Job Description

1 x Full Time position

1 x Full Time Fixed Term Position

Main purpose of the role:

Druglink is a floating support service for people living in Hertfordshire who have a drug or alcohol related problem and are experiencing housing issues.

The service provides housing and recovery-related support and is strongly focused on supporting people to prevent homelessness, achieve independent living, recovery and community reintegration. The duration of support will often vary depending upon individual's needs and can be provided for up to two years.

As part of a team of Housing and Recovery Workers you will support a caseload of service users through one-to-one key working and care planning. At times you will also provide information and support via group work.

You will provide floating support at a client's property, carrying out house checks, house meetings, working closely with the facility manager, to support the upkeep of their tenancy.

You will liaise with other support providers and agencies relevant to an individual's needs, such as drug and alcohol treatment providers, GPs, social services, mental health services, housing providers, probation and welfare benefit agencies. You will have an easily accessible, non-judgmental, client-centred approach and will be a strong team player.

The team has office bases in Luton and Hemel Hempstead, and support services will be provided for clients in their own homes or via satellite sessions in agencies across Hertfordshire.

It is essential that you are a car owner and have the ability to drive across wide geographical areas. Flexibility in working hours will be required.

Role Specifics:

To provide of a high-quality support service for vulnerable people who have drug, alcohol and multiple needs and live in a range of tenures. To organise support for people on an individualised basis aiming to maximise independence, recovery and community re-integration. To provide practical and emotional housing and recovery-related support to enable service users to sustain independent living. To minimise the risk of loss of tenancy through the innovation of preventive work. To ensure that individual needs assessments and support plans are developed and regularly reviewed in-conjunction with the individual concerned and other appropriate professionals, carers and advocates. To ensure service user risk assessments are carried out and the risk management plan are developed in conjunction with the service user. To liaise with other organisations, particularly drug and alcohol services, GPs, social services, mental health and learning disability services, learning, volunteering and employment services, and any other relevant providers, to ensure how service users' needs can be best met. These should include statutory and voluntary sector services. Encourage service users to develop confidence to make their own decisions, which may involve taking informed risks. Ensure that service users receive welfare benefits due to them and to budget effectively to cover domestic bills and living expenses To work with service users to develop appropriate move-on options empowering service users to access these including supporting service users to 'bid' for properties and report maintenance issues. Ensure that service users understand the need to pay rent and bills, and are supported to develop the skills to do so. Ensure that service users receive advice and support in developing life skills in relation to maintaining their own home, socialising, developing support networks, volunteering, training, education, employment, and leisure activities. To accurately input service user data onto a client database in a timely manner and ensure records are maintained to evidence compliance with the service specification, commissioner requirements and internal and external key performance indicators. To ensure compliance with Druglink's relevant policies and procedures. To keep all necessary records as required. To make full use of new technology and mobile working for all relevant tasks. To assist and contribute to continually developing the service to meet the changing needs of service users. To keep abreast of issues nationally to ensure that the best practice is applied in line with the Quality Assessment Framework and other relevant guidance. To participate in the development and review of scheme operational policies and procedures. To undertake any other duties consistent with the objectives of this post. To ensure that all tasks are carried out in accordance Druglink's Equal Opportunities policy statement.

Druglink's commitment to you:

Equal Opportunities

Druglink is committed to promoting anti-discriminatory practices within society, its organisation and in the promotion of its services to the community. Druglink expects all employees to understand, comply with and to promote its policies in their work and to challenge prejudice and discrimination and where necessary to undertake any appropriate training.

Recovery

Druglink is a recovery focused organisation. Our staff and volunteers are committed to helping our service users improve their health and wellbeing, and to become free from dependency

Career Development and Progression

At Druglink we actively encourage career progression from the talent we have from within and we strive to provide not only promotional progression but to develop a specialist and lead responsibility roles with teams and other services within Druglink.

Safeguarding

Druglink is committed to ensuring the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults, and all applicants will be required to demonstrate understanding of and commitment to best safeguarding practice

Your commitment to Druglink:

Druglink Vision, Mission and Values

Promoting and understanding the values, vision and mission statement of DRUGLINK. To understand what it means to you in your respective role, to your team and to service delivery.

Vulnerable children and adults

Demonstrating an understanding of and commitment to best safeguarding practice. Taking immediate and appropriate action as required.

Boundaries and behaviours

Observing professional integrity in relationships with service users, peers and other relevant professionals.

Health & Safety

Being responsible for your health and safety and that of colleagues and service users. Employees should co-operate with management and follow established systems of work, use protective equipment where necessary and report defects and hazards to management.

Confidentiality

Treating all information acquired through the course of your employment as confidential and complying with all the appropriate policies, systems and procedures.

Information Governance

Applying information governance processes to ensure all necessary safeguards are in place regarding personal information - and its appropriate use - about our service users, workforce and members of the public.

Continuous Professional and Personal Development

Working within a learning organisation, seeking learning opportunities either by attending learning and training events either externally or internally to improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their professional lives.

Person Specification:

Essential:

Education, Knowledge & Experience:

An understanding of issues relating to vulnerable people living in the community and the process of supporting people towards independence and recovery and community reintegration.

An understanding of issues in relation to people with drug and/or alcohol misuse issues.

An understanding of housing management issues.

Experience of working with vulnerable people.

An understanding of, and commitment to, ensuring the safeguarding and wellbeing of vulnerable adults and children

An understanding of the key components in planning and delivering a support service to a caseload of clients

An understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities.

Abilities and Skills:

Excellent written/verbal communication skills

Ability to advise service users, e.g. on benefit entitlement and budgeting.

Ability to identify relevant resources/services and enable tenants to use them effectively.

Willingness to be self-servicing with regard to administration and ability to use technology in day-to-day work.

Ability to work on own initiative and willing to work as a team.

Able to listen and support people experiencing difficulties.

Willing to work flexible hours, including Saturdays.

To be part of the on call rota as and when required

Full, clean driving licence - including business insurance cover.

Working within Druglink's framework of commitment to employees:

A commitment to engaging with, understanding and promoting DRUGLINK's values, vision and mission.

An understanding of and commitment to safeguarding best practice.

An understanding of the importance of professional integrity in relationships with service users, peers and other relevant professionals.

A responsibility for your own health, safety and wellbeing as well as those around you (e.g. colleagues and service users).

An understanding of and commitment to treating all information acquired through the course of your employment as confidential.

An understanding of information governance processes and a commitment to follow and apply all necessary safeguards.

A commitment to seek learning opportunities to improve and broaden your own professional knowledge and skills and to contribute to and where relevant oversee the learning of others.

Desirable:

Education, Knowledge & Experience:

An understanding of best practice and requirements set out in the Quality Assessment Framework.

Experience of liaising with social services, health agencies, housing providers and voluntary organisations

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 8 months

Pay: 24,031.00-25,248.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress Company pension Employee discount On-site parking Private medical insurance
Experience:

Substance Misuse: 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Location:

Hemel Hempstead HP3 9TE (preferred)
Work Location: In person