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Emmaus Overview
Emmaus is a community that provides accommodation and work for vulnerable people. We are committed to providing support while promoting independence. Staff and volunteers must work closely with Companions while observing appropriate professional boundaries in performing their role. They must also learn and engage with the Emmaus ethos.
The key task for this role is to manage a caseload of up to 16 Companions and to ensure that new companions get the information and support they need to help them settle in quickly and easily to the community and to working in our charity shops, warehouse and delivery / collection service. The support worker role is central to the team and close teamwork is essential.
The support worker will undertake direct support work with companions. Each companion has a personal support and development plan to help them achieve their personal goals and ambitions, in compliance with our Emmaus ethos, strategic aims, organisational objectives, policies and procedures.
Staff are expected to participate in and support solidarity activities undertaken by the Community. Solidarity within the context of Emmaus is the working with groups and individuals towards the alleviation of poverty, social exclusion and suffering, and responding to local, national and international appeals for relief and support.
We expect you to carry out your job responsibilities in an environmentally aware manner. Our aim is to ensure all resources are utilised effectively and efficiently. You will be expected to apply sound ‘value for money’ principles in undertaking purchasing or supply of goods and services.
In Emmaus, volunteers are an important resource and make a vital contribution to Emmaus’s aim to take action to help disadvantaged people. You will be expected to encourage and support volunteer involvement in our work.
Main duties and responsibilities
Support for Companions
- Support a caseload of companions to reach their potential through both practical and emotional support.
- Tailor support plans to meet individual needs – setting goals, assigning actions and taking a holistic view of the person and their wishes.
- Guide induction and exit processes for companions – to ensure that they understand the core principles of the offer at Emmaus and move on to long term, sustainable accommodation after us.Use de-escalation techniques to manage challenging behaviour as it arises, with consideration to positive conflict resolution.Support with incident response, including responding to risk, e.g. anti-social behaviour, mental health concerns, fire alarms etc.
- Liaise with external providers (CMHT, GP, DWP, hospitals, probation, prisons, CAB etc) to ensure that specialist advice and guidance is sought where needed.
Administrative duties
- Maintain accurate records in line with internal policy and with consideration for GDPR principles.
- Perform tasks to support the effective running of the community.
- Contact external providers to make them aware of who we are and what we do to drive referrals.
- Provide written updates for key stakeholders and internal meetings.
- Provide structured support for companions as agreed in the support plan.
- Participate in an emergency on-call rota to ensure 24/7 support is available for companions where needed.
Health and Safety
- To apply the organisations health and safety policy.
- To carry out risk assessments as and when required and to ensure actions arising from this are carried out.
- To ensure that health and safety procedures are understood and followed by all companions.
- To report any incidents or concerns to the Community Support Manager.
At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.
YMCA What is Sexual Exploitation (WiSE) is our child sexual exploitation project which works with children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. Our primary focus of work is supporting young people affected by exploitation through raising awareness, education and empowerment.
We have an exciting opportunity to join the WiSE team as a Male Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Practitioner. This role involves providing specialist support, working across Sussex and Surrey to provide case work support and group interventions to boys and young men at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation, as well as those exhibiting harmful sexual behaviour. You will deliver outreach sessions in various settings, collaborate with professionals to support interventions leading to prosecutions, and provide training on boys/young men and sexual exploitation.
Due to the sensitive nature of the client group and in order to ensure that the young people feel safe, supported and understood, there is a genuine occupational requirement for the post holder to be male, as permitted under the Equality Act 2010.
A full driving licence and access to a car are essential due to the wide geographic area covered by the service. You will be required to visit head office in Hove once a week for an anchor day. The other days will be across Sussex and Surrey in the community
In delivering the role, the key responsibilities are:
- Carry a caseload of boys and young men identified as exhibiting harmful sexual behaviours and/or being sexually exploited
- Work collaboratively with other professionals to provide intensive and holistic support
- Maintain detailed case notes and contribute to reports
- Facilitate group work interventions in schools, accommodation projects and youth groups
- Deliver detached sessions in various settings to engage at-risk boys and young men
- Provide expertise and increase awareness of harmful sexual behaviour and sexual exploitation
- Contribute to WiSE Child Exploitation training and awareness campaigns
About You – If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we are looking for.
Experience and Knowledge:
- Proven experience in safeguarding young children
- Experience providing casework support to boys and young men
- Group work experience with young people
- Safeguarding children and young people at risk of serious harm
- Delivering and risk assessing outreach work with young people
- Knowledge of risks posed to vulnerable young people through sexual exploitation and harmful sexual behaviour
- Significant knowledge and understanding of boys and young men and their lives
Qualifications:
- Qualification in Youth Work/Social Work or equivalent, or comparable experience working with vulnerable young people.
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 4 January at midnight. We reserve the right to close this advert early if a successful candidate is found, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Successful candidates will already have the right to live and work in the UK without restrictions. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role
An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider.
Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.

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