At a Glance
- Tasks: Support individuals experiencing homelessness to find and settle into their own homes.
- Company: Join the Salvation Army Homes team making a real difference in people's lives.
- Benefits: Full-time role with a structured rota, offering valuable experience and personal growth.
- Why this job: Empower others while developing your skills in a rewarding and impactful environment.
- Qualifications: Experience or knowledge in supporting homeless individuals and strong communication skills.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to build partnerships and enhance community support.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
The Support Worker will provide a structured, personalised resettlement service to every service user at Mildmay House. The aim is to support service users who have experienced homelessness to move into their own homes in a planned and supported way. This includes offering advice, training, information, and one-to-one/group support to help service users through this process.
The support offered depends on the individual and can include:
- Advice on housing rights
- Accompanying individuals to meetings
- Practical support to move in, such as obtaining furniture and setting up payment plans for household bills
Ensure that service users who are ready to move on are given the security and support to maximise their independence, dignity, and choice, in accordance with the aims and objectives of the project. Please note this is a full-time role working on a rota basis - generally a week of day shifts, a week of night shifts, and working every other weekend.
Responsibilities:
- Providing service users with information on housing options, assisting them to make applications for accommodation, advocating on their behalf with housing providers, and accompanying them to interviews and viewings if appropriate.
- Acting as a key-worker to a caseload of residents, enabling them to take ownership of their journey with Salvation Army Homes.
- Ensuring that clients receive the necessary practical help to move in, either directly or through liaison with other support services, including personal and housing benefit claims, assistance with community care grants, domestic fuel connections, etc.
- Carrying out a strengths-based assessment with applicants, facilitating the co-production of a person-centred plan that enables individuals to achieve their goals and aspirations and the opportunity to identify and develop their talents.
- Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with specialists and agencies who might offer resources, funding, or individual services relevant to service user needs, e.g. Registered Social Landlords, Local Authority, Community Psychiatric Services, Benefit Agency, and other government agencies, referral agencies, charitable trusts, and other voluntary agencies.
Requirements:
- Experience of or knowledge related to working with homeless people.
- Experience of working with clients to overcome the barriers to effective resettlement.
- Proven ability to network with outside agencies and develop partnerships that support effective resettlement.
- Proven capacity to deal successfully with difficult and complex situations.
- Capacity to understand individual action plans, personal development programmes, and need and risk assessment.
- Be a confident and capable communicator, not fazed by difficult situations.
- Be able to build trusting, professional relationships and have a high level of resilience.
- Take an asset-based approach to empowering people to develop their skills, strengths, and talents.
Mildmay House is a 47-bed supported accommodation service for single homeless males and females aged 16 upwards. Clients who live at our service come from a variety of backgrounds/circumstances including relationship breakdowns, rough sleeping, mental health issues, and substance misuse.
Homelessness Support Worker employer: The Salvation Army
Contact Detail:
The Salvation Army Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Homelessness Support Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the organisation! Research Mildmay House and understand their mission. When you walk into that interview, show us you’re passionate about supporting those who have experienced homelessness. It’ll make a huge difference!
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your communication skills! As a Support Worker, you’ll need to build trusting relationships with service users. Role-play common scenarios with a friend or family member to boost your confidence before the big day.
✨Tip Number 3
Network like a pro! Connect with professionals in the field through LinkedIn or local events. We can’t stress enough how valuable it is to have contacts who can vouch for your skills and dedication.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Mildmay House.
We think you need these skills to ace Homelessness Support Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application for the Homelessness Support Worker role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with the job description, especially your ability to support individuals in their journey towards independence.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: As a Support Worker, you'll need to be a confident communicator. Use your application to demonstrate how you've effectively communicated in challenging situations before, whether that's through written examples or during interviews.
Highlight Your Resilience: Working with vulnerable individuals can be tough, so it's important to show us your resilience. Share experiences where you've successfully navigated difficult situations and how you maintained a positive approach.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This way, you can ensure your application reaches us quickly and you can easily keep track of your application status. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Salvation Army
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the ins and outs of homelessness support. Familiarise yourself with housing rights, resettlement processes, and the specific challenges faced by service users. This knowledge will help you answer questions confidently and show your genuine interest in the role.
✨Show Empathy and Resilience
During the interview, be prepared to discuss how you've handled difficult situations in the past. Share examples that highlight your ability to empathise with clients and maintain resilience in challenging circumstances. This will demonstrate that you can build trusting relationships with service users.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
Prepare some insightful questions about the role and the organisation. This shows that you're not just interested in the job, but also in how you can contribute to the team and the lives of the service users. It’s a great way to engage with the interviewers and leave a lasting impression.
✨Highlight Your Networking Skills
Since the role involves liaising with various agencies and specialists, be ready to discuss your experience in building partnerships. Share specific examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others to support clients, as this will showcase your ability to navigate complex situations effectively.