Support Worker

Responsibilities

• Lead on co‑producing bespoke support and move‑on plans, involving key stakeholders such as family or other support providers where appropriate.
• Organise and carry out regular planned reviews of support and risk plans, or follow an incident/significant change in a customer’s circumstances.
• Engage customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills.
• Assist customers with day‑to‑day support and tenancy‑related matters.
• Identify and promote opportunities for employment, education and training, and support customers to remove barriers to accessing these opportunities.
• Signpost customers to appropriate external support services, including interventions such as food banks and other community resources.
• Support customers to be 'tenancy ready' to enable a successful move on.
• Support customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income.
• Support and monitor customers’ healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals.
• Empower customers to move towards self‑management of their medication by following the medication procedure.
• Lead on support initiatives including group work.
• Ensure the safety of customers by following local safeguarding procedures, recognising and acting on any significant risk, and escalating appropriately.
• Record and update clear, factual, strengths‑based customer information on the local or appropriate digital platform.

Service Delivery

• Facilitate the referral process into the service and assess potential new customers.
• Contribute to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy‑related support.
• Work with customers to maintain a safe environment by reporting repairs and health & safety concerns.
• Clean and prepare rooms as appropriate.
• Resolve difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with responsibilities for the safety of the service.
• Develop and maintain local partnerships to provide a holistic range of support for customers.
• Carry out day‑to‑day administration and operational duties.

Other Information

• Work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
• Travel to different properties within the defined area as and when required.
• Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary.
• Ensure customers are safe at all times by carrying out duties within Riverside’s Policy and Procedure framework (health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR, cash handling, etc.).
• Deliver the role in line with Riverside company values – 'Our Riverside Way'.
• Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflective practice sessions.
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable safe delivery of the role.
• From time to time, be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with the line manager.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience of working with vulnerable people.
• Experience of delivering structured support and risk management.
• Team player with a caring, empathetic nature and a resilient, can‑do attitude.
• Understanding of supporting vulnerable people – this could include having lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction.
• Understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Previous experience in positively resolving incidents.
• Demonstrate initiative and confidence to make and act on decisions.
• Competent administrative and IT skills (to produce reports and other communications).

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge of psychological or trauma‑informed approaches to support.
• Experience of working in challenging environments with the ability to plan, prioritise and organise tasks to achieve results.
• Knowledge of current benefit systems.
• Experience of working in a care and support environment.

Benefits

• Competitive pay & generous pension.
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Flexible working options available.
• Investment in learning, personal development and technology.
• Wide range of benefits.

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside: We are inclusive. We value diversity in all its forms and foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered and heard. 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 they will be guaranteed an interview.