Engagement Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting to the Service Manager, the post holder will work as a vital member of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Housing Accommodation Support Service (HASS). Working in collaboration with other partners OPD Pathway. You will support adult males who have recently been released from prison, secure health settings, or are moving on from Approved Premises.

This role will focus on engaging with key engagement activities to support our residents and participants (R&P) to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society. 

Shift Pattern: Shifts will vary throughout the week between Monday and Sunday. Shifts could be 08:00 to 21:30 or 08:00 to 16:00 or 13:30 to 21:30 as an example. 

Benefits, including Non-Contractual Perks

• 25 days annual leave, increasing with length of service
• Training and Development including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Medicash including discount gym memberships, routine optometry care, dental treatments, and physiotherapy treatments
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling
• Reflect Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme

If you have the passion, creativity, and tenacity to make a real difference to peoples lives, challenge stigma and make our communities safer, we would love to hear from you!

ABOUT THE SERVICE

The Offender Personality Disorder Housing Accommodation Support Service (OPD HASS) pathway is jointly commissioned by HMPPS, NHS England, and NHS Improvement. OPD HASS delivers services for people in the criminal justice system who are deemed high risk, and likely to meet criteria for personality disorder. The OPD HASS provision is managed by Penrose. The service offers specialist accommodation to high risk/high need men who require intensive support to overcome barriers to resettlement and progress towards independent living in the community.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for someone who is driven to provide high quality care and support to women experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantages. You will be an effective team player who can communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds with respect of equality, diversity and inclusion. You will be compassionate, supportive, and empowering to others, whilst able to form effective, positive, and motivational relationships.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to the development of support plans, risk assessments and reviews to meet resident and participant needs.
• Empower our residents and participants (R&P) to make decisions, participate in projects and take control over their lives, also provide advice, information and guidance.
• Encourage R&P to develop social networks and undertake meaningful activities to assist them to develop positive coping mechanisms and reintegrate into the wider community.
• Support R&P back into society and building networks. For example, assisting with making welfare benefit claims, and signposting to the correct provisions.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external persons and agencies including but not limited to care providers, neighbours, GPs, probation services, and community forensic teams.
• Recognise signs of deteriorating mental health and initiate appropriate interventions to prevent a crisis.
• Attend appointments with residents at but not limited to Probation, MAPPA, P2R, DPs, CMHT, Job Centre, Hospital, Dentist, Debt advice, Court, Councils.
• Administration duties will vary. This includes maintaining confidential records in a timely manner and containing information in accordance with relevant statutory and organisational policies.
• Complete safeguarding and other referrals where required.

Other responsibilities than those described above may be required to be undertaken from time to time and will be expected to be performed to as long as it is within the capability and level of the position. 

KEY CRITERIA

What we are looking for:

• Appropriate professional qualification: NVQ/Diploma Level 3 in Health and Social Care/Community Justice or professional equivalent
• A good working understanding of personality disorders and models of treatment intervention
• Experience in risk management and risk assessment
• Experience of successful reintegration of clients into the community
• Excellent understanding of the housing and social needs of people with mental health challenges
• Understanding and practical application of key legislation regarding social care housing, criminal justice and mental health

What we would like, but not essential:

• Experience providing housing support and practical assistance within a residential or outreach support role
• Experience in void management
• Experience managing a hub or community advice/guidance service

Further details of the responsibilities and key criteria can be seen in the JDPS attached.

WORKING FOR US

ABOUT US

The Social Interest Group (SIG) believes that good care and support make for better lives. Our values of ambition, empowerment, transparency, and inclusivity drive everything we do. Our mission is to empower people who are marginalised by building powerful partnerships and creative solutions that bridge gaps in provision and aid recovery, reablement and resettlement.

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation, providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in a range of residential, drop-in centers, community floating support settings (including in peoples own homes), probation settings and people who are in hospital awaiting discharge. We currently do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, and Kent. We believe in the power of well-planned, well-managed services to make a difference. We work with high standards and external and internal regulatory frameworks.

Our Values

Ambition Eager to succeed and to accomplish as much as possible for our people

Empowerment Giving staff and the people we support the tools, training, and information they need to achieve their potential

Transparency Upfront and visible about our actions and open to scrutiny from stakeholders, service users, and staff

Inclusivity Listening to, understanding, and including all our stakeholders to ensure we make a difference and get things right

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Additional information on our company policies including Gender Pay, Equality and Diversity, Company Benefits and our Candidate Privacy Policy can be found on our website.

For Recruitment related enquiries, please email recruitment@socialinterestgroup.org.uk 

Person Specification

Qualifications

Desirable

• Appropriate professional qualification: NVQ/Diploma Level 3 in Health and Social Care/Community Justice or professional equivalent

Experience

Desirable

• Experience providing housing support and practical assistance within a residential or outreach support role

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

The Social Interest Group

Address

Penrose OPD HASS (Catford)

9 Farley Road

Catford

London

SE6 2AA

Employer's website

https://socialinterestgroup.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)