Job Description

Title:

Complex Needs & Outreach Support Worker

Hours:

32 hours per week

Salary:

21,731.84

Contract:

31st March 2026 - potential funding available to extend contract

Reports To:

Project Manager

This post is both challenging and rewarding in equal measures, created to support individuals who are either rough sleeping, temporary housed or living within our housing first accommodation. We are currently looking to recruit a highly motivated and resilient complex needs and outreach support worker whose passion is to deliver quality client support to those who have been affected by the impacts of trauma, homelessness, substance misuse, mental health, offending or domestic abuse.

The successful candidate will have previous work experience or lived experience of working with homelessness and or complex needs.

You will be part of an experienced and compassionate team who strive to end rough sleeping and the impacts of rough sleeping on individuals living across North Devon and Torridge

Purpose of the Job

The post holder will support the team to provide an integrated programme of homelessness and crisis prevention, resolution and resilience building measures tailored to individual need. You will work alongside our experienced team to provide advice, information and support aimed at empowering occupants to take control of their lives, promoting better informed decisions by increasing awareness of mental health and safer lifestyles.

This post spans 3 of our Homelessness & Housing projects which include:

Torridge Rough Sleeper Outreach

Housing First

Emergency Accommodation

The post will be based across Ilfracombe, Barnstaple and Bideford.

Main Duties

Key Relationships

North Devon & Torridge Council temporary accommodation team

Torridge Rough Sleeper team

North Devon assertive outreach team.

Together drug and alcohol team.

Internal supported housing projects across North Devon and Torridge

External Partners including: Wisrmoney, potential landlords

Your day to day role within the supported accommodation

To offer support to clients living in both the night shelter accommodation and Housing First Accommodation.

Work with clients to help them articulate their goals and aspirations offering personal, therapeutic and emotional support. The work will be informed by core Housing First principles.

1. People have a right to a home

2. Flexible support is provided as long as it is needed

3. Housing and support are separated

4. Individuals have choice and control

5. The service is based upon people's strengths, goals and aspirations

6. An active engagement approach is used

Undertake comprehensive needs assessments and safety planning with each client.

Adopt a Psychologically Informed and Trauma Informed approach to supporting and coaching clients, including use of learning from Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE), Trauma Informed Care (RIC) training and reflective practice.

Develop and maintain relationships with clients to enable person-centred support promoting choice and wellbeing. This will be done through regular contact including visits to clients homes and appropriate community settings.

Be adaptive and flexible, resilient to challenges and rejections, to support the stability and progression of clients in order to achieve personalised outcomes.

Liaise with accommodation providers (social and private landlords) and actively encourage clients to move into appropriate Housing First accommodation of their choice.

To identify barriers of accommodation and managing tenancies and to provide support including practical help with furniture, benefits advice, budgeting, neighbour relations and liaising with landlords.

To offer advice, guidance and support on ways in which substance misuse and other harmful activities can be practiced more safely. This includes anticipating and supporting the reduction of harmful challenges whist maximising opportunities.

Be empowered and persistent in advocating for the clients to access all services, including reconciliation work with agencies if required.

Develop, maintain and coordinate effective working relationships with external agencies, promoting effective communication for and about the client ensuring the Housing First project is widely known and promoted.

With client agreement, liaise with other agencies to facilitate access to support including Substance Misuse and Recovery, Offending and Criminal Justice, Health and Mental Health, Domestic Abuse, Welfare and Housing Benefits, Debt, Child and Adult Protection, Employment and Training.

Identify cases requiring further help (specialist advice, alternative support) referring and supporting engagement as appropriate.

Support the clients to access community resources to develop positive peer networks and meaningful leisure opportunities, for example social, recreational, sport, faith, learning, arts.

Regularly review the person-centred support plan to update, record and monitor progress of each client.

Promote, and encourage peer involvement within the service.

To maintain accurate case files including accurate written records on clients progress and outcomes using Advice Pro.

Contribute to regular reports on the service and the service evaluation project as required.

