Hostel support worker jobs

About us

For homeless people, or those at risk of homelessness, finding employment and housing opportunities can feel like an uphill battle, even more so if they’re affected by physical, mental health or substance misuse issues. Providence Row works with those affected by homelessness and those vulnerably housed in London, offering an integrated service of crisis support, advice and progression programmes. We ensure that people often excluded from mainstream services gain the support and opportunities they need to create a safe, healthy and sustainable life away from the streets.

Through our Reset Outreach & Referral Service (RORS), we support people in Tower Hamlets affected by drugs and alcohol. Our team takes a harm-reduction approach: meeting people where they are, reducing stigma, and helping them access treatment, health services, and wider community support.

This role is an opportunity to make a real difference—whether you bring experience from substance use services or transferable skills and a passion for supporting people.

The ideal candidate

To be considered for this role, you should be able to:

• Provide outreach and in-reach support to people affected by substance use across Tower Hamlets, including those who may have a history of rough sleeping, be vulnerably housed, or otherwise disconnected from mainstream services.

• Carry out person-centred assessments and work collaboratively with service users to develop support and recovery plans.

• Make timely and appropriate referrals to specialist services (e.g. treatment, health, housing, and social care) to ensure holistic support.

• Develop strong working relationships with partner agencies to coordinate joint support and reduce barriers to engagement.

• Promote harm reduction and recovery-focused approaches, ensuring that people are empowered in their choices.

• Maintain accurate records and contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the Reset service.

Research shows some people, especially women and marginalised groups, may hesitate to apply unless they match all the criteria. However, we want to assure everyone that we encourage applications from all individuals, regardless of whether they fulfil every point in the job description. Your unique perspective matters to us – please apply with confidence.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Employee assistance programme
• Access to shopping discounts
• Learning & development opportunities
• Monthly reflective practice 

To apply:  Please upload your CV with a covering letter detailing how you meet the job specification by 27 December 2025 at 23:30.

Interviews
Please note that we may interview on a rolling basis and therefore encourage early applications.

Providence Row is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales; company number 07452798 registered charity number 1140192.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Social Care Homelessness and Complex Needs service in Kensington and Chelsea.

£28,808.00.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? 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.

Our benefits include:

Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

For a full job description, please visit our website.

The Heaney Hub Cluster is an intensive supported housing scheme for the most challenging customers in the Kensington & Chelsea. The majority of the customers come with a history of entrenched rough sleeping; often coupled with enduring mental health difficulties. The aim is to offer a home to those who would have difficulty finding accommodation because of their lifestyle choices involving extreme drug and alcohol misuse. The high-support hostel caters for eleven service users with complex needs and is staffed 24-hours a day with the minimum of three staff on duty. The medium support services are staffed from 9am to 9pm where the customers present with varying degrees of mental health issues. The Assessment Centre is staffed 24/7.
The hostels are in close proximity to each other, and staff will be expected to work across the units. Three of the hostels supports both male and female customers and one is males only.

Heaney Hub implements and promotes the Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) model. This is an approach to supporting people out of homelessness, particularly those who have experienced complex trauma or are diagnosed with a personality disorder. It also considers the psychological needs of staff: developing skills and knowledge, increasing motivation, job satisfaction and resilience.

Support Workers will devise person centred support plans with customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet their needs and goals. This will include sign-posting them to the local drug and alcohol services to address substance misuse issues. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team to promote independent living, encouraging customers to maximise their skills and choices.

The team comprises of Therapist, Move on coordinator, Housing Officer, 16 support workers, 2 Team Leaders, One Project Manager.

The role requires one to work on a shift pattern:7.45am to 3.45pm and 2.00pm to 10pm.

What you'll bring:

Essential:

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience within charity/social care sector

Desirable:

Relevant experience in supporting those experiencing homelessness and people with complex needs

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

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.

Our client is one of the largest women's hostels in the UK for vulnerable women affected by homelessness. They offer support to women with a range of complex needs, including substance misuse, mental health issues and domestic violence, and provide these support services in a warm, welcoming and secure environment. They are now recruiting for 2 Support Workers to provide person centred support to women with a variety of complex needs.  

As a Support Worker you will work with a range of women with complex support needs and backgrounds and will empower and support them to reach their goals, giving them the necessary tools to achieve these. You work to identify risk and conduct regular reviews of support plans and risk assessments to ensure that the needs of those women on your caseload are met with a proactive and motivating approach. You will also work with other agencies, linking women in with various services that will support them in a holistic way.

To apply for this role, you will have proven experience of supporting hard to reach service users in a similar setting.  You will have experience of providing personalised, tailored, trauma-informed support to a variety of people with complex needs and will be warm and approachable in your manner. You will have experience of managing your own caseload and will understand the importance of recording and sharing key information. You will be patient, empathetic and eager to learn, passionate about supporting and empowering vulnerable women.

Please note, the client is looking to recruit for this role as soon as possible, so please only apply if you are available immediately or have no more than a 1 month notice period. Please note this role will be Monday-Friday 40 hours a week on a five-week rota - normal working pattern will be working across early (8am-4.30pm) and late (1pm-9.30om) shifts, and 2 out of 5 weekends.

Because of the purpose of our client's work, only women are eligible to apply for this role, under Section 7(2) (b) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Whatever your experience of street homelessness and its impact on people’s lives – personal or professional – when you join the Thames Reach team as a Support Worker we will make the best use of all your understanding, compassion and commitment.

About us…

Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in and around London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.

Is our mission easy? No, but we never give up on people. Last year we helped more than 15,000 people. 

