Female Housing Support Worker (Bank) - Hull Lighthouse Project

Job Description

The Ark is a house providing intensive 24/7 support for women with complex needs, 365 days a year. We require bank workers to provide cover for annual leave, staff sickness etc.

Hours:

Early (7am to 3pm)

Late (2.30pm to 10.30pm)

Night (6pm to 8am) – see separate post as hours and rate of pay are different.

All shifts are 8 hours including 30min unpaid break.

Pay: £13.02 per hour.

Reporting to: House Manager and/or Assistant House Manager.

Responsible for: Supervising and training volunteers whilst on shift.

Overall purpose:

To assist the House Manager and Assistant House Manager by conducting resident support and housing management tasks. To provide residents with excellent care and support, helping them to meet the goals on their support plan and comply with the terms of their occupancy. This will include conducting group life skills sessions, 1:1 support based on needs assessments and support plans; 1:1 sessions related to their occupancy of the property and maximisation of their income. May be required to accompany residents to appointments and support them where necessary.

Housing Management Tasks (50% of role)

Management and administration

Oversees, supports and trains volunteers.
Oversees visiting staff from partner agencies (e.g. Renew, Hull DAP).
May be asked to assume responsibility for house and residents if no manager is present.

Void Control

May be required to conduct property viewings when on shift.
May be required to ensure that occupancy terminations are successfully carried out including completion of paperwork and removal of belongings.
Helps to inspect empty rooms and specify repair works needing to be carried out.
Helps to oversee repairs of empty rooms and supervise contractors whilst on site.

Rent Collection

Collects service charges from residents and records them accurately.
Monitors residents’ payment of rent and service charges.
Ensures that Housing Benefit claim forms have been correctly completed to ensure prompt payment of rent by residents.

Accounting and Arrears Recovery

Works with residents to ensure that rent and service charge arrears are collected.
Liaises with the Housing Benefit department regarding changes of circumstances to ensure that rent arrears do not accrue on the resident’s part.
Provides general advice to residents regarding benefit entitlement to minimise the risk of rent arrears.

Responsive, Major and Cyclical Repairs

Inspects the property and reports the need for day-to-day repairs and estate maintenance.
Ensures repairs and estate maintenance issues are identified and reported to manager.
Helps to monitor progress on repairs and supervise work to be done.
Helps to ensure that agreed repairs and maintenance are carried out to a high standard.

Estate Management

Ensures that the property (including grounds) is kept in a clean and tidy condition (inside and out).
Monitors the provision of housing services such as heating, provision of furniture, etc.
Helps to maintain common areas, including litter picking, removing graffiti and refuse disposal.
Patrols the property and grounds, reporting repairs and discouraging crime and anti-social behaviour.
Reviews risk assessments and hazard reporting relating to the property and its grounds in line with health and safety policy and procedures.
Ensures the property is maintained in a secure condition, conducting regular checks on the property and securing outside doors.

Occupancy Management

Ensures residents understand their occupancy agreement, their rights and obligations.
Ensures residents comply with the terms of their occupancy.
Ensures all breaches of the occupancy agreement are reported to the House Manager.
Assists in the administration and maintenance of occupancy agreements providing information and advice on occupancy issues as they arise.
Assists in the actioning of any failures regarding occupancy compliance in cases where an eviction/termination notice is proposed against a resident.
Provides reports on occupancy compliance to the House Manager in cases where an eviction/termination notice is proposed against a resident.

Resident Support Tasks (50% of role)

Life Skills

Provides general support and pastoral care.
Provides life skills training to residents in maintaining the property and grounds in an appropriate condition.
Assists residents with shopping and errands.
Advises and supervises residents on the use of domestic equipment and appliances.
Advises or assists residents in dealing with relationships and disputes with other residents or neighbours.

Managing a Licence

Assists with the security of the property.
Assists with maintaining the safety of the property.
Advises and supervises residents on the use of their own domestic equipment and appliances.
Assists in the maintenance of emergency alarm and call systems.
Responds to emergency alarm calls.
Advises or assists residents in dealing with benefit claims and other official correspondence.
Provides other support that enables residents to live independently and to fulfil their potential in the community.

Managing Money

Advises or assists residents with personal budgeting and debt counselling.

Managing Activity

Assists residents to engage with individuals and professionals.

Wellbeing: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Health

Supervises the cleaning of residents’ bedrooms and other household chores assigned to residents.
Monitors residents’ physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.
Ensures that residents are able to regularly attend their place of worship, with support if necessary.

