Intensive Support Worker

1625 Independent People

Intensive Support Worker

Closing Date: 12pm Monday 26 February 2018 

Interviews:  Wednesday 7 March 2018

About us

1625 Independent People prevents youth homelessness in the South West and has been helping 16-25 year olds reboot their lives for over 30 years. 
 
With around 100 staff in four locations, we provided housing and support to around 2000 young people last year. We’re one of the brightest youth organisations in the South West and leaders in our field. No other organisation in the area has the same wealth of experience.

Our service works because we include young people at every level of our organisation.

About the job (Please read the full job description for more detail)

Terms, conditions and benefits:

• Hours per week: Full time 37.5
• Contract type: Fixed term contract 16^th April until April 2019
• Pay: £22,658 to £24,964 per year (NJC Scale 25 - 28), (pro rata for part time) starting at the bottom of the scale
• 30 days' annual leave plus Bank Holidays per annum
• Free Health Scheme with UK Healthcare 
• Pension - Employer contributes 4% and employees contribute a minimum of 0.8% (due to increase to 2.4% from April 2018), (see Summ of T&Cs below). (HR to check)
• 37.5 hours per week (full time), working flexible hours, including evenings and weekends on a set rota
• Driving licence and access to a vehicle or the equivalent ability to travel with reasonable adjustments/mobility support.

The role

You’ll be working in the High Support Services Team based at our Head Office in central Bristol, and line managed by the High Support Project Manager.

The service delivers intensive support in high quality accommodation, as part of a project commissioned by Bristol's Children and Young People Services (CYPS), to improve outcomes for care leavers with complex needs.

The role will be based in our High Support Services Team, whilst also working closely alongside our other services including Future 4 Me, which supports care leavers and young people leaving custody.

You will be rewarded by supporting positive change for young people with complex needs, who have previously struggled to receive the support or opportunities they need, and as a result have often been unable to achieve many positive steps forward in their lives.

The team are very supportive of each other and you will take part in regular, facilitated reflective practice sessions to improve your own and the team's practice, with an overall aim of improving outcomes for young people.

The team are very supportive of each other and through reflective practice we are always learning from our own and each other’s experiences. Our work is rooted in providing support in a Psychologically Informed Environment framework known as PIE.

An average day might include:

1. Planned key work sessions with young people, assisting them with achieving personal goals.

2. Supporting young people to maximise their income and minimise debts.

3. Attending a multi-agency meeting.

About you

You have empathy and understanding of the needs of homeless young people, young people leaving care, and the barriers they face. You like being around and working with young people.

You have significant experience of working with vulnerable young people, with empathy and understanding of the needs of young people leaving care and of the barriers they face. You like being around and working with young people, and have excellent skills in engaging young people who have led chaotic lifestyles or experienced trauma, supporting them to achieve a successful and safe transition into adulthood and independent living.

You must have the ability, skills and experience needed to develop trusting relationships with vulnerable people and to understand their “drivers” and aspirations. You are able to offer clear and consistent responses to service users who may present challenging behaviour, be chaotic, distressed and have learned not to trust.

You must have the ability manage a caseload effectively and co-ordinate packages of care and support from multiple agencies. This includes experience of working with and developing excellent working relationships with other lead professionals, including social workers, drug, alcohol and mental health services, Youth Offending Teams and education, employment and training providers.

Closing Date: 12pm Monday 26 February 2018 

Interviews:  Wednesday 7 March 2018