Job profile

Mental Specialist Support Worker Look Ahead Care Support and Housing, Tower Hamlets

Looking for a new role where you can make a difference every day? We’re looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Specialist Support Worker to join our Mental Health service in Tower Hamlets.

£25,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week, plus 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Shift pattern:

8am - 4pm

2pm - 10pm

5/7 days, including weekend

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 110 services, providing support to around 7000 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. We’re looking for a Specialist Support Worker to join our Mental Health service.

The position is in Tower Hamlets 140 Cannon Street Road E1 2LF and consists of one high support building with 20 flats and two low support buildings with 20 lower support flats spread over two sites within close proximity.

Essential:

• Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector (sociology background)

• 2 years’ experience

Desirable:

• An understanding of care-planning processes and Models of Care within mental health

• Knowledge of group and individual therapy and an understanding of risk management

• Experience in engaging vulnerable people social inclusion activities and/or resettlement (i.e., Health, education, employment, housing management, arts, advocacy, benefits advice etc)

• Experience of supporting vulnerable people

Job Overview:

Post-holders will be required to demonstrate strengths in all the indicators set out in the relevant Look Ahead Competency Model. More specifically, the post-holder will be able:

• To provide intensive support (both practical and emotional) to people living in the Project

• To act as a positive influence on clients encouraging responsible behaviour and self-reliance

• To support people in a way that maximises their self-sufficiency and enables them to live independently in their own homes

• To act as a resource co-ordinator and advocate in order that clients can make informed choices about how they live in the local community

Key Responsibilities:

• Undertake key working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the Team Leader/Manager

• Undertake initial & continuous assessment of needs and potential risks & agree levels of support and actions

• Create support/ action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available

• To liaise with the referral agency to ensure that full information is given to enable a proper assessment to be made of future clients

• To work collaboratively with staff from the Community Mental Health Team in performing joint assessment to determine the appropriateness of referrals to the service

• To advocate assertively to statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure that clients’ needs are met

• To attend and participate in weekly staff meetings, meetings with other professionals and in supervision and training as required

• To work with the Staff Team on the aims and the objectives of the service

• To stay up to date with regard to development and research in the mental health field, in housing support and in welfare benefits

• The ability to be self-servicing in the terms of computer/word processing is a requirement of this post. If the appropriate I.T. skills are not gained by the recruitment stage, appropriate training may be provided by Look Ahead

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

Person Specification:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement

• Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour

• Prefers working as part of a group or team

• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement

• Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised

• Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments

• Is confident with high levels of self-esteem

• Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication

• Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can-do attitude

• Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour

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.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

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.