To be part of the on-call rota (1 weekend in 12)

Support occupants to attend appointments, follow up appointments and assist in the implementation of Team around the Person (TAP) meetings.

Support to find move on accommodation, help with interviews and completing forms.

Quality of Care

To help create and promote an ethos whereby clients are empowered to make positive choices and plans for a healthier future.

To develop a relationship of trust with clients to enable them to develop a sense of identity and help them gain confidence to achieve their goals.

To liaise and feedback to the wider teams at Encompass with regards to any issues, concerns or development with individual occupants, particularly relating to issues around safeguarding.

Communications

To be able to communicate respectfully and compassionately with clients.

To be able to communicate well with partner agencies and colleagues.

Ability to communicate passionately and effectively about the different issues affecting clients in society.

Participate in handover and staff meetings.

To be able to produce coherent verbal and written reports and case notes.

To participate in the use of IT, such as emails and data-collection mechanisms.

Working Relationships

To behave in such a way as to build positive working relationships between service users and staff.

To build effective working relationships between the staff and service users of Encompass and other partner agencies.

To build working relationships within the local community.

Administration, Records and Statistics:

Prepare monthly time sheets are submitted by the 5th of the following month.

Accurately maintain all project records /reports/client records/client notes & etc.

Actively be involved in the development of outcomes and outputs related to the project. Record, monitor, analyse and present statistics in relation to these to enable the provision of reports to project funding providers and other organisations as directed by the service lead, ensuring these are of a high standard.

Remain up to date and proficient in the use of all relevant IT applications and undertake training as required.

General Duties:

Attend training sessions and courses as required.

Carry out any other duties commensurate with the post which may be reasonably requested from time to time

The post holder will comply with and work within in the context of all Encompass policies, procedures and practices.

Adhere to Encompass Equal Opportunities Policy, applying anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that all services are made as accessible as possible to clients.

Maintain confidentiality of information about staff, clients and Encompass business and be aware of the Data Protection Act 1998 and Encompass Data Protection (GDPR) and Confidentiality policies and procedures.

Comply with the Health and Safety Policy in all aspects of the work, carrying out health and safety checks in line with policy and keeping records as required.

Attend and contribute to regular supervision job appraisal meetings with the Project Manager.

Post- holders will require an Enhanced DBS check.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential / Desirable

Experience working in housing or homelessness, mental health, substance misuse, offending or other related field

Essential

Lived experience of homelessness and homelessness services

Desirable

Experience of working with vulnerable people or groups

Essential

Understanding of adults with multiple and complex needs

Essential

Understanding of how social disadvantage affects service take up

Essential

Understanding of Housing First principles and philosophy

Desirable

Understanding of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC)

Desirable

Knowledge of welfare rights and benefits system

Desirable

Experience of working within confidentiality and safeguarding frameworks

Essential

Understanding of equality and diversity

Essential

Skills:

Ability to plan, prioritise and work under own initiative

Essential

Excellent organisational skills

Essential

Strong attention to detail skills in the production of reports

Essential

Ability to work collaboratively and constructively within a team setting

Essential

Ability to influence and motivate a diverse range of stakeholders to develop best practice

Essential

Excellent interpersonal, communication, active listening and presentation skills, with an ability to relate to a wide range of audiences

Essential

Ability to multi task and act under pressure.

Essential

Ability to respond positively and proactively to changes in the internal and external environment

Essential

Ability to negotiate effectively with key stakeholders

Essential

Persistence and determination in dealing with challenges

Essential

Creativity and enthusiasm with a positive and solutions-focused attitude

Essential

ICT literate and familiar with a range of basic software packages.

Essential

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 21,731.84 per year

Expected hours: 32 per week

Benefits:

Additional leave Bereavement leave Casual dress Cycle to work scheme Flexitime Gym membership Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Sick pay Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Barnstaple EX31 3UD

Application deadline: 22/08/2025
Reference ID: Complex Needs & Outreach Support Worker