Role Overview
We are seeking a compassionate, reliable and professional Bilingual Support Worker (Arabic & English) to join our supported accommodation service.
You will provide individualised support to help residents build confidence, improve their wellbeing, develop essential life skills and work towards greater independence. You will support adults from a diverse range of cultures, nationalities and backgrounds, some of whom may have experienced homelessness, social isolation, mental health challenges, trauma, substance misuse or other circumstances that have affected their ability to live independently.
This is not an Arabic-only support role. You will work with residents from a variety of backgrounds and will be expected to communicate confidently in English as part of your day-to-day duties.
However, a significant proportion of the individuals accessing our services are from Arabic-speaking backgrounds. Therefore, the ability to communicate fluently in both Arabic and English is an important requirement of the role and will help us improve communication, engagement and accessibility for residents who may experience language barriers.
The successful candidate will be culturally aware, adaptable and confident working with people from different communities while maintaining professional boundaries and treating every resident as an individual.
Key ResponsibilitiesSupport & Resident Engagement
- Provide regular one-to-one support sessions and welfare checks in line with residents' individual needs, goals and support plans.
- Support residents from different cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds in a fair, respectful and person-centred manner.
- Communicate confidently in English with residents, colleagues, management and external professionals.
- Use Arabic language skills where appropriate to improve communication and engagement with Arabic-speaking residents.
- Help residents understand important information, their responsibilities, available services and support options.
- Build positive and professional working relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
- Identify individual support needs and work collaboratively with residents towards realistic goals.
- Encourage engagement with education, training, employment, volunteering and community activities.
- Promote independence, confidence and personal responsibility rather than dependency on support.
Tenancy & Independent Living Skills
Support residents to develop the practical skills required to maintain their accommodation and move towards greater independence, including:
- Understanding their licence/occupancy agreement and responsibilities.
- Understanding and following house rules and expectations.
- Maintaining their bedroom and shared living areas.
- Developing appropriate personal hygiene and self-care routines.
- Budgeting and developing basic money-management skills.
- Shopping, meal planning and cooking.
- Managing appointments, correspondence and important paperwork.
- Accessing relevant benefits, housing and community services where appropriate.
- Developing positive routines and other independent living skills.
Safeguarding & Risk Management
- Recognise potential safeguarding concerns, risks or changes in a resident's wellbeing and report these appropriately.
- Follow individual support plans, risk assessments and company procedures.
- Respond calmly and professionally to challenging behaviour, conflict or crisis situations.
- Escalate concerns to management or relevant professionals where necessary.
- Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality and appropriate information sharing.
- Complete incident reports, safeguarding records and other required documentation accurately and promptly.
Health & Wellbeing
- Encourage and support residents to access appropriate services, including:
- GP and healthcare services.
- Mental health services.
- Substance misuse services.
- Local authority services.
- Education, training and employment services.
- Community and specialist support organisations.
- Promote healthy routines, positive activities and improved physical and emotional wellbeing.
- Encourage residents to become increasingly confident in managing their own health, appointments and responsibilities.
- Help residents overcome practical or communication barriers that may prevent them from accessing appropriate services.
Cultural & Language Support
- Use your knowledge of Arabic language and cultural contexts to support effective communication where appropriate.
- Help reduce language barriers for Arabic-speaking residents while continuing to encourage independence and engagement with wider services.
- Work sensitively with residents from all cultures, religions, nationalities and backgrounds.
- Recognise that residents from the same cultural or linguistic background may have very different experiences, beliefs and support needs.
- Avoid assumptions and provide support based on each resident's individual circumstances.
- Where appropriate, help colleagues understand communication or cultural factors that may affect a resident's engagement with support.
Record Keeping & Administration
- Maintain clear, accurate and professional records of all support provided.
- Complete support notes, welfare checks, incident reports and other required documentation within expected timescales.
- Record residents' progress towards their individual support goals.
- Use company systems appropriately and maintain confidentiality when handling personal information.
- Communicate relevant concerns, changes and actions to management promptly.
- Ensure written records are completed to a good standard of English.
Property & Compliance
- Carry out welfare and accommodation checks where required.
- Identify and report maintenance, health and safety or property-related concerns.
- Encourage residents to maintain appropriate standards within their accommodation.
- Support residents to understand and comply with health and safety requirements and house expectations.
Essential Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be able to communicate fluently and confidently in Arabic.
- Have a good standard of spoken and written English.
- Be comfortable supporting residents who do not speak Arabic and working within a culturally diverse service.
- Be able to communicate professionally with residents, colleagues, management and external organisations.
- Demonstrate empathy and patience while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
- Be reliable, organised and able to manage their own workload.
- Be able to work independently and use initiative appropriately.
- Remain calm and professional when dealing with difficult, sensitive or challenging situations.
- Understand the importance of confidentiality, safeguarding and accurate record keeping.
- Have basic IT skills and be comfortable using digital systems, email and electronic support records.
- Be willing to undertake an appropriate DBS check and complete mandatory training.
- Be flexible and adaptable to the needs of residents and the service.
Desirable Skills & Experience
It would be beneficial for applicants to have:
- Previous experience in supported accommodation, supported housing, homelessness services, social care or community support.
- Experience supporting vulnerable adults.
- Knowledge of adult safeguarding.
- Mental health and substance misuse awareness.
- Experience working with refugees, migrants or individuals experiencing language barriers.
- Experience supporting individuals towards greater independence.
- Strong cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Experience working with external agencies and community organisations.
- Additional language skills alongside Arabic and English.
- A full UK driving licence and access to transport, where relevant to the role.
What We Offer
- A supportive working environment and approachable management team.
- Induction, guidance and ongoing training.
- Opportunities for continued learning and professional development.
- Clear policies, procedures and expectations.
- Varied and meaningful work with residents from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.
- The opportunity to make a positive difference to vulnerable adults and support them towards greater independence.
- The opportunity to use your Arabic and English language skills to improve accessibility and engagement for residents who may otherwise experience communication barriers.
The Person We're Looking For
We are looking for someone who is approachable, culturally aware, proactive and genuinely motivated to support people towards greater independence.
You will need to be comfortable working with a diverse caseload. While you are likely to support a significant number of residents from Arab and Arabic-speaking backgrounds, your caseload will not be limited to these residents.
You should be able to adapt your communication style to the individual, recognise cultural and language barriers where they exist, and provide the same professional standard of support to every resident regardless of their background or first language.
Above all, we are looking for someone who can balance compassion with accountability — providing meaningful support while encouraging residents to develop their own skills, confidence and independence.
Fluency in Arabic and a strong standard of spoken and written English are essential for this position.
Pay: £24,500.00-£29,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
