Emmaus Overview
Emmaus is a community that provides accommodation and work for vulnerable people. We are committed to providing support while promoting independence. Staff and volunteers must work closely with Companions while observing appropriate professional boundaries in performing their role. They must also learn and engage with the Emmaus ethos.
The key task for this role is to manage a caseload of up to 16 Companions and to ensure that new companions get the information and support they need to help them settle in quickly and easily to the community and to working in our charity shops, warehouse and delivery / collection service. The support worker role is central to the team and close teamwork is essential.
The support worker will undertake direct support work with companions. Each companion has a personal support and development plan to help them achieve their personal goals and ambitions, in compliance with our Emmaus ethos, strategic aims, organisational objectives, policies and procedures.
Staff are expected to participate in and support solidarity activities undertaken by the Community. Solidarity within the context of Emmaus is the working with groups and individuals towards the alleviation of poverty, social exclusion and suffering, and responding to local, national and international appeals for relief and support.
We expect you to carry out your job responsibilities in an environmentally aware manner. Our aim is to ensure all resources are utilised effectively and efficiently. You will be expected to apply sound ‘value for money’ principles in undertaking purchasing or supply of goods and services.
In Emmaus, volunteers are an important resource and make a vital contribution to Emmaus’s aim to take action to help disadvantaged people. You will be expected to encourage and support volunteer involvement in our work.
Main duties and responsibilities
Support for Companions
* Support a caseload of companions to reach their potential through both practical and emotional support.
* Tailor support plans to meet individual needs – setting goals, assigning actions and taking a holistic view of the person and their wishes.
* Guide induction and exit processes for companions – to ensure that they understand the core principles of the offer at Emmaus and move on to long term, sustainable accommodation after us. Use de-escalation techniques to manage challenging behaviour as it arises, with consideration to positive conflict resolution.Support with incident response, including responding to risk, e.g. anti-social behaviour, mental health concerns, fire alarms etc.
* Liaise with external providers (CMHT, GP, DWP, hospitals, probation, prisons, CAB etc) to ensure that specialist advice and guidance is sought where needed.
Administrative duties
* Maintain accurate records in line with internal policy and with consideration for GDPR principles.
* Perform tasks to support the effective running of the community.
* Contact external providers to make them aware of who we are and what we do to drive referrals.
* Provide written updates for key stakeholders and internal meetings.
* Provide structured support for companions as agreed in the support plan.
* Participate in an emergency on-call rota to ensure 24/7 support is available for companions where needed.
Health and Safety
* To apply the organisations health and safety policy.
* To carry out risk assessments as and when required and to ensure actions arising from this are carried out.
* To ensure that health and safety procedures are understood and followed by all companions.
* To report any incidents or concerns to the Community Support Manager.