Support Practitioner | Residential Support

Aberdeen Cyrenians Aberdeen United Kingdom Residential Projects
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Company Description

Aberdeen Cyrenians is a charity dedicated to supporting people affected by homelessness, violence, domestic abuse and other forms of social exclusion.

With the help of the local community, Aberdeen Cyrenians has been providing support to vulnerable people in the city for the past 50 years.

Through a range of services both in community and residential settings, the support focuses on:

  • Prevention of homelessness - through outreach support and advice
  • Alleviation of homelessness - through short-term and medium-term accommodation places along with Housing First programme
  • Rehabilitation - tackling underlying issues such as domestic and sexual abuse, substance misuse and mental health
  • Resettlement - practical help to learn the skills needed to live in the community, sustain a tenancy and gain employment.

We aim to help people to make planned changes in their lives, often at crucial periods of transition. All services are provided on a voluntary basis in recognition of people’s rights to choose if they want to access the support provided.

Position

Job Title: Support Practitioner | Residential Support

Responsible to: Service Manager

Hours of Work: 39 hours per week

Salary: SCP 18-25 (£19,012.00 - £22,937.00)

Job Activities 

  •  Form, develop, sustain and maintain relationships with service users through which the other job activities can be accomplished.
  • Assess and review service users’ strengths and needs through accurate & appropriate information gathering.
  •  Ensure that the basic needs of service users are addressed and met (food, shelter, warmth, bathing, clothing, etc.).
  • Support service users with substance misuse/mental health issues using harm minimisation approach and recovery models
  • Intervene in a crisis to effectively pre-empt and/or de-escalate accidents and incidents.
  • Engage in partnership working by liaising/working with a range of agencies on behalf of services users including social work, housing, health, police, courts, utility companies, debt agencies, Department for Work & Pensions and other voluntary sector organisations
  •  Ensure that services users’ views remain paramount and that potential obstacles such as literacy & numeracy are assessed and addressed.
  • Advocate on service users’ behalf and generally assist with communication issues
  • Work with service users to tackle debts, budget and maximise their income
  • Provide emotional and practical support to service users
  • Assist in protecting service users from risk of abuse and work with other agencies in the regard.
  • Plan/participate and assist service user involvement in quality social activities on a one–to–one and group basis.
  • Where required, assist service users with medication
  • Where required, assist service users with personal care (food, bathing, continence, etc.)
  • Assist with the day-to-day issues relating to the building from where the service is delivered (health & safety, cleaning, other maintenance, etc)
  • Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required

Systems 

  • Maintenance of paperwork – Utilisation of InForm to record all information in relation to Service User Management. Writing letters on behalf of service users, report writing, H&S logs, diary entries etc.
  • Order, receipt & dispense of medication.
  • Day-to-day operation of service (budgeting, appointments, planners, meetings).
  • Service finance (petty cash, service user finances).
  • Computers/IT systems – Word, Excel, email, databases.

Quality Standards 

  • Working to the appropriate Care Inspectorate standards
  • Working to the appropriate Scottish Social Services Council standards for the registration of staff.
  • Working to the appropriate Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator standards.
  • Working to the appropriate organisational standards and in partnership with the commissioner.
  • Working to the appropriate Environmental Health standards.

General Terms of Reference 

 In carrying out the above activities, the Support Practitioner will:

  • Work shifts including evenings/weekends/night hours.
  • Work on your own and as part of a team.
  • Maximise their own performance and contribution;
  • Ensure they comply with internal and external regulations, procedures and other requirements appertaining to the project;
  •  Maintain the good reputation of the organisation;
  • Keep abreast of developments and legislation relevant to the project's range of activities;
  • Seek to improve their knowledge and skills by both formal and informal means;
  • Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required by service management.

Requirements

Essential 

  • A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent or the willingness and ability to attain this within five years.  
  • Literacy and numeracy at a level to maintain all the appropriate paperwork, write support plans and give budgeting advice.
  • Able to use computer applications such as Word, databases.
  • Demonstrable understanding of the work carried out by Aberdeen Cyrenians
  • Able to work unsociable hours

Desirable 

  • An understanding of social justice issues such as homelessness, substance misuse, mental health.
  • An understanding of legislation/practice pertaining to the work.
  • Minimum 6 months experience in a social care environment in a voluntary or paid capacity.
  • Driving/clean license 

Other information

Key Capabilities 

  • Interpersonal understanding – listens and understands expressed feelings; demonstrates concern for others; encourages others to express themselves.
  • Emotional awareness – manages strong emotions and responds constructively; keeps own feelings in check; deals with stress.
  • Service user orientation – strives to meet and surpass service users’ expectations; maintains appropriate contact until problem is resolved; makes self available to service users at critical periods; able to advocate on behalf of service users.
  • Flexibility – adapts easily to changes at work; modifies behaviour in response to a situation; sees the merits of differing viewpoints.
  • Initiative – takes responsibility; looks ahead and anticipates what needs to be done.
  • Team working – contributes fully to team work; establishes positive relationships with the team.
  • Working within Professional Boundaries – Demonstrates professional curiosity; accepts responsibility for own work; seeks and uses professional support; understands the principle of confidentiality.
  • Leadership – gives recognition and credit; generates enthusiasm and commitment.
  • Developing others – assumes responsibility for addressing service users’ skills; encourages initiatives in problem solving and making choices.

The closing date for this position is 12.00pm Friday 16 July 2020.

All positions with Aberdeen Cyrenians are subject to satisfactory references and a completion of a PVG disclosure check with Disclosure Scotland.   All applicants must be able to prove that they are eligible to work in the UK.  We regret that we are not able to sponsor applicants who are not already eligible to work in the UK.