Social and Family Networks

Controls access to the property.
Supports residents to arrange time with visitors at appropriate nearby locations and accompanies them if necessary.
Encourages social interaction and undertakes welfare checks on residents. Reports concerns to managers.
Helps residents to plan and arrange social events and activities.

Resettlement

Advises or assists with the resettlement of residents enabling move on into sustainable independent living.

Person Specification

Essential Requirements	Desirable Requirements
Experience – Experience of working or volunteering in a caring or community/social care setting. – A passion to work with vulnerable women. – Experience of providing support or pastoral care.	– Previous experience of working in supported housing. – Experience of housing management tasks such as monitoring rents and service charges, void management, estate management, property maintenance and security, encouraging resident participation in decision making. – Experience of conducting needs assessments and risk assessments, working with support plans and/or helping people to set and meet their own goals. – Experience of supporting people with life skills, managing a licence or managing money. – Previous experience of working in social care. – Health and Social Care qualification. – Previous experience of working with the marginalised and excluded, and/or in drugs treatment, criminal justice, domestic violence intervention, homelessness, health promotion, mental health or assertive outreach. – Delivery of group activities/programmes. – Experience of offering 1:1 support, coaching, mentoring or casework. – Experience of working in a brand new project or team.
Knowledge and Understanding – An understanding and commitment to teamwork within a community setting. – Respect and understanding of the issues facing socially excluded people, esp. women. – An understanding of and ability to deal with complex issues. – A willingness to complete relevant training such as safeguarding, first aid, drugs awareness, etc.	– An understanding of issues such as domestic violence, the legal system, drugs treatment, sex work, safeguarding. – Understanding of mental health issues. – An understanding of people with complex needs and/or multiple disadvantages. – An understanding of homelessness and the barriers to recovery when not having a place to stay.
Personality – Mature, reliable, tolerant, and determined. – Emotionally resilient. – Empathic communicator, able to see things from the other person’s point of view. – Good listening and interpersonal skills. – Common sense and problem-solving skills, able to deal with conflict and distress. – Able to provide a sympathetic, emotional and practical service support. – Persistent and persevering. – Have reached a stage in own journey where lived experience can be used without detriment to self or others.
Qualities and Values – Able to engage women previously involved in street-based sex work. – Able to work confidently without direct, constant supervision. – Able to use own story appropriately to offer support and advice to others. – Able to take on responsibility but knows when to ask for help. – Caring and non-judgemental attitude to enable individuals to exercise choice and control over their lives. – A willingness to work to the Christian ethos of the organisation and to respect our core beliefs and values. – Keen for new experience, responsibility and accountability. – Able to get on with others and a team player, playing a key role in promoting a positive environment. – Has integrity, builds trust and demonstrates respect for others. – Creative and flexible in approach. – Punctual. – Arrives on time for own shifts and can keep to a timetable of events. – Willingness to adapt to changing needs of Hull Lighthouse.
Abilities and Skills – Excellent communication and advocacy skills. – Ability to deliver support and maintain case files and databases as required to a high standard. – Able to work in line with policies and procedures. – Ability to manage and prioritise own workload and manage time. – Good organisational and administration skills. – Good IT skills. – Ability to build effective relationships and adapt approach as required. – Flexibility to change plans according to need and fast-changing situations. – Willing to try new things, evaluate them and make changes as necessary.	– Willingness and enthusiasm to innovate and drive service improvements if required. – Full driving licence and own vehicle. – Willingness to transport women to appointments in own vehicle. (Mileage paid)

If you are interested in this position:

Please send a CV to Gemma Bramley, House Manager gemma.bramley@hulllighthouse.co.uk.

For further information and an informal discussion, please call on 01482 442953.

Closing Date

n/a This opportunity remains open.

Please note:

We are particularly interested in finding bank workers who will be available regularly so that they will be able to build relationships with the women.
We are particularly interested in people who are able to offer life skills, wellbeing or relaxation activities whilst on shift.
This is a casual position and we will contact successful applicants as and when we need additional staff. We cannot guarantee any hours.
This is not a care home and we require applicants to have experience of working with vulnerable women with complex needs, not just experience of working with the elderly or disabled in a care setting.
No personal care is involved.
We are unable to offer visa sponsorship.
Future permanent positions with Hull Lighthouse are likely to be first circulated internally to existing staff, volunteers and bank workers since they will have the most relevant experience of working with our clients, and will know our organisation and how we work.