Location: Edinburgh
Salary: up to £29,856.80 per annum, including company vehicle and fuel card or £3,500 car allowance
Contract: Full time – Permanent, 40hrs per week, Monday to Friday
Mears provides temporary accommodation to asylum seekers whilst their claim is being assessed in the following regions: Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. At the end of May 2021 Mears had over 19,000 service users across the three regions. Mears works in partnership with central and local Government, registered providers, tenants, landlords and investors to find solutions to homelessness, provide more social and affordable housing and create 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 is an exciting position that works exclusively to support asylum seekers going through their right-to-work asylum application process with the home office. The ideal candidate will be resilient, trustworthy, caring, a people person and extremely empathetic to others. As a Welfare Support Officer every day is different; although this role comes with its challenges it is an extremely rewarding role.
Role criteria
* Support service users at various stages of their asylum application process
* Address safeguarding and welfare issues appropriately, escalating concerns when necessary
* Provide both practical and emotional support to service users
* Monitor wellbeing and identify support needs for individuals and families
* Ensure accurate record‑keeping for Home Office audits and compliance
* Carry out risk assessments and update support plans regularly
* Maintain professional boundaries while providing a supportive and empathetic service
* Assist service users with accessing healthcare, education, and community services
* Signpost to external agencies and support networks where appropriate
* Accompany service users to appointments or interviews where required
* Promote independence and resilience by encouraging service users to develop life skills
* Work collaboratively with colleagues, local authorities, and partner organisations
* Respond quickly and calmly to crisis situations to ensure safety and support
* Contribute to service improvements by sharing feedback and best practice
* Support equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of service delivery
* Experience working with vulnerable and diverse client groups
* Strong understanding of safeguarding practices and procedures
* Ability to identify needs and put in place appropriate support packages to promote independence
* Experience supporting people with mental health issues and/or challenging behaviour
* Effective communication skills with colleagues, service users, and local authorities
* Experience with record keeping, case management, and risk assessments
* Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and prioritise tasks
* Resilient, supportive, trustworthy, approachable, empathetic, and a good listener
* Flexible and willing to travel as required
* Ability to remain calm and professional in difficult or emotional situations
* Good IT skills for updating case notes and maintaining accurate records
* Commitment to confidentiality and data protection
* Full UK driving licence
Benefits
* 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
* Annual Mears Fun Day – a massive thank you from the Executive team for all the hard work!
* Volunteering Leave – Mears supports employees to undertake paid volunteering in the community, in support of our social value commitment.
* Staff perks with Mears Rewards – discounts of up to 10% on weekly groceries, holidays, eye test vouchers, Share save scheme, plus much more
* Family friendly policies
* Company vehicle and fuel card
* Access to EAP counselling sessions
To drive a Mears vehicle you must be aged over 21, have held your licence for over 3 months, and have less than 9 points.
All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK; Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
As part of the recruitment process for this role, we will carry out a Background, Identity, Security clearance & BPSS check. For these checks to be completed we will require relevant identification, including proof of address, references, a valid passport and proof that you have lived in the UK for the last 5 years.
Apply below or to discuss your application further; contact:
Beth Dunford (beth.dunford@mearsgroup.co.uk)
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. We are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS). We also hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers.
In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand diverse experiences. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.
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