Social Welfare Jobs

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Bank Support Worker to join our homelessness service in Kent.

£13.15 per hour, working on a zero hour contract.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? 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.

Bank Support Workers have the ability to accept any shifts available on an ad-hoc basis across from all of Look Ahead's specialisms including Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Homelessness and Young People. Bank Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet the assessed needs of the customers of the service. 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. Within Learning Disability services, this will include providing physical, domestic, emotional and social care. Within Mental Health and Homelessness services they will 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. While carrying out activities, Bank Support Workers should deal with all customers, visitors and staff in a professional and appropriate manner and report to Look Ahead staff and management any observations relating to customers' welfare.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you'll do:

Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
Conducting key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'
Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
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
Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards
Report any observations relating to customers welfare
Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local area to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
Enable customers to make full use of community facilities by providing support as directed

For our full job description please see our website.

The above sets out the key responsibilities and typical tasks, however not all of these tasks will be relevant to all specialisms. You may also be required to undertake various other tasks and duties to ensure that our customers' needs are fully and effectively met. The list is not exhaustive.

About you:

Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
Approachable and open behaviour
Prefers working as part of a group or team
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
Flexible
Open to feedback and self development
Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
Is essentially customer-focused
Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours

What you'll bring:

Applicants may have some previous relevant work experience. This may be experience gained from care of a vulnerable person or work in similar organisations. Prior experience is not a pre-requisite for the role as key behaviours and core competencies will also be taken into account.

About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over 110 services, providing support to around 7000 customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

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.