Support Worker: Outreach (North Lanarkshire) Staff · North Lanarkshire

Simonscotland; Scotland; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading homelessness charity in Scotland is seeking a compassionate professional to provide emotional and practical support within the community. The ideal candidate will assist individuals in temporary accommodations, helping them navigate the challenges of housing stability while engaging with those facing mental health issues and addictions. A full driving license and access to a car is essential for this role, alongside a commitment to support the community foster positive connections and resilience.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting individuals with homelessness and mental health challenges.
• Ability to work in fast-paced environments requiring quick decision-making.
• Skills in building relationships and understanding ethical boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Provide emotional and practical support to individuals in temporary accommodations.
• Help individuals build supportive networks to sustain their housing.
• Develop relationships that foster trust within the community.

Skills

Empathy

Relational skills

Cultural competence

Communication skills

Education

SVQ 3 social care or willingness to work towards

Job description

About Simon Community Scotland

Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland.

Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances.

Everything we do is about and for people: the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness.

Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of the Simon Community.

Job Summary

The Simon Community is Scotland's leading homeless charity. We are creative and innovative. We get things done with care and compassion that make a difference to our community, being true to our values. We are a community of staff, volunteers and the people that we support.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma, exclusion and stigma. They often engage in risk taking behaviours that put their physical and mental health, and their lives at risk. Despite the challenges they face they have incredible resilience, survival skills and a wicked sense of humour. They know what a good, and not so good service looks like.

As part of the Outreach Service you will provide direct emotional and practical support to our community living in temp accommodation and transitioning in to their own tenancies.

For this role a full driving licence and access to a car is essential.

Job Purpose

• Help people in our community to manage and recover their mental health
• Support people who use drugs and alcohol to do so as safely as possible
• Support people who choose to reduce or stop their drug and alcohol use to do so safely
• Help people in our community to build a positive network of connections that will help them to gain and sustain their own housing
• Provide emotional and practical support to our community
• Any other duties directed by your service lead

Key Responsibilities

Our values support:

• Warmth and positive regard
• Inclusion and participation
• Innovation and personalisation of care and support
• Ambition
• Partnership
• Learning and leadership

Your key responsibilities to support those values will be:

• Developing honest and open relationships with our community that foster trust
• Using our training and reflective practice to develop additional skills to support and respond appropriately to our community who have experienced trauma
• Working with people in our community with a wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds with dignity, respect and kindness
• Working as part of a team with a range of experiences and knowledge to the benefit of our community
• Supporting our community to influence their care and support to meet their goals – Fostering connection, hope, a positive identity and meaning in life and a sense of control for our community
• Working with other teams in SCS and with partners to support good outcomes for our community
• Seeking opportunities that will make a difference to our community
• Ensuring that our places reflect the respect we hold for our community

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications:

• SVQ 3 social care or willing to work towards
• SSSC Registered or willing to become so

Experience:

• Experience of providing support to people with a range of challenges including homelessness, mental ill health and addictions
• Experience of working in a fast paced environment which requires quick decision making

Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience of working with people with a variety of individual and cultural beliefs
• Ability to use empathy and relational skills to build positive relationships with our community and colleagues
• Understanding of and ability to work within ethical and relational boundaries

Desirable Knowledge:

• Knowledge and understanding of homelessness, addictions and mental health
• Understanding of services that support homelessness, addictions and mental health
• Evidence of good communication skills, written, verbal and digital

Personal:

• Able to lead by example.
• A team player.
• A desire to learn and to develop innovative practice
• Honest, ethical and keen to overcome obstacles
• Flexible, responsive

Please note:For this role a full driving licence and access to a car is essential.