Support Worker
We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young People's service in Ealing.
£28,808.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.
Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. 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.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* 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
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
Oaklands & St Kilda's is made up of two newly refurbished six-bedroom homes, located close to each other in Ealing, West London. We work with up to 12 young people at a time, providing a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment. Many of the young people joining us are moving on from hospital, stepping down from more intensive placements, or transitioning from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult services.
Our team delivers 24-hour trauma-informed and psychologically informed support. You'll play a key role in helping each young person shape their own support and service experience. Everyone receives a bespoke welcome pack and is encouraged to personalise their living space, helping them feel at home from day one.
We place a strong emphasis on participation and co-production. Young people are encouraged to make decisions about their care, engage in partnership meetings, and take part in activities that build skills and confidence - whether that's cooking, budgeting, managing medication, or accessing education and work opportunities.
As a Support Worker, you'll provide direct, day-to-day support to young people, helping them develop essential life skills, manage their mental health, and build independence. You'll assist with practical tasks such as meal preparation, budgeting, attending appointments, and maintaining a healthy routine. You will encourage participation in social, vocational and community activities, and help young people feel comfortable and confident in their environment.
You will work alongside the team to ensure each young person's individual support plan is followed, recording progress, sharing updates, and promoting a positive, trauma-informed environment. Support Workers play a vital role in creating a friendly, inclusive atmosphere and are often the first point of contact for day-to-day support needs. You'll also help young people develop their own voice and sense of agency in decision-making about their care and daily lives.
If you have a genuine interest in supporting young people with mental health needs, are approachable, practical, and enjoy working as part of a supportive team, we'd love to hear from you. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a trauma-informed, recovery-focused service.
What you'll do:
* Build supportive, trusting relationships with young people and help create a positive, welcoming atmosphere.
* Work proactively with other members of the team to manage the service caseload and carry out necessary administrative tasks.
* Conduct keywork sessions as required, using creative and engaging approaches to help young people achieve their Support Plan goals.
* Work collaboratively with young people to assess and manage risks, supporting positive risk-taking and shared decision-making.
* Provide practical support with daily living activities, such as budgeting, cooking, shopping, and helping to establish healthy routines.
* Support young people to maintain a safe and healthy living environment, including assistance with cleaning and personal hygiene where needed.
* Assist in the recording and reporting of incidents, ensuring accurate and timely documentation.
* Manage referrals, complete assessments, and ensure all relevant paperwork is up to date.
* Develop effective working relationships with partner organisations to improve service outcomes.
* Adhere to lone working protocols and maintain high awareness of health and safety for yourself and colleagues.
* Involve young people in shaping the design, development, and delivery of the service.
* Encourage and support young people to pay rent and manage their finances responsibly.
* Ensure Look Ahead Health and Safety policies and local protocols are followed at all times (e.g. fire risk assessments, fire alarm checks).
* Take on shift leading responsibilities by coordinating and leading shifts when required in the absence of a manager.
* Be responsible for the handover of key information between shifts.
* Follow all Look Ahead policies and procedures and actively engage in learning and development opportunities to increase your knowledge and skills.
* Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as may be reasonably assigned by the Team Leader or Manager.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:
* Ability to advocate for young people in a variety of professional and community settings.
* Values working collaboratively with young people to ensure the service truly meets their needs.
* Understands the impact of individual context, including experiences of trauma and adversity, on young people's lives and mental health.
* Culturally aware and respectful of the different ways people make sense of their experiences and distress.
* We welcome applications from people with lived experience of the challenges this service supports, such as mental health difficulties or experiences of trauma.
* Encourages and supports young people's involvement in local activities and community life.
* Approachable, open, and friendly in behaviour, helping to create a safe and welcoming environment.
* Recognises the importance of both one-to-one work and working as part of a group or team.
* Confident in completing regular paperwork and maintaining good organisation.
* Flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances in a dynamic, diverse environment.
* Open to feedback and committed to ongoing self-development.
* Considers the impact of changes within a dynamic and diverse service.
* Confident in the use of IT systems such as SharePoint and Microsoft Office suite.
* Communicates in a respectful, articulate and sensitive manner.
* Able to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours, maintaining a trauma-informed and supportive approach.
What you'll bring:
Essential:
* Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent, or experience supporting young people or individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Desirable:
* Experience working in complex mental health environments, supported accommodation, or similar settings.
* Understanding of trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches.
* Experience supporting people to develop independent living skills.
About us:
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 have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
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.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
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.