Job Title: Support Assistant
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract - ending March 2027
Salary: £26,227.50 per annum (pro rata)
Working Hours: Part Time - 18.75 per week
Working Pattern: Mon - Sun including BHs - 3 days per week 1300-2100
Location: Stages Academy, Middlesbrough
If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.
Please note that whilst we will accept applications on the basis of any form of valid legal permission to work in the UK, we will be surrendering the Riverside Sponsorship licence, so for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to apply for any further sponsorships whether on behalf of existing colleagues or candidates.
The difference you will make as a Support Assistant
You will be key in the day-to-day running of one of our supported housing services. We don’t run care homes, so there’s no need to provide personal care. The priority in your role includes the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our accommodation, including our customers.
Working with people who have a range of needs, you could be doing any number of things. From supporting customers in conversations with calls from their GP, Social Services, or benefits teams – to dealing with the emergency services including the Police and Ambulance, when the need arises.
You’ll log all incidents to make sure we have an accurate record of events. And when a customer leaves, you will clean and prepare their room, ready for the next occupant.
About you
We are looking for someone with:
- Experience of working with people in a customer facing environment.
- An understanding of supporting vulnerable people – this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction.
- Basic administrative and IT skills and attention to detail are required to maintain records and in-house systems.
Why Riverside?
At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.
We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.
Working with us, you’ll enjoy:
- Competitive pay & generous pension
- 25 days holidays plus bank holidays (pro rata)
- Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
- A wide range of benefits
Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:
We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.
Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to be considered.
Role Profile
Out of hours duties:
- Incoming call management: Answer incoming calls promptly and professionally.
- Provide a compassionate and supportive response to service users in distress.
- Needs Assessment: Conduct thorough assessments of individuals’ needs for temporary accommodation. Gather relevant information regarding the caller’s situation, including any immediate risks or vulnerabilities.
- Homelessness Assessments: Carry out homelessness assessments in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.Evaluate eligibility for assistance and determine the appropriate need for temporary accommodation.
- Statutory Decision-Making: Make necessary statutory decisions regarding eligibility for temporary accommodation. Document all decisions and the rationale behind them in compliance with legal requirements.
- Temporary Accommodation Arrangements: coordinate and arrange suitable temporary accommodation for eligible service users. Liaise with accommodation providers to ensure timely placement and communicate any risks.
- Record Keeping: Maintain accurate and confidential records of all assessments, decisions, and arrangements made. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
- Crisis Management: Respond effectively to crisis situations, providing immediate support and intervention as needed. Escalate urgent cases to emergency services or appropriate authorities when necessary.
Support customers
We use Psychologically Informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles to support our customers to make positive choices, develop new ways of thinking and take steps towards independence, by:
- Assisting in the planning and delivery of a range of personalised support and move-on plans.
- Understanding the risk management process and assisting the team to organise and undertake regular reviews of support and risk.
- Inspiring and motivating customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills.
- Assisting customers with day-to-day support and tenancy-related matters.
- Assisting the team to identify and promote opportunities for employment, education and training and support customers to access them.
- Signposting customers to appropriate external support services, such as food banks and other community resources.
- Supporting customers to be ‘tenancy ready’, enabling successful move on.
- Supporting customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income.
- Supporting and monitoring customers’ healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals
- Empowering customers to move towards self-management of their medication by following Riverside’s medication procedure.
- Maintaining and updating clear, accurate and strengths-based records on the appropriate digital platform.
- Assisting in the promotion of customer involvement and consultation.
- Assisting with the delivery of a range of group work sessions.
Deliver a support service
- Support the delivery of the referral process for new customers.
- Contribute to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy-related support.Work with customers to maintain a safe environment, including reporting any repairs or health and safety concerns
- Clean and prepare customer rooms as appropriate.
- Resolve difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with the safety of the service
- Ensure customer safety by following local safeguarding procedures, recognizing and acting on any risks and escalating appropriately.
- Contribute to and maintain local partnerships to ensure availability of a holistic range of support for customers.
- Carry out day-to-day administration and operational duties.
- Maintaining and updating financial administration systems including rent accounts, invoices, petty cash and banking.
- Assist in collating and submitting information returns on funding, health & safety and performance.
- Act as point of contact on the phone, reception and deal with a range of enquiries.
Other Duties
- You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
- Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary
- Ensure customers are safe at all times - carrying out all of your duties within Riverside’s Policy and Procedure Policy and Procedure framework e.g. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR opportunities, cash handling, etc.
- Deliver your role in line with Riverside company values – “Our Riverside Way”.
- Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflecting practice sessions.
- Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely.
- From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager.
Additional Information
- The Group has offices across the UK and on this basis, there may be the requirement to travel to other locations to effectively perform this role.
- The role will be exposed to sensitive information; therefore, the role holder is expected to maintain levels of confidentiality at all times.
- In order to fulfil the requirements of this role, you will be required to work flexibly during the hours of operation.
- The role holder is expected to be committed to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.
Person specification
Essential Knowledge & Experience
- An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
- Experience of working in a team and communicating positively with other people.
- Experience of being able to organise tasks and plan accordingly whilst dealing with people.
- Be a team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and have a resilient, can-do attitude.
- Able to use initiative and have confidence to make decisions.
- Basic administrative and IT skills maintain records.
Desirable
- Experience of working with vulnerable and diverse customer groups or individuals with complex needs.
- Personal lived experience of either homelessness, rough sleeping, mental health issues or substance misuse
