Job Title: Saffron Support Worker

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Saffron Support Worker

Responsible to: Management Committee, Southside Housing Association

Reporting to: Team Leader

Hours: 35 hours per week, initially fixed term to 31.03.17.

OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

The primary role of the Housing Support Worker is to provide an individual housing support service to tenants supported through the Association’s Saffron Project. The Saffron Project provides 22 self contained supported furnished flats for young, single homeless from a minority ethnic community. The young people are referred from a range of specialist agencies and the supported tenancies are expected to last about two years. The Supported Housing Worker’s role is person centred and aims to assist the young person with settling in, sustaining their tenancy and making informed long term housing choices.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES

1.0 Housing Support Service

1.1 The post holder is expected to provide intensive support at the referral and settling in stage when the young person is most vulnerable, services will include:

·  Work through an initials support plan while assessing the individuals housing support needs and negotiate an individual housing support plan with the tenant;

·  Familiarising the resident with the flat and neighbourhood

·  Making sure all necessary benefit and tenancy documentation is in place;

·  Regular support visits in the first few weeks to ensure social isolation and loneliness is minimised.

·  Assist new service users to settle into the service, introducing them to facilities and procedures, and ensuring they are aware of their rights and responsibilities.

2.0 Sustaining the Tenancy

2.1 The level of support will reflect the individual’s needs and the stage of their tenancy. Support arrangements will be regularly reviewed and documented. Duties will include:

·  Acting as keyworker to a number of tenants, including contributing to and agreeing and updating of support plans through careful observation, assessment and record keeping. Implementing these under the guidance of the Team Leader.

·  Intensive support particularly at the start and end of the tenancy and in periods of crisis ;

·  Help in understanding the principles of being a good neighbour and intervening constructively to assist in neighbour disputes;

·  Helping the young person make contact with local educational, cultural, religious and other social supports where appropriate.

·  The post holder must be aware of implications of all service user support needs, plans and risk assessments

3.0 Specialist Support

3.1 The Support Worker will be expected to recognise more intensive or specialist support and care needs and to try and link the young person to appropriate agencies. The Support Worker will maintain a list and network of contacts in physical and mental health agencies, counselling services etc.

3.2 The Support Worker will provide advice and information to the individual tenant on their future housing options and enable them to recognise when they are able to move on and assist them to do so.

4.0 Maintaining the Flats

4.1 The Support Worker is expected to maintain the individual flats to a high standard, including :

·  Ensuring they are in a good state of repair and décor;

·  That an inventory of furniture and household goods is maintained and updated;

·  Renewing and replacing furniture / household items as and when required;

·  Ensuring that the flat is left in good order, and is properly cleared and prepared for new residents.

5.0 Recording, Quality and Monitoring

5.1 In association with the Team Leader, the Support Worker will

·  Maintain records for all interactions, including support plans, recording sheets, incident and accident reports and property and equipment check records, as instructed and in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

·  Carry out regular reviews of individual support arrangements, contribute to case conferences, reviews and other meetings, and the compiling of appropriate reports for all such meetings.

·  Ensure that tenants are consulted on their views of the service and service development

·  Be expected to provide information to assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the service

·  To work with the team to ensure that the Saffron Project operates within the National Care Standards for Housing Support.

·  The individual worker will be expected to work within the Codes of Practice issued by the Scottish Social Services Council, and when required, register with the SSSC.

6.0 Team work and Professional Development

6.1 The post holder will:

·  Undertake any training essential to your professional development.

·  Participate in regular supervision with your line manager

·  Participation in staff meetings as determined by the Team Leader

·  Take responsibility for your own professional development and maintaining evidence of this.

OTHER DUTIES

ü  Attendance at such meetings and courses (including those outwith office hours as the Team Leader may determine)

ü  Any other duties consistent with the post as required

Position in Structure:





Reward, incentive, conditions:
EVH TAS Grade 3
35 hour working week over 5 days a week, Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm.
Flexi system in place
Salaried position with 25 days annual leave plus 15 days public holidays. Pro Rata
Defined Contribution Pension Scheme
Person Specification: separate document
Any special circumstances or planning issues:
This is a temporary position implemented whilst piloting a new staff structure. The position may continue, subject to the review of the pilot and continued funding for the post.

Job Holder: …………………………………………………………………………………….

Issue Date: …………………………………………………………………………………….