Job description
Support Worker We’re looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Islington Young People's service in Islington, for -Months as aternity cover. £, per annum, working hours per week. Benefits include days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression. 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.At Islington Young People Assessment Centre, we operate as a -hour service with a dedicated team of experienced professionals committed to assisting young individuals. Our primary mission is to provide continuous, unparalleled in-house support.Our services are specifically designed for young people aged to, referred to us by Independent Futures (Islington Social Services). We offer comprehensive support across various areas, including substance misuse, domestic violence, relationship challenges, immigration matters, tenancy management, benefits sustainment, and life skills development.Our overarching objective is to empower these young individuals and facilitate positive outcomes. To achieve this, we offer personalized support through regular one-on-one sessions, each guided by a carefully crafted support plan. Our approach is centered on nurturing self-reliance and independence, enabling each young person to unlock their full potential.As a Support Worker in this role, you will oversee a caseload of - Young People aged -, coming from diverse backgrounds such as care leavers, young offenders, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Your responsibilities encompass two primary areas: fostering the development of independent living skills during their stay at the Assessment Centre and collaborating closely with these individuals to identify suitable pathways for their next steps, tailored to their unique requirements. This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation. What you’ll do: This list is not exhaustive and various other tasks and duties will also need to be completed to ensure the needs of the young people are met. • Building supportive and trusting relationships with customers to foster a positive and welcoming atmosphere.• Collaborating proactively with other team members to manage the service caseload and handle administrative responsibilities efficiently.• Conducting innovative and engaging key work sessions as necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the Support Plans.• Continuously assessing and managing risks associated with customers, maintaining an attitude of 'positive risk-taking.'• Providing valuable support for daily living activities, including practical assistance such as budgeting, cooking, and establishing nighttime routines to promote independent living.• Supporting customers in maintaining a clean and healthy living environment, including personal hygiene: no personal care support is provided within the service.• Assisting in the recording and reporting of customer incidents.• Managing customer referrals, completing assessments, and ensuring all necessary paperwork is obtained and maintained.• Developing constructive relationships with partner organizations to enhance service outcomes. • Adhering to lone working protocols and maintaining a high level of awareness regarding the health and safety of both yourself and colleagues. • Involving customers in the design, development, and delivery of our services. • Ensuring full compliance with Look Ahead Health and Safety policies and local protocols at all times, including fire risk assessments and fire alarm checks • Assuming shift-leading responsibilities by coordinating and leading shifts in the absence of a manager. • Taking responsibility for the handover of key information between shifts. • Adhering to all other Look Ahead policies and procedures.• Actively participating in learning and development activities to expand knowledge and skills. • Carrying out any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the position, as assigned by the Contract Manager.
Typical shifts would include:
1. Early shifts (: AM - : PM)
2. Mid shifts (: AM - : PM / : AM - : PM)
3. Late shifts (: PM - : PM)
4. Weekends (usually twice a month)
About you: • Enjoys Social Interaction: Values social interaction and actively engages in local activities to foster customer involvement.• Empathetic, Warm and Approachable: Projects an empathetic, friendly and warm presence and maintains an open and approachable demeanour, fostering trust and understanding.• Non-Judgmental and Respectful: Approaches interactions with a non-judgmental and respectful attitude, prioritising person-centred care.• Collaborative Team Player: Prefers working as part of a group or team, promoting teamwork and cohesion.• Emotionally Resilient: Demonstrates fundamental calmness and resilience, maintaining objectivity and sound judgment even in emotionally charged situations.• Organised and Logical Thinker: Possesses a practical and logical mindset, displaying natural organisational skills.• Adaptable Support Provider: Capable of providing the right balance of care and support tailored to individual customer needs.• Thrives in Dynamic Environments: Excels in dynamic and diverse settings, embracing change as an opportunity for growth.• Confident and Self-Assured: Exhibits confidence and maintains high self-esteem, fostering a positive self-image.• Effective Communicator: Communicates respectfully, articulately, and with sensitivity, ensuring clear and considerate interactions.• Committed to Excellence: Motivated by the pursuit of excellence and personal performance improvement, maintaining a can-do attitude.• Handles Challenging Behaviour Positively: Demonstrates the ability to positively manage challenging and diverse behaviour, responding effectively and constructively.• Adheres to Professional Boundaries: Upholds Look Ahead's professional boundaries policy conscientiously and consistently.• Committed to Professional Growth: Displays a strong desire to continue professional development and enhance their skills and knowledge. What you’ll bring: Essential: • Effective Communication: Proficient in written and oral communication, including recording and report writing.• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrates a high degree of emotional intelligence.• Interagency Collaboration: Ability to establish professional relationships with individuals from diverse agencies.• Conflict Resolution: Skilled in managing challenging situations and conflicts effectively.• Evidence-Based Interventions: Proficient in using evidence-based approaches, such as the social pedagogy model, when delivering direct interventions to Young People. Desirable: • Local Area Expertise: Possesses a solid knowledge of the local area, including its amenities and services.• Supported Accommodation Experience: Brings valuable experience in working with young people within a supported accommodation setting.• Benefit System Proficiency: Proficient in navigating the benefit system and its appeal process.• LACs and Care Leaver Knowledge: Demonstrates an understanding of Looked After Children and Care Leaver entitlements.• Youth Offending Understanding: Has a good grasp of youth offending and the judicial system. About us: Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over services, providing support to around customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us. 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. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.