Recruiting Support Workers to join our Mental Health service in Slough!

Hope House provides support for 16 customers overall. We have two sites Hope House (10 bed supported housing) and Doddsfield Road (6 flats independent living with floating support). Hope House provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with sleep ins. Doddsfield Road provides floating support during working hours.

We are currently recruiting the following roles:

Support Worker - £19,500 per annum, permanent position, 40 hours per week

Support Worker - £19,500 per annum, 5 month FTC, 40 hours per week

Please clearly state in your supporting statement which role/roles you are interested in.

We offer 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more.

Job Overview:

Staff work closely with Slough Community Mental Health Team (SCMHT) we also have a designated Occupational Therapist working along side supporting staff. Customers also attend Hope College which is facilitated via Slough Mental Health Team as part of their recovery process needed in preparation into independent living.
This is a great opportunity for any support worker to gain exceptional experience within the mental health field, based on the solid working relationship with (SCMHT) We have since implemented training directly from SCMHT to support staff with understanding Mental Health diagnosis and Managing Crisis with our customers in-house.

Key Responsibilities:

- Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the Team Leader/Manager

- Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions

- Create support/action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available

- Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation

- Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local community

- Empower customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to

- Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards

- Encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team

- Ensure that referrals are chased proactively so that properties which can be used to house those in need are filled as efficiently as possible

- Adhere to Look Ahead's Policies and Procedures

- Engage in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills

- Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned

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.

For more information or to apply please visit our website.

Recruiting for two Specialist Support Workers to join our Mental Health service in Islington!

GBP 12,000 per annum plus 25 days Annual Leave (pro-rata), Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more working 20 hours per week.

Islington Crisis House offer 24/7 crisis accommodation to customers with mental health needs who require a high level of support, it is a 'high support fast stream' mental health service consisting of 12 units, with move-on expected within two weeks. We are part of the projects pathway in the borough and receive our referrals from the Crisis Teams and mental health wards in the borough. However we can also take self referrals or referrals from other sources such as local substance services and GP's. We also take referrals from neighbouring boroughs such as North Camden. This is a really great opportunity for anyone with clinical interest as the service is delivered in partnership with Camden and Islington MH Trust.

Job Overview:

Specialist Support Workers within Look Ahead are required to have either an extra dimension of experience or a higher qualification level as determined relevant for the particular post. Specialist Support Workers provide information, social inclusion and vocational opportunities to support people to recover and stay well; exercise choice and control in their care and lives; and participate on an equal footing in the community. Support is also provided to develop a model of re-enablement towards self-advocacy, self-management and empowerment, incorporating the principles and practice of recovery, co-production and peer support.

This role will focus on Family and Carer Liaison as a specialism, integrating Islington Crisis House with third sector agencies, and providing information to staff and customers on the local opportunities. The role will therefore involve a high level of external agency liaison, and will require the successful applicant to be proactive and personable.

Key Accountabilities:

- Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers and creating a positive atmosphere
- Carrying out holistic assessments of new customers which incorporate relevant statutory referral information
- Supporting move in and move out of customers, including readying rooms post-discharge and completing inductions of new customers
- Holding a caseload where relevant (usually for customers with complex family dynamics and needs, or with complex care requirements - note the role will not involve personal care).
- Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
- Create support plans for providing appropriate services based on on-going assessment and reflecting the services and resources available to enable customer to progress in their recovery
- Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking
- Provide support and access to relevant services to enable customers to continue their recovery and empower customers to self-manage their medication regimes through individual re-enablement programmes and informed decision making, which may include undertaking medication witnessing and administrative tasks
- Developing productive relationships with partner organisations to improve service outcomes
- Demonstrate strong commitment to the functioning of the staff team and to support colleagues in providing a high level of service and safety to customers
- Involving customers in the design, development and delivery of the service
- Adhering to lone working protocols and maintaining high levels of awareness in relation to the health and safety of yourself and colleagues
- Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies and local protocols are adhered to at all times e.g. fire risk assessments, fire alarm checks etc.
- Being responsible for the handover of key information between shifts
- Provide structured support and guidance to other front line staff regarding opportunities with care and family support services such as Carer's Hub, advocacy services etc.
- Adhering to all other Look Ahead's policies and procedures. Engaging in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
- Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Team Leader/ Manager

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
Essential:
- NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent with some or equivalent sector work experience

Desirable:
- Experience working with family services, advocacy services or other equivalent

For the full job description, please visit the Look Ahead website.

Recruiting for a part time Income and Rents Officer (12 month FTC) to join our Young Peoples service in Hounslow!

