Housing Support Worker in Walton-on-Thames

Overview
This role involves managing a caseload, coordinating referrals, conducting initial assessments and ongoing reviews of support needs and risks, and creating housing-related support plans. It also includes building links with key agencies, empowering customers to access entitled benefits and services, supporting rent and tenancy obligations, safeguarding, and adhering to Look Ahead's policies and procedures. The role requires engagement in learning and development and is subject to change according to service needs.

Responsibilities

• Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the Manager.
• Ensure referrals to the service are managed effectively and in line with the referrals and assessment procedure.
• Undertake initial assessments and continuous reviews of support needs and potential risks, and agree levels of support and actions.
• Create and review support/action plans for providing appropriate housing-related support based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available.
• Develop and maintain links with key agencies and service providers in the local community.
• Empower customers to ensure they receive the benefits and services they are entitled to.
• Encourage and enable customers to pay their rent and other housing-related costs, and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the relevant housing provider.
• Encourage and enable customers to adhere to all other conditions of their tenancies/licences, e.g. maintaining a satisfactory living environment, refraining from anti-social behaviour, and allowing access for essential work.
• Ensure that all safeguarding concerns are managed in line with safeguarding protocols and are reported to Contract Manager/Head of Operations, as appropriate.
• Adhere to Look Ahead's Policies and Procedures.
• Engage in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

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 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.

What you'll bring

• Essential: Use of own vehicle, IT and functional skills, positive attitude and can-do approach, resilience, flexibility, good communication skills, written and verbally.
• Desirable: Experience working in homelessness, housing or support/care, up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector.

About Look Ahead
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

Values and commitments
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values: Excellence and innovation, Caring and Compassionate, Inclusive and Trusted, Partnership and One-Team. Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

Salary and hours
£25,437.98 per annum, working 35 hours per week. 7 hours per day weekends not included.

Benefits
Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service, free DBS, exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card, fully paid induction programme and further training, ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes, cycle to work scheme, Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support, online wellbeing resources, a generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply), quarterly Staff Awards to reward and recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.