse, etc. Each individual receives 1:1 attention from a support worker. The service also offers group workshops and activities. After two years or before they turn 20, customers are supported in the transition to independent living. This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you’ll do:

Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to live independently. Support workers must monitor and assess the needs of the customers and provide creative and tailored person centred support to help them achieve their goals and aspirations.

Support workers will work closely with statutory children’s services and other external agencies to best support customers to promote social inclusion and teach independent living skills. Support workers will empower and encourage customers to maximise their skills and choices.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

• Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
• Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
• Supporting key customers to set personalised goals in the form of a Support Plan
• Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
• Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of ‘positive risk taking’
• Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
• Providing support with daily living activities, including practical assistance where skills are not yet developed, to ensure that customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
• Proactive development of links with local statutory and voluntary organisations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
• Involving customers in the design, development and delivery of the service
• Empowering customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
• Monitoring rent arrears and ensuring that rent accounts are managed effectively. Encouraging and enabling tenants to pay their rent/ service charge.
• Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
• Adhering to all other Look Ahead’s policies and procedures
• Engaging in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
• Day to day instruction/ supervision of Assistant Support Workers/domestic staff/ Personal Support Assistants where appropriate
• Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Manager
• Forming strong partnerships with external agencies.

What you’ll bring:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
• Approachable and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team
• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
• Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
• Flexible
• Open to feedback and self development
• Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
• Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
• Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
• Is essentially customer–focused
• Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
• Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours
• Understanding of mental health difficulties and therapeutic methods of support: Mental health difficulties include depression, anxiety, ADHD, personality disorder and psychosis
• Understanding of risks and support needs associated with care leavers
• Understanding of risks and support needs associated with CSE and CCE.
• Knowledge of gang culture and the risks and support needs associated to gang affiliation
• Knowledge of various therapeutic models
• Understanding of psychologically informed environments and trauma informed care

Essential:

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent experience in the social care/charity sector

Desirable:

• Experience working with care leavers
• Experience working with those displaying mental health difficulties
• Experience using therapeutic models of support

About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over 110 services, providing support to around 7000 customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.