Women's Shelter Evening Project Worker
Job pack
Our vision is a future where no one has to sleep on the streets of London.
About us
Based in London, Glass Door coordinates the UK’s largest network of open-access services for people facing or experiencing homelessness.
Since 1999, thousands of people have found safe shelte r and the support needed to leave homelessness behind.
Open access means that anyone experiencing or at risk of homelessness can turn to Glass Door regardless of who they are or where they are from. We offer a variety of services and not all our services are right for everyone, but no one will be turned away without an offer of support.
We provide year-round advice through our team of expert caseworkers and coordinate London’s largest emergency winter shelter network. Our shelter and support services save lives and create a route out of homelessness for good.
We are an independent charity that receives no funding that would impede our open access policy. It is thanks to the support and partnership of individuals, churches, community groups, businesses and trusts and foundations that we can continue to provide shelter and support to those who need it most.
What we do
Shelter
Every winter, we work closely with community centres and churches in West London who provide space for a sleeping area for our guests. Our shelters operate from a different venue every night of the week. We have three shelters operating nightly in the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Wandsworth. The shelters accommodate around 35 guests each night.
We provide basic sleeping bags and mats and offer a hot evening meal. Our guests leave in the morning after a hot breakfast and we then close the shelter, removing all equipment ready for setting up in the evening.
Advice and Support
Year-round, anyone in need can speak with dedicated caseworkers who offer advice, advocacy and practical support. Guests can access the advice and support service either from our partner day centre drop-ins or, during the winter, from our emergency night shelters. Guests can also find other services provided by the drop-ins, such as lunch, laundry and showers.
How to apply
Thank you for your interest in this role - we're so glad you'd like to join our team.
Outlined further in this pack is the job description and person specification, the main terms for the role and a summary of our recent impact.
If you believe in our ethos and want to make a difference, please apply here or at glassdoor.org.uk/jobs
Interviews will happen on a rolling basis.
We foster a diverse and inclusive culture and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of homelessness. When you apply for a role with Glass Door, we ask you to complete this Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form and return it to recruitment@glassdoor.org.uk. Doing so is voluntary and the information provided will be kept confidential and used for monitoring purposes only.
If you have any accessibility requirements, or require the application pack in a different format, please get in touch by emailing recruitment@glassdoor.org.uk
We look forward to hearing from you!
Job specification
Team: Operations
Location: On-site - at Glass Door Night shelter venues in West London
Duration: 20 October 2023 to late March 2024
Reporting to: Operations Manager
Hours of work: Shifts from 6:45pm to 10:00pm. Hours and days of work will vary according to the needs of the service.
Salary: £14.50 per hour
In response to the increased needs, we are opening a women only shelter which will be staffed by women. With additional staff support, we will be providing a safe environment with additional support to guests who may have complex needs.
We are looking to recruit exceptional women with an open, collaborative style and a practical, can-do approach to provide a vital nightly service for our guests as Evening Project Workers.
About you
We value diversity and welcome all, in particular those with life experience and lived experience.
While experience of working within the homelessness sector or with similarly vulnerable people would be desirable, an understanding of the needs of people experiencing homelessness and working in a compassionate and flexible manner is more important and essential.
Flexibility is required, as you will be working a shift rota that will include weekends and public holidays. Due to the vulnerable group you will be working with, you will be asked to undergo an enhanced DBS check as part of our safeguarding measures prior to appointment.
Job specification
What you will do as part of our team
The Evening Project Worker is responsible for the following:
- Maintaining a friendly, supportive environment and cultivating positive relationships with guests, colleagues, and volunteers.
- Following best practice procedures for the security and safety of the guests and volunteers.
- Diffusing difficult or dangerous situations and summon assistance when necessary. Training will be provided.
- Writing regular shift reports using the In-Form client relationship platform.
- Carrying out regular checks around the shelter, checking conditions of all areas.
- Adhering to Glass Door’s operational and health & safety policies in all aspects of your work.
- Maintaining clear lines of communication with your colleagues including the Night Shelter Manager, Caseworkers, and the Operations Manager.
- Ensuring cleaning protocols are followed and implemented.
- Undertaking any other duties to aid the good running of the project, as required by the Shelter Manager or Operations Manager.
- Accurately reporting observations, interactions, concerns and actions with guests to their caseworker using written reports.
- Flexibility is required, as you will be working a shift rota that includes weekends and public holidays.
- On occasions you will also be expected to attend training, team meetings and other activities as required.
Person specification
Essential
- Commitment to providing an excellent service and to interact with shelter guests in a positive and respectful manner.
- An understanding of and empathy towards the challenges women may experience.
- Ability to work as part of a team and be a supportive team member.
- Confidence in dealing with challenging behaviour.
- Good written and verbal communications skills.
- Ability to carry out manual handling tasks.
- Understanding of and commitment to Equal Opportunities.
Desirable
- Experience working within the homelessness sector or with similarly vulnerable people
- Ability to speak additional languages including but not limited to Polish, Romanian, Arabic, Spanish, French, Bulgarian, Russian or Tigrinya.
- Lived experience of homelessness.
- An understanding and value of trauma informed care.
- Relevant training certificates (First aid, health & safety, fire Safety, conflict de-escalation).
Our impact
1,786 individuals received support through Glass Door’s expert casework service and emergency winter night shelters in 2022-23.
Despite the many challenges associated with the economy including the cost of living crisis, 294 of our guests moved into housing this year.
In the winter of 2022-23, a total of 293 individuals found a safe place to stay in our emergency winter night shelters.
Behind each statistic are hundreds of individuals, each with a unique story. This year 157 of those we supported were refugees or asylum seekers. 22% suffered from mental health issues, and 18% from physical health issues.
Guests experiencing multiple challenges such as a relationship breakdown, past trauma, alcohol dependency and debt found help to address these issues and become more stable and self-sufficient.
Benefits and perks
Annual leave based on the number of hours Contributory worked, pro-rated on the basis of a full-time pension scheme requirement of 26 days per year
Reflective practice: one-one coaching Enhanced sick pay session/s with an from start of external qualified employment practitioner
Our values
We are We are open to all, We are welcoming without prejudice compassionate
We believe individuals We are ambitious and can turn their lives around We build trust bold, but we grow sustainably
We know we can have a bigger impact when we work together
EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion)
We are committed to ensuring Glass While we partner with some churches
Door continues to be an organisation and church-owned properties to run where everyone, regardless of gender, our casework services, we are not a sexuality, marital or civil partner status, religious organisation. There is no race, nationality, religion or belief, requirement for our employees or pregnancy, disability or age can volunteers to hold a faith or a belief. participate, excel and contribute to our work.
We foster a diverse and inclusive culture and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of homelessness.
We ask candidates to complete this
Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form and while it is voluntary, it would be helpful if you would do so as this will assist us in monitoring our reach within all our communities.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: From £14.50 per hour
Expected hours: 3.25 – 13 per week
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Sick pay
Work days:
- Every weekend
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
