Youth Support Worker

This role involves a duty to safeguard all young people residing within accommodation provided by Equipped4Life (E4L). The role is to deliver support to young people in care aged 16 - 21 years old in semi-independent homes staffed 24 hours a day. The role involves supporting young people on and off site.

Your duty is to safeguard, support and assist young people in developing their independent skills, following E4L modules of support plan, such as:

• Budgeting money/money management, food and essential shopping and administering a weekly subsistence allowance.
• Encourage the young person to engage and take part in positive activities within the community, building on healthy relationships and developing positive social networks.
• Encourage and support the young person in accessing education, training, or employment, including CV writing, application process and interview preparation.
• To undertake cleaning, cooking, washing up, laundry duties and other related activities ensuring young people are involved as much as possible, to maintain a clean and safe environment.
• To assist/enable young people to maintain high standards of health care and personal hygiene.
• To encourage young people to develop an understanding of their own self-worth, confidence, and identity.
• To encourage young people to develop alternative ways of dealing with anger and other complex behavioural issues.
• Support the young person in settling within the community and accessing local resources.
• To manage and or defuse challenging behaviour.
• Carry out research or undertake training, to gain an understanding of the needs of the young people you will be supporting.
• To provide a caring and supportive environment for young people that respects and affirms their racial, cultural, and religious identity and lifestyle choices.
• Maintain accurate record/log keeping.
• To provide support and meet the basic needs of young people ensuring that personal dignity and rights are respected at all times.
• To engage young people to participate in a number of group and 1-2-1 activities run by the company on and off site.
• To participate in the key work system.
• To write sessional reports.
• Maintain petty cash and receipts for all expenditure.
• To maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the accommodation.
• You will be responsible to carry out weekly Health and Safety checks within the accommodation.
• You must record and report any repair work or damage to the property to ensure it is kept to a high standard.
• Maintain confidentiality of young people, however, report any concerns or disclosures regarding a young person’s welfare to your line manager.
• Attend staff meetings and training sessions as and when required.
• You will be expected to take part and attend structured supervision sessions every 6 weeks.
• To be aware of your responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act, to maximize the safety of young people and staff.
• To report any incidents and complaints to your line manager.
• To represent E4L in a positive manner at internal/external events.
• To manage own time and tasks effectively i.e., complete all required tasks for each shift.
• To give a thorough handover at the end of each shift.
• Undertake other duties as required by management, and commensurate with the post.

Requirements

• Experience of working with Young People or experience of working with Challenging Behaviours or Lived experience in the care system.
• To have worked individually and within a team.
• To have worked in a customer/client focused environment.
• Understand and identify risks.
• Possess effective oral and written communication skills: recording and report writing and verbal communication utilising relevant IT platforms.
• Experience of working within policy and procedures and professional boundaries.
• Willing to work additional hours to cover sickness and holidays and to work in other homes.
• Willing to work Bank Holidays, Christmas Holidays and weekends.
• Willing to cover Sleep in duties.
• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate (DBS) to work with Children & Adults to be arranged prior to commencing employment with E4L. (We can assist with application after job acceptance).
• Use of Microsoft Office 365.
• To have supported young people with complex and behavioural needs.
• Ability to lone work with young people.
• Ability to support young people within the community as well as within their accommodation.
• Ability to manage challenging behaviour when presented.
• To have mentored in an official or non-official capacity.
• Have or be committed to completing QCF/NVQ Level 3 award in Health & Social Care.
• Ability to engage with Young People with a positive and proactive approach.
• To have undergone Safeguarding Training in some capacity.
• Ability to assess risks.
• Knowledge of confidentiality and data protection.
• Understanding of regulations and legislation within the social care profession i.e., Children Act 1989 and the Care Standards Act 2000.

Salary & Benefits

Flexible schedule (part time/ad-hoc/full time)