Outreach Support Worker - Tower Hamlets in London

Central Recruitment is working with one of the UK's oldest not-for-profit housing associations. They focus on providing good homes and housing services, making a positive difference in communities, and creating an inclusive and supportive place to work. Our client is currently recruiting for an Outreach Support Worker to work in the Tower Hamlets area providing support, advice and guidance around housing issues to support customers to maintain tenancies, live independently and prevent homelessness.

Job Details

• 37.5 hours per week
• Monday - Friday
• Hours: 09:00-17:00
• Temporary: approx. 6 weeks with the possibility of extension
• £17.30 per hour (£15.10 per hour + £2.20 holiday pay)
• Travel expenses can be claimed for this role.

This is an outreach role and involves visiting clients in the community and working from the office in Tower Hamlets.

Key Responsibilities

• Hold a caseload of 21 key clients and conduct key working sessions in clients' homes every 2-3 weeks resulting in agreed support plans.
• Visit 3 or 4 customers per day to ensure everyone is seen in line with the service policy.
• Provide pre-tenancy guidance and ongoing support to customers on all tenancy matters, including assistance to furnish and move into properties.
• Enable customers to abide by their tenancy agreements, giving advice and assistance on dealing with police and courts where this relates to housing matters.
• Provide basic Welfare Benefits advice, assisting customers in claiming all benefit entitlements and assisting with accessing specialist support.
• Work with customers to identify the skills required to manage their own tenancy, including assistance to deal with difficult situations.
• Participate in all parts of the service from the initial referral, being able to confidently triage to the right level of support, completing assessments and crisis support as required.
• Participate at the drop-ins across the service, providing support, advice or guidance as needed.
• Provide support to customers who have varying levels of need with housing, mental health needs, other health-related issues, training/employment or any other needs that are identified.
• Effectively signpost customers to external agencies to ensure more specialised support is available.
• Review the level of support required for customers in consultation with other agencies, agree an individual support plan and action.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience of providing support to homeless clients.
• Thorough and up to date knowledge of health and safety issues relating to the designated client group.
• Thorough and up to date knowledge of welfare benefits for the designated client group.
• Thorough and up to date knowledge of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children local policies, protocols and good practice.
• Understanding of housing support needs of the designated client group and benefits of a flexible, outcome-focused and personalised support service whilst supporting people to help themselves.
• Knowledge of related services provided by the statutory and voluntary sector.
• Comprehensive IT skills and be able to use packages such as Office Outlook, Word and Excel.

Further Requirements

• Current valid right to work in the UK.
• Minimum 12 months’ of paid experience in a front line social care role within the last 3 years (unless recruitment criteria states otherwise).
• A fully enhanced DBS either registered on the DBS update service or issued within the last 12 months, or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60).
• Employment or education history to cover the last 5 years which can be verified through the referencing process.