Job description
Job Role:F/T Female* Women’s Intensive Caseworker
(Temporary - for 9 months with possible extension)
This is an exciting opportunity to break the cycle of homelessness which some females experience. The Women’s Intensive Caseworker will provide intensive support to a small caseload of chronically homeless females until they successfully transition from homelessness to home.
The women will have complex and multiple needs including; repeat homelessness, significant histories of trauma, mental health, addiction and family breakdown. They will also have struggled to engage with other support services which exacerbates and prolongs their homelessness experience and results in them ‘revolving’ around the system.
If you are motivated, resourceful and passionate about empowering and supporting women then join our team. You must be able to provide trauma-informed, strength-based support and work to the Welcome ethos of low threshold and high tolerance services. In return, we will provide the opportunity to develop your skills, professional supervision and support, along with being part of a team where your views count and where you can make a lasting difference to the lives of homeless women.
This job may suit a recently qualified social worker or mental health practitioner. This list is not exhaustive but is indicative of the main areas of work.
Working hours and rate of Pay:
37.5 hours - This comprises of a 40 hour week with a daily 30 minute unpaid lunch break. Hours will normally be 9am to 5pm with one evening per week. You may be required to provide crisis intervention at the weekend.
Salary: £19,032 per annum
Benefits: 20 days per annum plus Public/Bank Holidays (or pro rota) and Pension Scheme
What the role entails:
- Working in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and other agencies promote the service and identify female clients who fit the support criteria i.e. continuous homelessness alongside multiple and complex needs
- Build trusting and meaningful relationships with women whilst keeping within professional boundaries and our ethos of low threshold and high tolerance.
- Key-work a small caseload, design and implement person-centred and holistic needs/risk assessments and support plans, ensure regular 1 to 1 meetings to review progress towards goals.
- Provide varied support to reflect the needs of women at the stage of homelessness they are in i.e. rough sleeping, temporary accommodation and independent living.
- Provide trauma informed and strength-based support, which enables women to address underlying psychological and emotional issues and helps them to develop resilience and other ‘tools’ needed to successfully maintain independent living.
- Support women to access programmes and workshops which improve their awareness of healthier choices around risky activities, confidence building, self- esteem and personal development.
- Support women to refer, access and sustain engagement with other services in order to address their needs such as benefits, housing, health, criminal justice, social care etc.
- Work with other agencies to provide ‘wraparound’ support including initiating and leading multi-agency case conferences and ensuring support is considered and consistent in a way that works for the women.
Essential Criteria:
- Thorough understanding of the causes and consequences of female homelessness
- 1 year experience supporting females with complex and multiple needs
OR
- Lived experience where skills have been developed that would be transferable to the post
- Ability to develop person-centered needs/risk assessments and support plans and manage a key worker case load
- Ability to access local/community based programmes
- Ability to self-manage, work in a team and have excellent organisational skills.
- Ability to manage people with challenging behaviour and poor levels of engagement
- Able to work flexible hours as required including some weekend and evenings
- A satisfactory Enhanced Access NI check
- The post holder will be required to wear identifiable clothing (uniform) whilst working
Desirable Criteria:
- Mental Health level 3 (or above) qualification
- Social worker qualification
Closing date is 29th Nov 2021 at 12pm
If you think you meet the criteria, please submit your CV to Michael.Mcalinden@mparecruitment.co.uk or call our office on 02895211111 for more information and how to register for this role.