Support Worker - Rolling Recruitment - Supported Living Services (Various Locations)

We are looking for enthusiastic and committed Support Workers to provide high quality care and support services to the people we support.

You will support people with their day to day life, to learn new skills and develop confidence and independence.

Main purpose of the Job

• To engage, enable and empower our customers to support them to live the life they choose

Responsibilities / Overview of Role

• Provide high quality care and support services to the people we support
• Key work with the people we support, discussing support needs, identifying risk areas and contributing to support plans and daily notes
• Advise managers of any concerns related to the people we support care and report any incidents or SOVAs
• Work in one service or across one floating support team
• Provide cover for other services within the area team if required - (this will be in a similar type of service)

Putting the People we Support First

• Uphold the rights of the people we support to be involved at all levels of decision making
• Respect the wishes of the people we support at all times

Financial and contractual responsibility

• Follow procedures and policies at all times when purchasing goods to include petty cash
• Consider value for money when carrying out all work activities
• Support the people we support to manage their finances appropriately where required
• Raise any concerns about the safety of the people we support finances to a line manager
• Provide hours of care and support to individual or groups of the people we support as requested by line manager
• Report to manager where care or support has not been provided for any reason
• Support the people we support to participate in recruitment selection as requested
• Take personal responsibility for ensuring you have the knowledge and skills to carry out any tasks requested

Service Delivery

• Ensure the delivery of quality services which may include lone working
• Follow all policies and procedures when carrying out care and support tasks
• Follow support plans and risk assessment guidance at all times
• Provide information about changing needs of the people we support
• Record all information as directed
• Accountable in ensuring all information related to the clients you key work is up-to-date and completed to a suitable quality standard
• Ensure that all day to day records are completed and inform manager where you are unable to document actions taken or require a more senior member of staff to amend a risk assessment
• Provide both direct and in-direct support to the people we support across a team, areas as required
• Work hours will/may include evenings, weekends and bank holiday working
• Carry out personal care in a safe and appropriate way following guidelines, policies and procedures
• Provide advice and guidance to support workers carrying out personal care activities

Additional Responsibilities

• Provide information, support and buddying to new support workers volunteers and apprentices as appropriate
• Work in a co-operative way at all times with other departments and external agencies
• Act as an ambassador for Outward at all times
• Treat the people we support with dignity and respect at all times putting their needs at the forefront of all decision making
• Follow the code of conduct at all times
• Read and follow policies and procedures
• Take personal responsibility for the safety of self and others at all times
• Work responsibly and appropriately with due regard to confidentiality, commercially sensitive information
• Comply with all legal and regulatory responsibilities as may fall to be applicable
• Appropriately record day to day intervention and observations of the people we support care and support activities
• Take all reasonable measures to follow all health and safety policies and procedures and appropriate legislation as applicable to the role
• Responsible for informing line manager where there is a health and safety concern
• Take all possible measures to keep the people we support safe, respond appropriately to risk and report on safeguarding, accidents and incidents as per policy and procedures
• Report and log repairs to landlord/Outward housing management, follow up any in-action, support sign ups process
• This job description is not an exhaustive list. You are expected to undertake any other duties as may be reasonably requested of you by your line manager.

We offer you:

• Full training
• Competitive salary
• Flexible working hours
• Up to 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time); for flexi staff accrued holiday per hour worked
• Pension scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Death in service life insurance

About us

Outward is a registered charity and part of The Newlon Group. We are run by a group of committed volunteers - our Board of Trustees. We provide care and support services, mainly across north and east London, to support a range of vulnerable people towards improved choice and greater independence, including; those who have experienced street homelessness.

About Outward

For more than 40 years, Outward has been providing high-quality support and care services to vulnerable people in London and has grown from strength-to-strength. We believe in engaging, enabling and empowering the people we support to make positive choices, take advantage of opportunities and live the lives they want.

About the Role

We have a number of exciting opportunities for fixed and flexible staff to join us in several of our supported living services for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Locations include, Waltham Forest/Hackney/Enfield/Islington and Tower Hamlets.

We are looking for enthusiastic, creative and committed individuals to join our teams and previous experience of supporting vulnerable adults would be an advantage.

The role involves providing day to day support with daily living tasks, activities and making full use of community opportunities. Every day is different as a support worker; you might be swimming, socialising, or supporting someone to find a college, learn to hoover, or work their laptop... but whatever you do, the people we support are always at the heart of your working day.

If you feel you can bring experience and a commitment to supporting people to meet their full potential, then we want to hear from you.

Skills, values and expertise you will need:

• You will share our values of Enabling, Empowering and Engaging
• Experience of providing sensitive, person-centred support to vulnerable adults
• Experience of team work
• Good IT skills

The people we support need staff who are:

• Patient, understanding and caring
• Vibrant, enthusiastic and fun
• Energetic, flexible and have a positive “can do” attitude at all times
• Willing and able to actively support involvement in a wide range of community and social activities
• Able to communicate with different people using a variety of approaches
• Able to follow guidelines to help achieve a consistent approach

All posts will involve working evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You will be provided with comprehensive training and be supported every step of the way to develop your career with us.

Positive behaviour Support

Outward Housing supports people who are known to present behaviours of concern by using the Positive Behaviour support model because PBS puts the person first.

PBS is pro-active and the main focus is getting the environment right for the individual, rather than responses/reactions following challenging behaviour and on better supporting the person through improving their quality of life.

PBS approaches are based on a set of values of enabling inclusion, choice, participation and equality of opportunity. PBS is about working in partnership with the person, their family, staff and professionals.

Existing knowledge/experience in following the PBS approach would be beneficial but not essential as we do provide extensive training. A shared value of understanding and supporting a person’s behaviour and finding ways to work with them to improve this is essential.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and expect all staff to share this commitment. If the post you apply for involves working with or having access to adults at risk and/or their records, we will require an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Services. This will be fully subsidised by Outward.

Benefits

We value everything our support workers do for the people we support, so we provide a great benefits package such as:

• Flexible working hours that will give you the work life balance that is right for you
• Up to 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
• Computing Scheme
• Credit Union Scheme
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• Death in Service Benefit
• Health Assured – Employee Assistance Programme
• Blue Light Card
• Eye care Vouchers
• Flu Jab Reimbursement
• Long Service Awards
• Pension Scheme
• Purchase Additional Annual Leave
• Refer-a-Friend Scheme
• Retirements
• Loans (including season tickets and parking permit loans)

How to Apply

If you think you have the necessary skills and the right attitude please complete an Application form telling us about your experiences by following the link below:

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community.