Project Worker Complex Needs in Arlington

Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

Company Limited by Guarantee num ber 1741926 Charity Number 287779 Registered in England as Single Homeless Project

shp Single Homeless Project

Job title: Project Worker Complex Needs

Delegated Authority: Level 7

Team: 88 Arlington

Responsible to: Service Manager

Responsible for: N/A

Job purpose

This role exists to provide people experiencing homelessness with the consistent, skilled support they need to begin moving forward from some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives. Many clients face overlapping challenges, such as problematic drug or alcohol use, poor mental health, physical illness, offending histories and the lasting effects of trauma. By working within a Psychologically Informed Environment, the project worker helps to create spaces where individuals feel heard, understood and able to begin making positive changes.

The work combines practical support with relationship building. It may mean helping someone engage with health or social care services, offering advocacy when systems feel hard to navigate, or working alongside a client to reduce harm from their substance use. It can also involve finding ways to increase safety, stability and wellbeing in day-to-day life. Every interaction aims to build on strengths, foster resilience and encourage recovery at a pace that feels realistic for each person.

At its heart, this role is about enabling people to believe in the possibility of a different future. By connecting clients with community and statutory resources, supporting them to take steps towards their goals, and working as part of a committed team, project workers make a tangible difference. The impact can be profound: improved health, reduced isolation, greater independence and the chance to leave homelessness behind.

Day to Day Service Delivery

Provide consistent shift cover in line with the rota, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents.

Respond flexibly to residents’ immediate needs as they arise.

Contribute to a safe, calm and supportive environment within the service.

Referrals, Assessments and Casework

Carry out assessments that recognise both strengths and areas of need, using a whole-person approach.

Support residents to understand the links between their needs and housing options.

Hold a caseload of residents with complex needs, creating and reviewing recovery or support plans.

Acknowledge that some residents may be unsure about accepting support due to past negative experiences.

Risk Assessment and Management

Produce clear and thorough risk assessments and management plans.

Regularly review and update plans in line with procedures or when risks change.

Take prompt action where risks to safety increase.

Support and Action Planning

Work with residents and other professionals to create person-centred support plans.

Ensure plans are outcome-focused, realistic and reviewed within agreed timescales.

Coordinate involvement from external services and adjust support levels depending on changing needs.

Encourage engagement by:

• Adapting communication to individual needs.
• Helping residents build insight into their situation and identify solutions.
• Highlighting the risks linked to street life, exploitation, substance use, repeat homelessness and conflict.
• Promoting awareness of how unmet needs affect opportunities for housing, health, and independence.
• Linking residents to appropriate care pathways and treatment options.

Housing Management

Minimise income loss by:

• Reporting and following up maintenance issues.
• Supporting residents to access benefits and manage arrears.
• Preparing empty rooms quickly and processing referrals efficiently.
• Carry out sign-ups clearly, ensuring residents understand their rights, responsibilities, and local information.
• Take part in housing management tasks such as room checks, locality checks and health and safety inspections.
• Use rent systems to monitor accounts, resolve issues early, and maximise rent collection.

Information Management

Record all resident contact accurately and promptly on the organisation’s database.

Keep casework records up to date and maintain accurate outcome data.

Share information appropriately with colleagues and partner agencies.

Partnership Working

Work collaboratively with internal teams (e.g. Housing Services, Finance, Recovery/Opportunities programmes).

Coordinate with external partners including referral agencies, health services, probation, social care, treatment providers, emergency services, and local community groups.

Build and maintain knowledge of local services, referral processes and thresholds.

Take part in multi-agency meetings to review and progress care plans.

Maintain a professional approach that upholds the reputation of the service.

Social Inclusion and Recovery Support

Encourage resident involvement in shaping the service and respond to feedback.

Support residents to engage in peer-led recovery and mutual aid groups.

Help residents identify and access activities within and outside the project.

Support residents to prepare for work, education or training opportunities.

Co-deliver recovery activities, groups and workshops with colleagues and partner agencies.

Health and Safety

Follow all organisational and legal health and safety requirements.

Take responsibility for safe working practices, including lone working and fire safety.

Carry out regular checks of rooms and buildings, reporting hazards promptly.

Teamwork and Personal Development

Share knowledge and skills with colleagues and work flexibly to meet service needs.

Take part in team meetings, supervisions, reviews and reflective practice sessions.

Engage in ongoing learning and take responsibility for personal development.

Financial and Budgeting Support

Support residents to maximise income through benefits and ensure claims remain active.

Help residents develop budgeting skills and set up bank or savings accounts.

Always follow organisational financial procedures.

Specialist Skills

Use psychologically informed approaches when working with complex needs.

Draw on specialist skills such as motivational interviewing, harm reduction, CBT techniques, mapping tools, mindfulness, and behavioural strategies.

Safeguarding

Follow all safeguarding procedures for adults and children.

Use knowledge of substance use, mental health and related issues to inform risk assessments and raise safeguarding alerts where required.

Share relevant information with colleagues and managers to promote safety and effective responses.

Miscellaneous

SHP is at discretion to amend your responsibilities and, in addition to these, you may be required to perform other duties as may be required for the efficient running of the organisation.

To create inclusive working environments and cultures to enable colleagues and clients to feel safe and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Experience and Knowledge

Demonstrable level of relevant experience of working with complex needs as presented by former rough sleeping or homeless people, (e.g. combined issues either relating to poly substance use, mental ill health, multiple physical health needs, unmet social care needs, complex trauma, or repeat offending/street based ASB) in an environment where these needs are not supported by a statutory agency at the point of referral.

Proven experience and skills in delivering highly personalised assessment and casework, support planning, goal setting, advocacy, and the ability to apply this in a caseload of clients who find it difficult to engage in formal keywork and where there are barriers to accessing statutory support.

A strong understanding of the issues that typically disrupt progress in journeys towards independence, such as mental health, substance misuse, self-harm, domestic violence, anger management, learning impairment and frailty due to illness.

A good understanding of the Strengths and Recovery model, and the ability to engage, support and motivate clients to progress within a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE).

A good understanding of the health and social care sector and the ability to navigate between and across specialties whilst working with clients to create a multiagency care plan.

Experience of reflecting critically upon own practice in order to enhance the experience of service users.

Skills and Abilities

The ability to work intensively with clients, respond calmly to crisis and deal promptly, effectively, safely and creatively to complex and challenging situations.

Excellent time management skills, ability to work on own initiative, manage competing priorities and maintain high standards.

IT skills including the use of Microsoft Office programmes and database recording systems.

An ability and willingness to work a rota that includes early and early shifts and covers weekdays and weekends.

Excellent team-working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a collaborative approach to delivering service objectives across work specialisms.

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