GBP 13,000 per annum, 20 hours per week (12 month FTC) plus 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more

Hounslow Young People Services is looking for a dedicated and target driven Income and Rents Officer who can maximise the service's rental income collection, effectively manage rent arrears and deal with other breaches of the occupancy agreement.
Managing a patch of 75 units across our 6 sites, the post holder will ensure that challenging rent collection targets are met but also that everything is done to avoid eviction. Personal qualities are as important in this role as work experience.
Working alongside Central Housing Officer and a large support team, the post holder will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of proactive and preventive income collection management to enable all of our customers to sustain their tenancies and develop finical management skills to prepare for independent living in the community. The post holder will be expected to meet tight rent collection KPI's and work in partnership with agencies such as Children Services, Social Services and LBH Housing teams to prevent evictions.
In order to effectively deliver the key accountabilities of the role, the post holder will need to work closely with Support Workers to empower customers to meet their rental responsibilities.
Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills are a pre-requisite to the role. The post holder will be extremely flexible and have the ability to effectively manage multiple rent accounts at one time.

We are flexible as to what hours are worked between Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.

Key Responsibilities:

- Take responsibility for maximising rent collection across Hounslow Post holderng People services ensuring that rent collection targets are met and tenancies sustained
- Advise operational support team and work with the team to address arrears related activities, including holding surgeries with customers and staff, taking direct control of higher level and more complex arrears cases
- Work in partnership with Support staff and social service to ensure customers understand their rental responsibilities and agree with them how they will pay their rent
- Ensure that all sign ups within the services are done accurately on the correct type of tenancy and at the correct rent and service charge levels
- Lead on all Housing Benefit claims, support customers to apply for HB, support customers to apply for backdated HB if needed and make nil income HB claims if the customer does not have all their information
- Monitor rent accounts weekly for all customers checking for payments, Housing Benefit payments and actions needed.
- Regularly check local authority Housing Benefit portal to ensure payments are in place
- Ensure that there are effective and on going liaison processes in place with key agencies such as the housing benefit service , Department of Work and Pensions, the Job Centre and local debt advice agencies
- Lead on group and one to one workshops for customers to address any support needs relating to financial management, budgeting or maintaining a tenancy
- Develop and promote financial inclusion initiatives in the service such as advertising credit unions and local debt management advice services
- Follow up on all actions set out by the Housing Officer, liaise with support staff and management to ensure income collection is maximised and customers do not incur arrears
- Ensure that the rent collection function is carried out both sensitively and in a timely fashion so as to avoid the build up of excessive arrears and record all case details accurately.
- Develop preventive arrears action plan for each customer and meet with Support staff to review problematic cases and action plans
- Proactively monitor all current and former accounts and make recommendations to the Housing Officer for appropriate former accounts to be written off or referred to Look Ahead's debt collection agency
- Liaise with Housing offer to prepare files and documents for legal action
- Accurately and comprehensively record all actions on the housing management system and use reports from the housing management system to manage cases and monitor performance
- Ensure that confidentiality and data protection is maintained throughout the service including all information held in whatever form
- Assist in the training of new support staff in the tenancy aspects of support for customers
- Any other relevant tasks as required by the Service Manager.

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.

Recruiting Full/Part Time Enhanced Support Workers to join our Mental Health Service in Westminster!

Look Ahead's Shirland West Mental Health service is commissioned by Westminster City Council. The service comprises 3 complex needs sites which have staff cover 24/7, as well as 7 step down sites. Support staff will benefit from working in a dynamic service across multiple sites, and will support a range of customers with varying support levels.

We are currently recruiting the following roles:

Full Time Enhanced Support Worker - £22,500 per annum, permanent position, 40 hours per week

Part Time Enhanced Support Worker - £13,500 - £18,000 per annum, permanent position, between 24-32 hours per week (contractual hours can be discussed at interview)

Please clearly state in your supporting statement which role/roles you are interested in.

These roles require working a shift pattern on a rota basis, including weekends. Due to the current pandemic the shift patterns may change.

We offer 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more.

Job Overview:

To enable vulnerable people living in a variety of different tenures to manage their tenancies/licences and move towards greater independence within the community by providing a flexible and individually tailored support package.

Key Responsibilities:

- Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the Team Leader/Manager
- Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions
- Create support/action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available
- Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
- Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local community
- Develop knowledge around the local mental health system to ensure customers receive the best treatment available
- Lead on an area of specialism (e.g. ETE, health and wellbeing) and build partnerships and develop internal and external opportunities for service-users in this area
- Empower customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
- Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards
- Encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team
- Ensure that referrals are chased proactively so that properties which can be used to house those in need are filled as efficiently as possible
- Adhere to Look Ahead's Policies and Procedures
- Engage in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
- Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned

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.

For more information or to apply please visit our website.