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.

About this role…

The Thames Reach Outreach teams operate across London and help those who are rough sleeping to find routes away from the street. The teams respond rapidly and work flexibly to reach people. Individuals are assessed to identify their support needs and support plans are created, including work to obtain identification, access health services and refer to other specialist agencies, including those offering immigration support.

We will not accept applications where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used to assist with completing the competency questions.

You will:

• Contribute to the continual improvement of service effectiveness, ensuring that service users or internal customers receive a high-quality outcome-focused service
• Provide key-work, support any crisis intervention work, complete case recording, face to face work, group work, advice giving, advocacy and other interpersonal work
• Maintain good working relationships with colleagues in other Thames Reach teams as appropriate
• Contribute to the provision of timely and accurate information, reports, and analysis
• Deliver support to a caseload of clients with complex and multiple support needs
• Contribute to the meeting of the targets in the areas of Education, Training and Employment / move on of the service users, maximising service user involvement /and other Key Performance Indicators

You will have:

• Strong record and good understanding of the issues involved in delivering effective support services to a range of vulnerable people
• Experience in establishing good working relationships with service users, colleagues, etc.
• Experience in working independently using own initiative whilst remaining accountable to line management and communicating effectively as part of a team
• An understanding of a range of approaches to case working including key working with service users and the implementation of different agendas, such as personalisation
• An understanding of homelessness and the impact on the lives of individuals and a depth of understanding of the needs and aspirations of homeless people which is based either on your own personal experience of being homeless or professional work or voluntary experience

We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2023 in the UK. As part of a commitment to our employees we offer: 

• Generous holiday allowance – 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).
• Pension – we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%. 
• Excellent development opportunities – career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach. 
• Wellbeing support – our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL. 
• Life assurance – four times your annual salary and critical illness cover.
• Other benefits including a blue light discount card, interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.

To apply visit our website and complete our application form.

Closing date: 30/11/2025

For further information please contact, Folasade Babade, Lead Manager via our website.

Thames Reach is committed to safeguarding. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre-employment screening appropriate to the post, including, but not limited to checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not exclude you from applying but you will be asked to provide further details as most posts are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The Hepatitis C Trust runs national projects where peers draw on their lived experience of drug use and hepatitis C to support others. We are now recruiting for a role to join our Bristol & Severn team for a fixed term of 12 months. 

As part of an experienced team, this role will promote hepatitis C awareness, blood borne virus testing and referral to treatment, for people living with hepatitis C. The role will support volunteer peers and increase the project’s reach to underserved communities. You’ll be providing vital harm reduction interventions including needle, syringe and naloxone provision across Bristol & Severn.

We value creativity, innovation, and compassion. We encourage applications from people with lived experience. Full support, coaching and training will be given. 

Location: Across London

Whatever your experience of street homelessness and its impact on people’s lives – personal or professional – when you join the Thames Reach team as a Senior Practitioner, we will make the best use of all your understanding, compassion and commitment

About us…

Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in and around London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.

Is our mission easy? No, but we never give up on people. Last year we helped more than 15,000 people. 

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.

About this role… 

The Rapid Response Outreach Team responds to reports of rough sleeping every night of the year, across London and work flexibly to reach London’s most vulnerable.

We aim to quickly find realistic accommodation options for everyone we find sleeping on the streets. The team also delivers a service across the Transport for London network, responding to referrals and proactively looking for people sleeping rough across the network and supporting them to find a route away from the streets.

We will not accept applications where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used to assist with completing the competency questions.

You will:

• Work alongside the service manager and other senior practitioners to improve and manage the service effectiveness, and performance against the contract. Provide accurate reports and timely information to support the monitoring of the project’s KPIs
• Be responsible for directly managing a team of outreach workers and overseeing casework practice including conducting supervisions and appraisals. Ensure the team are focused on rapidly finding and assessing new rough sleepers and finding safe accommodation options where possible.
• Maintain good working relationships with partner organisations including local authority leads and local outreach teams. Represent the service at multi-agency meetings and work with partners to maximise the impact we are able to achieve in their boroughs.
• Continuously improve team performance through monitoring and weekly joint outreach shifts with team members, modelling good practice and coaching staff to maximise the number of people found on shift. This requires 1-2 night shifts per week.
• Reporting incidents to senior management and commissioners and ensuring staff are aware of and working to health and safety guidelines.
• Be involved in ensuring the finances of the service are well managed and that the team is compliant with all relevant policies.

You will have:

• Good understanding of the issues involved in managing support services to a range of vulnerable people.
• Experience in managing a team that works effectively with clients’ challenging and difficult behaviour, and successfully engages with clients with a range of support needs, using an outcome-based approach.
• Experience in managing change processes, ensuring the team still delivers a strategically relevant service.
• Experience of managing and sustaining relationships with colleagues, funders, other organisations and service users.
• Experience of working independently using own initiative whilst remaining accountable to line management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2023 in the UK. As part of a commitment to our employees we offer: 

• Generous holiday allowance – 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).
• Pension – we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%. 
• Excellent development opportunities – career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach. 
• Wellbeing support – our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL. 
• Life assurance – four times your annual salary and critical illness cover.
• Other benefits including a blue light discount card, interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.

To apply visit our website and complete our application form.

For further information please contact, Anneke Ziemen, Service Manager via our website.

Thames Reach is committed to safeguarding. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre-employment screening appropriate to the post, including, but not limited to checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not exclude you from applying but you will be asked to provide further details as most posts are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Closing date: 30/11/2025

Interview date: 15/12/2025