Support Assistant in Liverpool

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

Please note that whilst we will accept applications on the basis of any form of valid legal permission to work in the UK, we will be surrendering the Riverside Sponsorship licence, so for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to apply for any further sponsorships whether on behalf of existing colleagues or candidates.

The difference you will make as a Support Assistant includes:

• Being key in the day-to-day running of one of our supported housing services.
• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our accommodation, including our customers.
• Supporting customers in conversations with calls from their GP, Social Services, or benefits teams.
• Dealing with emergency services including the Police and Ambulance when the need arises.
• Logging all incidents to maintain an accurate record of events.
• Cleaning and preparing customer rooms for the next occupant.

We use Psychologically Informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles to support our customers to make positive choices, develop new ways of thinking and take steps towards independence, by:

• Assisting in the planning and delivery of a range of personalised support and move-on plans.
• Understanding the risk management process and assisting the team to organise and undertake regular reviews of support and risk.
• Inspiring and motivating customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills.
• Assisting customers with day-to-day support and tenancy-related matters.
• Identifying and promoting opportunities for employment, education and training and supporting customers to access them.
• Signposting customers to appropriate external support services, such as food banks and other community resources.
• Supporting customers to be 'tenancy ready', enabling successful move on.
• Supporting customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income.
• Monitoring customers' healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals.
• Empowering customers to move towards self-management of their medication by following Riverside's medication procedure.
• Maintaining and updating clear, accurate and strengths-based records on the appropriate digital platform.
• Assisting in the promotion of customer involvement and consultation.
• Assisting with the delivery of a range of group work sessions.
• Supporting the delivery of the referral process for new customers.
• Contributing to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy-related support.
• Working with customers to maintain a safe environment, including reporting any repairs or health and safety concerns.
• Resolving difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with the safety of the service.
• Ensuring customer safety by following local safeguarding procedures, recognising and acting on any risks and escalating appropriately.
• Contributing to and maintaining local partnerships to ensure availability of a holistic range of support for customers.
• Carrying out day-to-day administration and operational duties.
• Maintaining and updating financial administration systems including rent accounts, invoices, petty cash and banking.
• Assisting in collating and submitting information returns on funding, health & safety and performance.
• Acting as point of contact on the phone, reception and dealing with a range of enquiries.

Other Duties:

• You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
• Using the Lone Worker system as and when necessary.
• Ensuring customers are safe at all times - carrying out all of your duties within Riverside's Policy and Procedure framework e.g. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR opportunities, cash handling, etc.
• Delivering your role in line with Riverside company values - "Our Riverside Way".
• Participating in team meetings, attending regular supervisions and reflecting practice sessions.
• Undertaking regular training and taking responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely.
• From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager.
• The Group has offices across the UK and on this basis, there may be the requirement to travel to other locations to effectively perform this role.
• The role will be exposed to sensitive information; therefore, the role holder is expected to maintain levels of confidentiality at all times.
• In order to fulfil the requirements of this role, you will be required to work flexibly during the hours of operation.
• The role holder is expected to be committed to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.

Requirements:

• Experience of working with people in a customer facing environment.
• An understanding of supporting vulnerable people - this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction.
• Basic administrative and IT skills and attention to detail are required to maintain records and in-house systems.
• An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Experience of working in a team and communicating positively with other people.
• Experience of being able to organise tasks and plan accordingly whilst dealing with people.
• Being a team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and resilient, can-do attitude.
• Able to use initiative and have confidence to make decisions.

Desirable:

• Experience of working with vulnerable and diverse customer groups or individuals with complex needs.
• Personal lived experience of either homelessness, rough sleeping, mental health issues or substance misuse.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay & generous pension.
• 25 days holidays plus bank holidays (Pro Rata).
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology.
• A wide range of benefits.

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside: We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues. Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.