Engagement and Development Worker

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £28,031.56 per annum

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Location: Based across three services, Wirral Dispersed, RSAP and Rose Brae, Wirral

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 an Engagement and Development Worker:

• You will work collaboratively as part of a committed team to deliver an outstanding service and a range of personalised programmes that puts customers first, empowering them to achieve their goals and aspirations.
• Develop a programme of activities across services that are co-created and co-produced with customers linking with external organisations to offer the maximum opportunity for individual customers growth.
• It is imperative for the role to work as part of a staff team that is committed to best practice to ensure that we continually improve service delivery.

About you:

• An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and health and safety requirements.
• Experience of devising and delivering activity programmes within supported housing.

Why Riverside?

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.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

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

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.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Role Profile:

• Use psychologically informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles - supporting customers to develop new ways of thinking and make steps towards independence.
• Engaging customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop independent living skills, delivering a best practice support service, appropriate to customers needs.
• Co-produce and co-create Riverside’s commitment statement with customers across services, encouraging a high level of customer involvement, consultation and communication.
• Apply for grants and fund raising for planned activities and events.
• Encourage and support customers to lead their own interest groups and activity sessions.
• Market programme of activities to ensure all customers have the opportunity and are encouraged to participate.
• Identifying and promoting opportunities for employment, education and training and supporting customers to remove barriers to accessing these opportunities.
• Delivery of a programme of internal and external activities and opportunities reflective of different customer needs, including culture and diversity.
• Carry out regular surveys and inclusion solutions to ensure the activities programme is meeting the needs of all customers in the services.
• Signposting customers to appropriate external support services, including interventions such as food banks and other community resources.
• Supporting customers to maintain financial independence through budgeting plans and maximising income.
• Ensuring the safety of our customers by following local safeguarding procedures, recognizing and acting on any significant risk, and escalating appropriately.

Service Delivery:

• Ensure that service delivery complies with Riverside’s policies and procedures relating to equality and diversity.
• Design and update a service directory which will enable customers to be signposted externally.
• Ensure that the views of customers are fully taken into account in the development and delivery of services.
• Develop and maintain local partnerships to provide a holistic range of support for customers, liaising with them to facilitate access to support.
• Assist the recruitment and coordination of volunteers, student placements to the services.
• Produce and distribute activity programmes to all customers ensuring the programme content is appealing and up to date.
• Ensure that notice boards are organised, well presented using corporate branded paperwork detailing daily and weekly activities.
• Advise and advocate on behalf of the customers.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that key performance indicators for Riverside and those outlined within the supported contract are met.
• Record and update clear, factual, accurate, strengths-based customer and statistical information on Riverside’s and external digital platforms.

Other Information:

• You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
• You may be required to carry out local travel to meet customers needs.
• Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary.
• Ensure 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, cash handling, etc.
• Deliver your role in line with the Riverside company values – “Our Riverside Way”.
• Participate in team meetings, regular supervisions and reflective practice sessions.
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for your own 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.

Person Specification:

• An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and health and safety requirements.
• Experience of devising and delivering activity programmes within supported housing.
• Team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and have a resilient, can-do attitude.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• The ability to demonstrate initiative and the confidence to make and act on decisions.
• Competent administrative and IT skills and ability to produce reports and other communications.

• 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.
• Experience of working in a care and support environment.
• Previous experience working with refugees, immigrants, displaced populations, or vulnerable communities preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of local resources, social services, and legal frameworks related to resettlement and immigration.