Specialist Support Worker
We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Specialist Support Worker to join our Mental Health service in Ealing.
£00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
Specialist Support Workers within Look Ahead are required to have either an extra dimension of experience or a higher qualification level as determined relevant for the particular post. Specialist Support Workers provide information, social inclusion and vocational opportunities to support people to recover and stay well; exercise choice and control in their care and lives; and participate on an equal footing in the community. Support is also provided to develop a model of self-advocacy, self-management and empowerment, incorporating the principles and practice of recovery, co-production and peer support.
Oaklands & St Kilda is a pair of 6 unit supported accommodation mental health rehab services working with young people between the ages of 18-25 who may have experienced a mental health related hospital admission to gain and develop skills for future independent living. The service will support individuals transitioning from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult services.
This role is set for 9-month, ending on 12 January 2026, with the possibility of extension.
The Specialist Support Worker role involves early shifts (8:00-16:00) and late shifts (14:00-22:00) throughout the week, including some weekends each month.
Building supportive, trusting relationships with young people and creating a positive atmosphere
- Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
- Create support plans for providing appropriate services based on on-going assessment and reflecting the services and resources available to support young people in their journey
- Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks within an attitude of 'positive risk taking
- Supporting young people to access relevant services and empower them to self-manage their medication through informed consent and decision making
- Undertake support work in partnership with external stakeholders to compliment their interventions
- Demonstrate strong commitment to the functioning of the staff team and to support colleagues in providing a high level of service and safety t0 customers
- Co-producing the design, development and delivery of the service with young people
- Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies and local protocols are adhered to at all times e.g. fire risk assessments, fire alarm checks etc.
- Being responsible for the handover of key information between shifts
- Provide structured support and guidance to other front line staff in their area of expertise
- Adhering to all other Look Ahead's policies and procedures. Ability to advocate for young people in different professional and community spaces
- Values working collaboratively with young people to ensure the service best meets their needs.
- We welcome applications from people with lived experience of some of the challenges that this service aims to support with for example, mental health difficulties.
- Plans and encourages involvement in local activities.
- Recognises the value of both 1:1 working with young people and the importance of working as part of a group or team
- Flexible
- Confident in the use of IT systems such as SharePoint and Microsoft Office suite.
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours
Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience supporting young people or people experiencing mental health challenges.
- Specialist knowledge relevant to supporting young people with a Mental Health diagnosis.
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.