Female Night Worker - Supported housing for women with complex needs (Bank)

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: Each night shift is 6pm to 8am. 7 hours waking (including 1 hour unpaid break), 7 hours sleeping.

Pay: £14.52 per hour. £116.15 per shift (including £29.04 flat rate sleeping allowance). Waking hours during the night paid additionally at £14.52.

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

Responsible for: Supervising security staff and volunteers whilst on shift.

Overall purpose:

Has overall responsibility for the house and residents during the night shift. Supervises security guard who is doing a waking night shift. Supervises evening meal, offers support during the evening and runs evening activities. Should be able to sleep once residents are asleep but will be awoken by the security guard in the case of incident, accident or emergency. Decides whether to phone on call staff or emergency services in case of incidents.

6pm to 11pm: Supervises evening meal, runs evening activities and oversees bedtime.

11pm to 12am: 1 hour unpaid break.

12am to 7am: Sleeping night. Will be awoken in case of incident or emergency. Paid for waking (working) hours.

7am to 8am: Ensures residents get up on time.

Housing Management Tasks (50%)

Management and administration

Responsible for the house and residents during the night.
Supervises security staff doing waking night.
Provides support, advice and training to evening volunteers.
Oversees visiting staff from partner agencies whilst conducting evening group sessions.
Assumes overall responsibility when no manager is present.
Contacts on call manager, House Manager or Lighthouse Manager in case of emergency.
Ensures emergency services are contacted if necessary.
Ensures that House Manager and Assistant Manager are informed of any significant incidents or concerns that arise while they are on shift.
Completes all appropriate paperwork and follows relevant handover procedures.

Void Control

May be required to conduct evening property viewings.

Responsive, Major and Cyclical Repairs

Ensures repairs and estate maintenance issues are identified and reported to manager.

Estate Management

Ensures that the property (including the 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.
Ensures the property is maintained in a secure condition, conducting regular checks on the property and undertaking and securing outside doors.

Occupancy Management

Ensures residents comply with the terms of their occupancy.
Ensures all breaches of the occupancy are reported to the House Manager.
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%)

Life Skills

Runs evening activities.
Provides general support and pastoral care.
Advises or assists residents in dealing with relationships and disputes with other residents or neighbours.
Helps residents to establish and maintain a good routine by going to bed on time and getting up in time to engage fully with the house timetable.

Managing a Licence

Oversees the security of the property in the evenings.
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.
Provides other support that enables residents to live independently and to fulfil their potential in the community.

Social and Family Networks

Controls access to the property.
Encourages social interaction and undertakes welfare checks on residents.

Wellbeing: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Health

Monitors residents’ physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

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 estate management, property maintenance and security. – Experience of 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 or mental health. – 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. – Experience of working nights.
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 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 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.

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.