Key Worker (Independent Living Officer) – HUGGARD, Cardiff

Huggard - Independent Living Officer (Key-worker) - 24-hour Hostels.

Overview

Huggard is a Charity helping homeless people in Cardiff. Our focus is on both providing emergency housing and support (we provide the out of hours emergency service for the city) and breaking the cycle of people’s homelessness.

We run two complex need hostels with self-contained rooms and emergency beds - 88 spaces in all.

We run a day centre - Huggard centre that is open 365 days a year providing health, housing, personal development, training services, two hot meals a day, access to computers, benefits advice, laundry and other services. We support those who are rough sleeping, in our accommodation and those temporarily housed.

Overview of the Role.

Our Independent Living Officers (ILOs) are our hostel keyworkers who work across the week on rota. There are 4 in each hostel, and they hold a case load of 5 to 7 long term clients in self-contained accommodation and a similar number in emergency beds.

We are a complex need hostel, offering emergency accommodation, we see a large number of clients through our doors (both men and women (we have separate female provision onsite) and we work rapidly to stabilise them and be the first step out of homelessness.

The role is focused on empowering residents by addressing needs and building the skills and resilience on their journey out of homelessness. This will be achieved by carrying out quality casework, and support planning with individual residents so together you are working towards positive outcomes for our residents.

Onsite Support and advice and intervention services

Supported by a dedicated night team in both hostels

Security - 24-hour Security across the site

Substance Use - Harm Reduction Hub and Harm Reduction Staff

Rough Sleeping Lead

Food - Food programme – Kitchen and catering team.

Client Skills and Training Team.

Finance and Facilities Team

Health - GP and Nurse Surgery

Accommodation - Council accommodation service.

Criminal Justice - Probation surgery

Finances - DWP and benefits service

Key Responsibilities

Key Aim: To provide individual dedicated support to residents in Huggard’s

accommodation, focusing on:

· Providing a Safe, welcoming and supportive environment for people

experiencing homelessness and related support needs

· Working with residents to establish aspirations and goals that are ambitious

and achievable.

· Helping individuals to identify and overcome the barriers that can cause

a return to homelessness and may prevent them from moving into more

sustainable accommodation.

· Supporting individuals to engage with existing housing, health and

support services.

· Utilising a case management approach and tools to document these plans and work to a personalised outcome focused plan for each individual.

Working with Clients duties

· Be a warm and welcoming presence for when people access our service

· Engage with a range of individuals who have multiple and compounded support needs with a view to engaging them in appropriate services, build on their skills and strengths and supporting them in their own homes

· Hold a caseload of residents and work with residents to assess and identify their support needs, agreeing support plans, recording outcomes and reviewing progress towards achieving their goals.

· Undertake risk assessments for each customer and reviewing them regularly

· Provide housing related support including aiding clients with paying rent, maintaining their room to a decent standard and other key skills.

· Providing support around developing key life skills; including digital literacy, budgeting and citizenship.

· Support those in crisis effectively with clear communication and action and referral to expert support.

· Employing effective de-escalation/conflict resolution skills aimed at supporting behaviour change

Partnership working duties

· Supporting and liaising with other agencies to support our clients and ensuring partnership working.

· Work closely with the Harm reduction team within the service to ensure that residents are able to access support, advice and treatment.

· Work closely with Cardiff Single Persons Gateway in order to maximise accommodation opportunities for service users

Communication

· Ensure important and relevant information is handed over to the necessary people and hostel handovers are completed thoroughly

· Record information on Huggard database and update and complete relevant documentation for the role.

GENERAL

· Promote and uphold the dignity of Huggard clients and abide by Huggard’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

· Adhere to Huggard’s Policies and Procedures at all times.

· Being proactive in reviewing and evaluating own performance and identifying and acting upon areas for improvement and development.

· Undertaking, as required, any other duties compatible with the level and nature of the post and/or reasonably required by more senior members of staff.

· Attend and participate in team meetings, training for the role and other meetings as required.

This job description covers the current range of duties and will be reviewed from time to time. It is Huggard’s aim to reach agreement on changes, but if agreement is not possible, Huggard reserves the right to change this job description.

Person specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

1. Confidence in working with people who have suffered traumatic lives and my experience difficulty in motivating themselves to effect positive change.

2. A willingness to work in a psychologically and trauma informed way adhering to evidenced ways of working and best practices.

3. Understanding or willingness to learn about the operations of Supported Accommodation projects.

4. Experience of working as part of a team to get results.

5. An ability to be calm, resourceful and enthusiastic in their work

6. The ability to problem solve, work dynamically and adapt to changing situations at work

7. Strong communication (written and verbal), IT skills and relationship-building skills.

The following are required of all roles with Huggard. However, you do not need to address these in your application.

· Genuine interest in and commitment to Huggard’s work and client group.

· An understanding of and commitment to diversity & equality.

· Willingness to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements.

· A Driving Licence is deemed highly desirable and will be asked about at interview.

Huggard Terms and Conditions for this role.

Salary. Huggard is a real living wage employer. A starting salary of £* 30,030.84 *for this role rising to on completion of 6 months probationary period.

This is reviewed annually to take account of cost of living, rises in the real living wage base rate. For exceptional candidates Huggard will look at the banding for this role.

Working hours ILO roles work across the week 11 hour shifts with an hour unpaid break as part of this. 8am to 8pm rota.

The Rota pattern equates to 7 shifts in 14 with every second weekend off. The hours are 38.5 hours per week.

Pension. Huggard operates a Group Personal Pension Scheme through Standard Life for all contracted staff and pays an employer’s contribution equivalent to 7% of each employee’s salary into the scheme and the employee pays a minimum of 1%

Holiday. Huggard holiday entitlement It starts at 5 weeks’ holiday (6.6 weeks including Bank Holidays). Staff required to work Bank Holidays will be given time off in lieu and some Bank Holidays also attract double pay.

Healthcare. Huggard pays for Benenden Healthcare for all contracted staff. The immediate benefits for staff include:

· 24 hour GP advice line, 24/7 counselling helpline (relationship, money, employment, anxiety), Health advice line

· After 6 months in the scheme, staff have access to: Treatment and surgery, Local consultations and tests, Physiotherapy, Counselling & psychology for stress, bereavement, anxiety or depression as well as other mental health problems. Financial help with cancer or TB.

Meals. Staff are able to make use of Huggard’s kitchen services at a subsidised rate.

CycleScheme: providing staff with the benefit of being able to purchase bicycles at a reduced rate through a salary sacrifice scheme.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From £30,084.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person