Job Description

Applicants must be aged 25 and over to meet the requirements of our contract with the Local Authority.

Are you looking for a job where you can really make a difference but also have fun?

We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Youth Support Worker for our Young People's Services in Bognor providing care and support for vulnerable young people aged 16 and over.

The Ark Project aspires to be recognised as proficient leaders in unique service provision. Our Children and Young People's Service has been set up in response for the need to accommodate young people and provide them with the necessary skills to maintain a tenancy and keep themselves safe and well.

We have sound principles for the way we run our service. Central to these is our belief that the rights of young people are paramount.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the people we support, adults and children, and expect all staff to share this commitment.

The young people we support are at the heart of everything we do - they are wonderful individuals and deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and kindness. Our main priority, therefore, is to find staff with values, behaviours and attitudes to match our own.

COULD THIS BE YOU?

Your duties will be varied and no two days will be the same. You'll be providing support for day-to-day living, helping our young people gain access to education, health care and any other professionals or services they need along with supporting them with general household duties such as cooking, cleaning and money management.

As a Youth Support Worker you will be expected to:

Support Tenancies and Personal Care:

Assist young people with understanding and maintaining tenancies, personal care, and transitioning in and out of tenancies.

Skill Development and Empowerment:

Facilitate individual skills training, encourage informed decision-making, and provide new experiences within safe risk-taking guidelines.

Community and Healthcare Access:

Enable access to leisure activities, community services, and healthcare planning, building local relationships and escorting as needed.

Key Worker Responsibilities:

Act as a Key worker, updating support plans, conducting outcome-focused sessions, and preparing reports for reviews and case conferences.

Liaison and Confidentiality:

Liaise with external agencies, maintain confidentiality, observe and report behaviours, and ensure documentation is up to date in accordance with policies.

Operational Duties:

Participate in shift work, including weekends and holidays, assist with financial management, household tasks, medication, and uphold equal opportunities and safety standards.
Our services operate 24/7, so you will work in shifts to meet the needs of the young people (as allocated by your manager). We will try to work as flexibly as possible, but this means you may need to work early mornings, late evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You may also be required to undertake sleep-in shifts on a rota basis.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Prioritises kindness, compassion, and the ability to maintain boundaries in youth support work. While qualifications are preferred, they are not the most important factor in our hiring process. For those interested in career advancement, we offer apprenticeship opportunities and provide full support to help you achieve this goal. Completing an apprenticeship may also result in an increase in your monthly pay rate. We expect our Youth Support Workers to share our vision to ensure that 'every moment has potential' for the young people we support to learn new skills and to achieve their goals. Basic numeracy and literacy skills as well as good English are a must as are basic computer (Word/Email) skills and some knowledge of Health and Safety requirements. Above all you need to be kind, caring and ready to work as a team to ensure that our services are comfortable, happy, fulfilling and safe places to live.

WHY WORK FOR US?

In addition to your salary, our benefits package includes

:

Competitive hourly rates and sleep shift rates of pay. Free DBS check and access to the DBS update service. Holiday pay and 29 day's holiday pro-rata (includes 8 bank holidays plus an extra day's leave for your birthday). Time and a half paid for bank holiday shifts. Flexible hours and a variety of shifts available. Every other weekend off with a predictable shift pattern allowing you to plan your free time. A contributory pension scheme. Access to a national retail and leisure discount scheme (Blue Light Card). Casual dress. Career development and free training provided including fully funded apprenticeship opportunities up to Level 5 in Leadership and Management giving you a clear pathway into a management role (dependent on achieving your targets). Refer a friend bonus of 150 on successful recruitment plus an additional 250 if they successfully pass their probationary period. We take your well-being seriously and provide support to all our Care Workers with access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

How to Apply

If you are friendly, dedicated and passionate about supporting others we would LOVE to speak to you!

Either call us on 01243 769029 to discuss the role in more detail or click 'Apply now' and one of our team will be in touch to discuss the role further.

Any offer would be subject to Disclosure and Barring checks, which we will complete on your behalf if you don't already have one, and satisfactory employment references. We will consider job share and part time arrangements for all posts in line with the needs of the organisation.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promotion of welfare of all young people and adults. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure, and satisfactory references. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order (1975, 2013,2020).

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Zero hours contract

Pay: 24,850.00-31,602.00 per year

Expected hours: 39 per week

Benefits:

Additional leave Casual dress Free flu jabs Free parking Health & wellbeing programme Referral programme Store discount
Schedule:

Day shift Night shift Overtime Weekend availability
Application question(s):

Able to work a sleep in shift at least once a week? (9pm-8am) Able to work every other weekend and the occasional bank holiday? Over 25 to meet the requirements of our contract with the Local Authority
Experience:

Youth Support Work: 1 year (preferred)
Language:

English (required)
Licence/Certification:

L2 Certificate in Health & Social Care or equivalent (preferred)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 07/01/2025
Reference ID: OLACBOGJAN_2025