Welfare Support Officer
Location: Perth
Salary: Up to £28,917 per annum
Employment: Full-time, 6-month fixed-term contract, 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Benefits: Company vehicle and fuel card or £3,500 car allowance
Mears provides temporary accommodation to asylum seekers while their claims are being assessed across three regions: Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. As of May 2021, Mears supported over 19,000 service users. We work in partnership with government bodies, providers, tenants, landlords, and investors to address homelessness, increase social and affordable housing, and develop specialist housing for people with care needs.
About the Role:
Due to contract expansion, we are seeking a Welfare Support Officer to join our team. This role focuses on supporting asylum seekers through their right-to-work and asylum application process with the Home Office. The ideal candidate will be resilient, trustworthy, caring, empathetic, and a good communicator. The role offers variety and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference, despite its challenges.
Main duties include supporting service users at various stages of their asylum process, addressing safeguarding and welfare issues, providing practical and emotional support, monitoring wellbeing, and maintaining accurate records for Home Office audits. Maintaining professional boundaries and resilience are essential to deliver consistent, quality support tailored to service users' needs.
Role Criteria:
* Experience working with vulnerable and diverse client groups
* Understanding of safeguarding procedures
* Ability to assess individual and family needs and support independence
* Experience with mental health or challenging behaviour
* Effective communication skills with colleagues, authorities, and service users
* Experience with record keeping and risk assessments
* Ability to work independently
* Resilience and professionalism
* Supportive, trustworthy, empathetic, and approachable
* Flexibility and willingness to travel
* Full UK driving license
Additional Information:
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK; we do not offer visa sponsorship. The recruitment process includes DBS, BPSS checks, and Security Clearance, requiring relevant identification, references, passport, and proof of UK residence for the last 5 years. To drive a Mears vehicle, candidates must be over 21, have held their license for over 3 months, and have fewer than 9 points.
Benefits:
* 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
* Annual Mears Fun Day
* Paid volunteering leave
* Staff discounts and perks through Mears Rewards
* Family-friendly policies
* Company vehicle and fuel card
* Access to EAP counselling sessions
To apply or discuss your application, contact Beth Dunford at beth.dunford@mearsgroup.co.uk. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity employment. We support the Armed Forces Covenant and have received the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. We also promote social mobility and invite optional background information during the application process to help us improve opportunities for all.
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