Housing Support Worker – Reading Part Time

Reading, Oxfordshire
Nacro
Housing Support Worker – Reading

Job type:Full -Time, Permanent

Salary: £24,962 Per Annum (Base salary £23,962 + £1,000 Unsociable Hours). This role is also eligible for a one-off retention payment of £1,000 upon successfully completing 9 months service

The quoted figure is a full-time equivalent value, which will be pro-rated for part-time staff subject to qualifying eligibility of service and not being under notice at the qualifying date.

Hours: Working hours are 8 hours per day, shift patterns and flexibility will be discussed during the interview. (The provision of the contract is between 08:00 and 22:00

Location: Reading

An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role.

Candidates are required to have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle for the purposes of undertaking the requirements of this role.

Nacro is a national Social Justice Charity with more than 50 years’ experience of changing lives, building stronger communities, and working with stakeholders towards reducing crime.

Nacro deliver the Community Accommodation Support service (CAS) which is a national service across England and Wales. The service allows Courts to make greater use of bail by providing accommodation in the community with support for adult defendants who could not otherwise be bailed. CAS also provides support for adults released from Custody in the last three months of their sentence on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and other Licence Orders.

The Team provides flexible and holistic support to Residents who have a wide range of support needs. We aim to support our Residents to find and keep a stable home at the end of their CAS-2 placement. You will manage a caseload of Residents and properties in your allocated area.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Support clients to comply with the requirements of their HDC/Bail conditions.
• Producing a realistic and achievable Support Plan to include accessing and using housing and accommodation services to support move on to longer term accommodation.
• Ensure that all Support Plans and Risk Assessments are unique, inclusive and person-centred.
• Provide weekly support to Residents to engage with their support plan and contribute to the achievement of their objectives and aspirations.
• Support Residents to access Housing Benefit in the first instance to ensure that their tenancy is not put at risk with escalating rent arrears.
• Manage properties within your area of responsibility to ensure they are being maintained to Decent Homes Standard by reporting repairs, and replacing furniture and equipment are required.
• Undertake basic cleaning tasks as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver effective, person-centred Support and Safety Plans
• Provide weekly support sessions (up to 2 hours per week) working with our Residents to achieve the goals identified on individual Support and Move On Plans.
• Maintain up to date individual Resident records.
• Support Housing Benefit applications for each Resident.
• Complete referrals to specialist support agencies in the community as required.
• Liaise with Partner Agencies such as The Probation and Prison Services, Courts, and Police where necessary.
• Ensure that properties are always adequately equipped, maintained, furnished, and clean.
• Empower and motivate Residents to identify and achieve desired outcomes.
• Develop Move-on plans with Residents at the earliest opportunity, identifying realistic options for their future home.

What We Expect From You

• Ability to develop person centred support and move on plans.
• Understanding of safeguarding.
• Ability to work with vulnerable adults with complex needs (such as substance misuse, physical health, mental health, seeking employment and housing support).
• Flexibility to travel within your allocated area for training and team meetings and be flexible to cover other local patches as required.
• Familiarity with computer-based packages.

What you can expect from us

• A dynamic and supportive team who delivers results for the people we support every day.
• The opportunity to work flexibly within the community as this role allows you to plan your own workload of support sessions and property visits.
• A commitment to helping you learn and develop your career.
• Excellent benefits including a great annual leave entitlement, an occupational sick pay scheme which exceeds statutory requirements, cycle-to-work scheme and many more.

This role requires regular travel across an allocated area and therefore, a Full Driving License and access to your own vehicle are essential. You will be able to claim mileage expenses from base location (to be ascertained) at 45p for every mile travelled.

An Enhanced DBS and Prison Clearance is required for this role. These will be completed as part of the Pre-Employment Screening process.

We are ready and waiting to receive your online application.