Refuge Support Worker – Look Ahead Care and Support, Tower Hamlets

We’re looking for a compassionate and resilient Refuge Support Worker to join our Domestic Abuse Service located in Tower Hamlets. No personal care or experience required, just the right values.

£27,705.60 per annum, working 36 hours per week.

Fixed term contract till March 2027

Want to feel in control of your career? 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.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• A generous pension – we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff’s commitment and contribution
• Free DBS

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

We are recruiting a Part Time Support Worker for our Look Ahead refuge to support and empower women to move on successfully with their lives.

The service supports 15 women with/out children in self contained units. The aim of the service is to support women to rebuild their lives following a period of abuse, preparing them to move on within a 6-month period to an accommodation type of their choice either in or out of borough.

We are looking to recruit a part time, enthusiastic and energetic customer focused support worker to join our service and dynamic team. Support workers deliver support along side the in house Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) to address the safety of victims, survivors at high risk of harm and to equip women with the tools to move on within the allocated period.

The role requires some flexibility as the post holder will work shifts on 20 hours shared rota which includes weekend’s shifts and out of hours on call rota.

What you’ll do: 

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.

• Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by the service Manager
• To empower and support women and children in the refuge to keep safe and move on successfully with their lives
• Complete DASH Risk Assessments, conduct comprehensive and regular customer risk assessments to ensure their safety and wellbeing
• Create support/action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available
• Provide practical assistance to support customers to work towards the goals in their support plan (e.g. supporting benefits applications, attending medical appointments and appointments with external agencies
• Work flexibly, supporting each customer to exercise choice and control over their support and the wider service they receive
• Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local community
• Liaise with external agencies such as the Police, MARAC, Social Services and GPs
• Work in partnership with involved agencies and stakeholders to deliver coordinated, responsive support
• Help customers to integrate into their local area and access local educational, social, wellbeing and community activities, resources and opportunities
• Carry out duties as required to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of customers and fellow colleagues
• Monitor rent account, encourage and enable tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively in conjunction with the Housing Management team
• Manage customer referrals, completing Dash Risk Assessments and obtaining and maintaining all relevant paperwork
• Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers and creating a positive atmosphere
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system. Understanding of MARAC protocols
• Encouraging customers to attend relevant programmes when appropriate i.e. Freedom Programme Recovery Toolkit to support successful move on
• Ensure Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all times and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
• Adhere to all the policies and procedures of Look Ahead Care & Support plus those specific to the project including any statutory requirements

About you:

• 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

What you’ll bring:

Essential:

• NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent with some or equivalent sector work experience

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

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 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.