HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER WITH ARMED FORCES SUPPORT

Job Purpose

As part of Housing and Client Support Team, to contribute to embedding Arc’s core values into everything we do.

Working within the framework of Arc’s strategic objectives, deliver quality services for Arc’s Clients, to help them maintain their accommodation and achieve successful outcomes and to ‘move on’ into more permanent accommodation and the next stage of their ‘life journey’.

To deliver day-to-day housing management, client support, care and supervision and activities to ensure the delivery of responsive, effective and efficient services.

To provide direct housing management and intensive housing management support

To be the ‘key worker’ for a client support caseload and provide face to face client support included clients within the armed forces community.

To support the NHS funded Armed Forces Hub and Link Work project, working alongside NHS Somerset’s Armed Forces Project Manager and project partner Ark to achieve successful project outcomes.

To support the provision of specialised support for Arc’s veteran clients and the wider armed forces community, creating better pathways and improving wellbeing.

To support strong partnerships with the wider armed forces community (AFC), contributing to knowledge and awareness raising and increasing access to support.

Operational

1. The role of the Housing Support Worker is dual faceted:

• To help provide quality housing management and support delivering the best services we can for those living in our accommodation.
• To help all those we engage with (clients, potential clients and those who move on from our accommodation), to achieve ‘success’. Helping them to address a wide range of possible needs, enabling them to achieve positive life change, improve their health and wellbeing, feel more skilled, confident & equipped to contribute to wider society.

2. Personally demonstrate a high level of commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
3. Act as an ambassador for Arc, help develop maintain and improve partnerships and relationships with key identified agencies organisations to help deliver Arc’s services, promote our work and improve the quality of life of our clients.
4. Contribute towards the maintenance of a safe environment for clients, staff, visitors, volunteers and members of the public, by helping everyone to comply with fire regulations, Health and Safety, workplace legislation, safe guarding and all relevant Arc policies to ensure a safe and secure environment, work place and places to live.
5. Deal appropriately and efficiently with incidents, accidents, or emergencies in line with Arc policies and procedures.
6. Contribute to ways collect KPI’s and other information that help Arc to provide and improve our services, support clients and demonstrate our effectiveness, efficiency and value for money, to funders and potential funders, donors and supporters.
7. Contribute to your Housing Services Team and to Arc as whole, fostering a strong team spirit, a healthy working environment, that values shared support and development.
8. Embrace and welcome Arc volunteers in their supporting activities for example providing buddying or mentoring to clients.
9. To embrace and support a ‘learning and sharing’ culture across your team and the wider organisation including participating in training and professional development.

Key Responsibilities:

The range of responsibilities is diverse and flexible to meet the needs of our clients and to deliver the best most effective and efficient services. They may include any of

Housing management and support

1. Ensure that rent, service charges and other financial commitments are effectively managed.
2. Ensure clients abide by the conditions of their licence or tenancy agreement, and that any breaches are dealt with effectively, efficiently and in accordance with Arc Policies.
3. Induct new clients into their accommodation and to other associated support services.
4. Help prepare accommodation for new clients including recording repair and maintenance issues and reporting to Property Services team or other appropriate colleagues.
5. Provide necessary information, advice, and support to help clients sustain their tenancy.
6. Helping clients to ensure their income maximisation, and support with money management, and debt.
7. Maintain appropriate records, share relevant information using designated systems, (following Arc policies, procedures regulatory and legislative requirements) regulations.
8. Organise and facilitate house meetings and find ways to maximise participation and engagement, to ensure smooth running and best possible experience for clients.
9. Ensure that clients are encouraged to access appropriate, sustainable move-on opportunities in the voluntary, statutory, and private sectors.
10. Provide tenancy sustainment support to clients after they have moved on.

Client Support (One to One and Group Work)

1. Ensure that clients are provided with support to meet their needs and abilities in order to help them develop the required skills for independent living. This may include for example:

• Support with how to meal plan, cooking and cleaning.
• Supported access to and support to continue engagement with specialist services for substance and alcohol misuse.
• Supported access to specialist mental health and psychological services.
• Supported access to physical health and associated health and well-being services.
• Access to counselling services (in-house confidential counselling service)
• One to one key worker personal support on ‘anything and everything’ that may contribute to tenancy sustainment, self-esteem, confidence building.
• Supported access to volunteer buddying/mentoring services.
• Supported access to volunteering opportunities for clients.
• Supported access to work placement and employment support including opportunities through our in-house Crescent Cleaning Services which provide opportunities for previously homeless people to engage in cleaning employment
• Opportunities to engage in creative in/formal learning opportunities.

2. Work with clients to develop an individual Client Support Plans, risk assessment, and risk management reviewing regularly.
3. Motivate clients to adopt acceptable standards of personal hygiene/appearance and to keep their rooms/house clean and tidy.
4. Organise and promote group recreational and social activities as required.

Partnership and Community

1. To assist in the development of supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals.
2. To assist with a focus on housing and homelessness issues to act as an advocate for the vulnerable members of the Armed Forces Community by raising awareness, educating, signposting to relevant training resources, and encouraging partnership working for better outcomes.
3. Work alongside Ark and NHS Somerset and Armed Forces Leads to contribute towards successful outcomes of the project.

General

1. 5 hours per week to be worked between Monday – Friday within our core hours of 8am – 5:30pm. These hours can be worked flexibly over 5 days and can be discussed with candidates individually. Occasional requirement for early starts, evenings or weekends, for which toil or additional payment will be made.
2. Carry out such other tasks consistent with the nature of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

1. Experience of working in or with the Armed Forces Community and an understanding of their unique challenges
2. Experience of working with people who experience multiple disadvantages.
3. Understanding of the issues surrounding clients with high and complex needs, such as drug & alcohol abuse and mental health issues
4. Experience of working with people who are or have been homeless.

It is essential to have at least two of the four above attributes.

5. Empathy with people experiencing homelessness and a passion to improve the lives of others and enable them to get closer reaching their potential E
6. Ability to motivate and support clients to engage in new experiences, develop E life skills.
7. Understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion  E
8. Experience of managing conflict and aggression  E
9. Good verbal, written communication skills E
10. Good administrative and IT skills to include a working knowledge of MS Office  E
11. Ability to work both as part of a team and on own  E
12. Ability to negotiate with and influence others E
13. Ability to work calmly under pressure and respond to emergency situations  E
14. Ability to work flexibly and creatively E
15. A working knowledge of the welfare benefit system. E
16. Commitment to personal and professional development  E
17. Relevant qualification in Supported Housing, Care or Homelessness  D
18. Experience of budgetary control  D
19. Competent in organising and planning  D
20. Basic First Aid skills D
21. Driving Licence and use of a vehicle for work. (Allowance of 45p per mile is paid). E

For further information or to express interest, please get in touch with the Employment & Education team via this email address or on 023 9298 1920.