IOM Recovery Worker (Supported Housing) in Tipton

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic Charity and Housing Association. The Society of St James (SSJ) has been working in Hampshire for over 50 years, delivering high impact, person-centred, accommodation services to adults and young people experiencing homelessness, problematic substance use and mental health problems. We believe that every person is of worth and we are prepared to take risks to house and support the most at risk and socially excluded members of society.

Are you looking for a role that makes a real difference in people’s lives, that is both rewarding and fulfilling? An exciting opportunity has arisen to work at our Integrated Offender Management (IOM) House in Southampton. The project opened in 2015 and is designed to work with housing and substance use issues who are part of the Hampshire Integrated Offender Management Scheme. The IOM House seeks to provide an opportunity to engage in a substance free and safe environment.

IOM is a partnership and joint approach by the Police, Probation and the Society of St James to work with people who have substance use issues as well as being involved in the criminal justice service. You will work as part of a wider team, (although it will be mostly lone working) within the IOM House and in area of Southampton. There may be other professionals hot desking from the project and they also support the house staff and residents. The roles within the IOM House will be forging partnerships to motivate and support service users to:

• Improve their daily living skills
• Retain and sustain their accommodation
• Engage with meaningful occupation or learning opportunities while promoting empowerment and independence

Working in partnership with the local IOM Police and Probation teams you will ensure the residents maintain engagement with the IOM Scheme and that the environment in the house is positive, supportive and safe. You will be expected to develop the project to ensure residents have structure and routine, whilst working with the residents in a trauma informed way. You will need to communicate and build links with the local services as well as county-wide IOM Teams to ensure effective partnership working.

The successful candidate will have knowledge and/or experience of working with individuals with complex needs within a supported housing environment and have knowledge of the criminal justice system and related issues. You will be highly motivated and able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, with good organisational and IT skills.

Essential Skills and Qualities

• Experience/knowledge of working with people with diverse needs and histories of homelessness, mental health problems, offending behaviour and/or substance misuse
• Knowledge of local organisations providing support, interventions and employment/learning opportunities
• Be able to lead by example when working within a team
• Be able to make decisions and problem solve
• Good organisational skills and the ability to work on your own initiative
• Excellent time management to ensure all tasks completed with the ability to prioritise
• Experience of working creatively to motivate and engage adults
• Understanding of equality and diversity, with respect to staff and Service Users
• Knowledge of safeguarding, protection procedures and protocols for vulnerable adults
• Working knowledge of housing management duties for a housing project such as routine H&S checks, testing the fire alarm, reporting maintenance issues (6 bed property)
• Claiming benefits for our residents including Housing benefit and Universal credit when needed
• Enhanced DBS required for this role

We value and recognise our staff, offering some generous benefits, as well as the satisfaction of helping people at risk:

• A competitive annual leave entitlement of 25 days rising to 30 days, plus public holidays
• Flexible working options
• Buying additional annual leave
• Comprehensive induction and training
• Counselling, financial, personal support and health and wellbeing services via our Employee Assistance Programme
• Company cycle to work scheme
• Discounted laptops and computers with Jamie’s Computers

SSJ are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. At SSJ, we recognise the benefits of a supported workplace. SSJ is affiliated with Unite the Union.