Bank Support Worker

Recruiting for Bank Support Workers to join our Learning Disabilities service in Welwyn Garden City!

GBP10.75 per hour plus Pension scheme. This role is working a zero hour contract.

Look Ahead is a specialist housing association and provider of tailor-made care, support and accommodation services. We support thousands of people across London and the South East with a diverse range of needs, helping them to make individual choices, achieve goals and take control of their own lives.

With over forty years in social care under our belt, we are experts through both practice and understanding. Today, we are proud to be the trusted partner of over 30 local authorities and health trusts, providing specialist support and care services for over 7,000 people every year with a wide range of needs, including:
- Mental health
- Learning disabilities
- Homelessness and complex needs
- Young people and care leavers

Overall Purpose

Bank Support Workers have the ability to accept any shifts available on an ad-hoc basis across all of Look Ahead's specialisms. Bank Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet the assessed needs of the customers of the service. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team to promote independent living, encouraging customers to maximise their skills and choices. Within Learning Disability services, this will include providing physical, domestic, emotional and social care. Within Mental Health and Homelessness services they will enable vulnerable people living in a variety of different tenures to manage their tenancies/licences and move towards greater independence within the community by providing a flexible and individually tailored support package. While carrying out activities, Bank Support Workers should deal with all customers, visitors and staff in a professional and appropriate manner and report to Look Ahead staff and management any observations relating to customers' welfare.

Key Responsibilities

- Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
- Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
- Conducting key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
- Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'
- Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
- Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
- Undertake all administrative work and keep accurate and comprehensive tenant/customer records to professional standards
- Report any observations relating to customers welfare
- Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local area to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
- Enable customers to make full use of community facilities by providing support as directed
- Carry out support duties to enable customers to integrate into the community including e.g. accompanying the customer to attend benefit agency appointments and meetings, go shopping, to enquire at colleges about possible courses, to visit various public amenities
- Empower customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
- Engage in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
- Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
- Adhering to all other Look Ahead's policies and procedures
- Encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team
- Ensure that referrals are chased proactively so that properties which can be used to house those in need are filled as efficiently as possible
- If a need arises, deliver all aspects of support to enable a customer to develop independent living skills as appropriate to the individual needs of the customer. In some services, this will include delivering personal and physical care as appropriate
- Carry out security duties to ensure the safety of the customers and premises
- Monitor the CCTV throughout the shift
- Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned

The above sets out the key responsibilities and typical tasks, however not all of these tasks will be relevant to all specialisms. You may also be required to undertake various other tasks and duties to ensure that our customers' needs are fully and effectively met. The list is not exhaustive.

Person Specification

- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
- Approachable and open behaviour
- Prefers working as part of a group or team
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
- Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
- Flexible
- Open to feedback and self development
- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
- Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is essentially customer-focused
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours

For more information or to apply please visit our website...... click apply for full job details