Housing night assistant

Job Description 37.5 hours per week / permanent / working on a fouron, fouroff shift pattern across a sevenday rolling rota, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. A full, valid UK driving licence is essential, as this is a mobile role; YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice. We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support. Our services provide supported housing for young people aged 16–25, offering both high (24 hour supported) and medium/low supported levels of housing including young families. We take a trauma informed, and psychologically informed approach, supporting residents to build essential life skills, identify personal goals, and work towards their aspirations, enabling them to move on to fully independent living. We are looking for a Housing Mobile Night Worker to provide floating support across our housing services. You will play a key role in ensuring our properties remain safe, secure, and welcoming throughout the night. You will start and finish each shift in Brighton, where the organisation’s works vehicle is based. As part of the role, you will provide break cover for static night staff and may be required, on occasion, to cover a static shift at one of our 24hour staffed properties. During each shift, you will visit all properties and help maintain a safe, secure and supportive environment. This includes demonstrating strong communication skills, maintaining accurate records, carrying out building checks, monitoring CCTV, reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns, and ensuring all health and safety requirements are met in line with organisational policies and procedures. The role also involves working proactively to minimise the impact of antisocial behaviour on residents and neighbouring communities. This may include onetoone interventions with young people, including those experiencing a mental health crisis or requiring medical assistance. As part of your induction programme, you will have the opportunity to get to know the different teams and services, complete the required training, and undertake shadow shifts to ensure you feel confident, supported, and well prepared. This is a dynamic and varied role for someone who is organised, self-motivated and is happy to lone work for most of their shift. Ideally, you will have experience working with young people, those considered vulnerable, or individuals with multiple and complex needs, and be able to demonstrate a genuine passion for working with young people. You will have an understanding of the needs of single homeless clients aged 16–25, along with the ability to engage, motivate, and inspire others, and a strong commitment to making a positive difference to people’s lives. In addition, you will have the ability to deescalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour in a calm and appropriate manner. CLOSING DATE: Sunday 5 July 2026 at midnight. An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.