High Support Project Worker

1625 Independent People

High Support Project Worker

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, 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.

Read more about what we do and who we are.

About the job

Due to the volume of applications we receive we are unable to contact unsuccessful applications prior to the interview stage. If you have not heard from us by 4th May 2018 please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Terms, conditions and benefits:

• Hours per week : Full time 40
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay: £21,268- £23,398 per year (NJC Scale 23 - 26), starting at the bottom of the scale
• 30 days' annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Free Health Scheme with UK Healthcare
• Pension - Employer contributes 4% and employees contribute a minimum of 0.8%, (see Summary of T&Cs below).
• To work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends on a set rota

Where and who?

You’ll be working in the High Support Services Team and will be line managed by the Project Manager.  You’ll be based at Bristol Foyer or St Georges House.

The role

We have a vacancy for a Project Worker role, which offers a great opportunity to join our highly motivated and skilled High Support Services Team.This team collectively provide supported accommodation for homeless young people (including care leavers) within our two higher support hostels, located in central Bristol. You will join them in providing support and practical help to our young people to enable them to develop independent living skills so they may work toward their aspirations and successfully move on.

Your role as a Project Worker will include having a caseload of around 7 - 11 young people who you will see for an hour at least once a week. You will support those young people to manage their housing, and develop the skills to live independently as part of a wider community to enable our overall goal of empowering each young person and enabling their independence.

In the same way no two young people are the same neither are any two working days and your work will be variable, interesting, at times challenging but never dull! We are currently looking for a person who is resilient and comfortable working in a stimulating, and dynamic environment.

This role offers a great opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and experience in support work, particularly within supported accommodation. Our commitment as a learning organisation means you will be able to develop in the role to secure future opportunities.

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

Supported by our psychologically informed approaches, an average day may include:

• Planned key work sessions with young people, assisting them with achieving personal goals.
• Supporting young people to maximise their income and minimise debts including management of rent arrears.
• 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 are person centered, with strong organisational skills, able to prioritise your workload.

You are flexible, assertive and resilient in order to develop effective working relationships with young people and engage a variety of personalities.

You are creative in promoting equality of opportunity to all of the young people who use our services.

You have a well-developed sense of how to set and maintain boundaries, confidentiality and how to communicate well with young people - individually and in groups.

You are comfortable assessing and working with appropriate risk whilst being able to manage health and safety.

You have strong record-keeping, administration, IT and time management skills.

You can manage a caseload effectively. A working knowledge of the issues that young people or other vulnerable groups need support with is critical.

Ideally you have experience of working in either the housing or support sector. Experience of support planning and rent management would also be an advantage.

Interested?

We believe in equal opportunities for everyone – you can read our full statement on our website. 

Closing date: 12pm Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Interviews: Thursday 10 and Friday 11 May 2018