Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post:

Support Worker

Reporting to:

Manager

Line Management Responsibility:

Volunteers when working together.

Hours per week:

37.5 hours

Salary Scale:

26,804.09

Working hours:

37.5 hours weekly Monday to Sunday, with occasional evening, and bank holiday working.

Actual days, start/finish times maybe variable and in accordance with the service rota.

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

Overall purpose of the job

The Support Worker role is to provide practical support and guidance to service users who have experienced homelessness. The support will be effective and responsive to equip individuals to move on independently.

The role will involve partnership working with relevant agencies for a joined-up approach.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Deliver high quality support and guidance, developing support plans with individuals, that reflect their ambitions and aspirations with clear actions for achieving these.

Make appropriate referrals to agencies regarding accommodation and specialist support.

Assist in providing broader homelessness prevention services including giving advice, support, advocacy, making homeless applications and contributing to eviction prevention work as assigned from time to time.

Effectively and professionally manage a case load of residents as allocated.

Work to maintain expertise in regard to what accommodation options are available and ensure residents understand their rights and options. Providing information and advice on welfare rights, housing options, tenancy rights and responsibilities, and advocacy and assertiveness skills support in these areas.

Work with clients to identify their own housing issues, give advice and support them in addressing these issues.

Actively support residents to achieve tangible progress in areas such as tenancy management, independent living skills and training/education.

SERVICE DELIVERY:

To ensure residents receive a welcoming, supportive and positive experience whilst accessing CHESS services.

To build warm, positive relationships with service users, keeping their best interests at heart.

To complete support referrals, risk assessments, support plans and meetings.

To ensure all service users have an accurate, fully maintained electronic case file.

Develop client risk assessments and contribute to safeguarding plans.

Provide person-centred support to help residents achieve personal goals and aspirations for independent living, training, employment and education.

To work with clients to improve skills and overcome barriers so they are able to successfully move on to independent housing

Working with residents for a minimum of 6 months with regular meetings focussed on clients working towards personal goals and celebrating success.

Motivating and facilitating residents to be actively involved in meaningful daytime activity including skills development, training, volunteering, employment, healthy activities.

Working with residents to help them learn, or improve, their practical life skills (eg budgeting, paying bills, planning meals) needed for their survival in independent housing.

To support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace.

TEAM WORK

To attend and participate in regular team meetings.

To participate in regular support & supervision sessions

To attend appropriate training courses and participate in skill sharing sessions within the team.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

To liaise with voluntary and statutory agencies to develop good working relationships and promote co-working strategies where appropriate. Acting as a point of contact for other agencies working with the individual. Plan interventions flexibly to meet individual needs.

Work alongside partners and key stakeholders to ensure clients are receiving the necessary support so that they can apply for housing and sustain their tenancies.

Encourage client's involvement in the development and operation of the service, facilitating appropriate consultation and participation, at all times promoting good practice in relation to client participation.

Participate in assessing and reviewing future housing and support needs, identifying and coordinating internal and external services and referrals in response to these.

To work alongside and direct volunteers

PROPERTY AND HOUSING MANAGEMENT

Create and manage a welcoming, psychologically informed home environment for residents and service users, ensuring a continuous focus on safety, health, and wellbeing.

Ensure the accommodation in which residents live is clean and maintained to a high standard.

To assist with the smooth running of the property, which involves daily checks,

Identifying and report of any health and safety issues to the maintenance team.

Reporting and recording of any accidents and incidents that occur, being able to write factually and accurately.

GENERAL

At all times have a strong awareness, understanding and adherence to CHESS' policies, including health & safety, equal opportunities, diversity & inclusion, data protection and processing and volunteering.

CHESS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Making reports to the safeguarding officer as necessary.

This job description is a general outline of the duties and responsibilities of the post holder and may be amended by CHESS Homeless as the service develops and the expectations of the role change. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may reasonably be required from time to time.

Person Specification

Essential

Previous experience of working in supported housing or a social care settings

A genuine passion for supporting vulnerable individuals and helping them achieve greater independence.

An understanding of relevant housing legislation and statutory duties.

Able to build rapport, and develop key relationships with service users internally and externally

Ability to work autonomously and as part of a wider team

An empathetic and non-judgemental approach to service users

The ability to support individuals with multiple needs

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Enthusiastic and positive attitude

Honest, respectful, reliable, non-judgmental.

An awareness of professional boundaries

High degree of self-motivation, problem solving, initiative and adaptability/flexibility

Persistence and Resilience when working with residents

Motivating others, encouraging positive lifestyle changes and engaging in other support networks

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office & CRM systems

Ability to deescalate challenging situations with a non-confrontational approach.

Experience of carrying out needs and risks assessments and developing and working with support

Effective time management and organisational skills, and ability to prioritise workloads

Knowledge of adult safeguarding, signs of abuse and neglect and importance of reporting in line with policies and procedures.

Desirable

Awareness of the need for outcomes

Experience of registered housing provision

Experience of health and safety procedures

Experience of working in an environment that requires confidentiality.

CHESS Homeless is committed to the safeguarding of adults, young people and children. This post is subject to a self-disclosure and a satisfactory return of a disclosure and barring service submission.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From 26,804.09 per year

Benefits:

Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking
Experience:

Homeless Support Work: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 12/09/2025