JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Support Worker – Fair Chance
Reports To:
Locality Manager – Fair Chance
Salary:
Scale 5, Points 22 – 25, £19,370 - £21,244 per annum, pro
rata.
Location:
Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Walsall
Hours:
Full-time 37.5 hours per week
Background
Beginning in January 2015, Rewriting Futures will be an innovative payment-by-results
project delivered for three years as part of the Department of Community and Local
Government’s (DCLG) new Fair Chance Fund. The service will provide intensive and
sustained support to people aged 18-24 who are Not in Employment, Education and
Training (NEET) and homeless, helping them to turn their lives around and look forward
to a brighter future. Delivered in collaboration with Birmingham, Walsall, Solihull and
Coventry Local Authorities, it will provide invaluable support to more than 300 young
people whose needs are not met by existing provision. Rewriting Futures will be funded
initially by socially motivated investors, who will be repaid by DCLG if, and only if,
participants on the programme successfully achieve positive outcomes across a range of
criteria, such as sustained accommodation, achievements in education and training, and
transitioning into employment.
Job Purpose:
Providing support to young people at risk of homelessness to enable them to develop
their skills, confidence and opportunities and make a successful transition to adulthood.
Key Responsibilities:
Support Services:
1. To assist young people to improve their life skills through designing and
implementing life and social skills programmes in individual and group work settings.
2. To undertake holistic risk and needs assessments and to develop support and risk
management plans.
3. To support and encourage young people to undertake the St Basils life skills
programme and to achieve the qualification.
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4. To support and encourage young people to engage with learning skills and work.
5. To support and encourage young people to develop positive family and other support
networks.
6. To assist young people to identify and take up settled accommodation and to
continue to provide ongoing support to them.
7. To be available to young people for regular support sessions and to respond to
crises.
8. To take responsibility for safeguarding the welfare of young people.
9. To promote and facilitate the participation of young people in their individual support
plans and in the management of the service.
10. To facilitate young people’s access to, and take up of support services.
11. To ensure benefit claims are made and maintained in order to maximise young
people’s income.
12. To organise and accompany young people to appointments as appropriate.
13. To maintain accurate records e.g. support plans, day to day records and outcomes.
14. To be flexible by being available out of hours on a rota basis to offer information,
advice, and guidance to colleagues and in crisis situations, provide emergency cover
within your own Project.
15. To work as part of a team, providing cover for colleagues as required by the line
manager.
16. To assist in the induction of new staff, to supervise and support volunteers, trainees
and students, as required by line manager.
General:
1. To be responsible for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others at work.
2. The post holder must take responsibility for their own self development and ensure
that the knowledge and information they use in their job is current and relevant.
3. St Basils is dependant upon its ability to raise funds in order to sustain and
develop its work with young people. Therefore, all employees are expected to
support the work of the Fundraising Department and, wherever possible, be
involved in Fundraising Events.
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Conditions of Employment:
Wherever you are initially based, it must be recognised that the company reserves the
right, giving reasonable notice, to re-locate the post holder, dependent on the
requirements of the Agency, at any time.
All employees MUST abide by the Terms and Conditions as per St Basils Staff
Handbook and Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy document.
Hours of Work:
37.5 hours per week, which excludes daily half hour for lunch. Evening / weekend
work may be required and will be compensated with time off in lieu in agreement with
Line Manager.
Holidays
25 days per annum, plus 8 Statutory Bank holidays and 3 Concessionary days
holiday, pro-rata, per annum.
Interview Date:
To be confirmed
Unsuccessful candidates
Applicants who have not been contacted within six weeks of the closing date will know
that, unfortunately, they have not been successful.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title:
Support Worker – Fair Chance
Applicants should ensure that they address the requirements of the post within their
application.
STANDARD
CRITERIA
Essential
Requirements
Desirable
Requirements
How Identified
Qualifications
NVQ 3 (Care,
Advice and
Guidance or other
relevant/equivalent
qualification).

Experience
Experience of
working with
young people in
the following
settings:
Youth Work,
Residential or
Social Work,
Probation/Criminal
Justice,
Community Work,
Education and
Training, Housing
or Support Work.

Experience of
supervising
volunteers or
students.

Knowledge
Up to date
knowledge of
welfare rights,
resources etc.

Application
form/interview/test
Skills
Able to understand
the difference
between friendship
and support.
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Application
form/interview/test
Able to carry out
calculations in
order to calculate
figures, budget
costs, monitor
Sight of
Certification/Application
Form

Application
form/interview
Application
form/interview/test
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budgets.
Able to advise
young people on
welfare rights and
available
resources and
how to access
them.
Able to undertake
holistic risk and
needs
assessments of
vulnerable young
people.
Able to maintain
accurate records,
both written and
electronic.
Able to
communicate
effectively with a
diverse group
using appropriate
media.
Able to work at
weekend and
evenings as
required.
Able to work at
other sites as
required.
Able to deal with
challenging
situations calmly
and effectively,
ensuring risks are
reduced,
assistance sought
when required and
disruption is kept
to a minimum.
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form/interview/test
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form/interview/test
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form/interview
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form/interview
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form/interview
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form/interview
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form/interview
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Able to use
Microsoft Office
Suite to send and
receive emails,
read and input
information onto
spreadsheets,
wordprocess, etc.
Able to plan and
organise own work
and assist young
people in planning
and organising.
Able to prioritise
own work, and
respond to
changing or
conflicting
deadlines.
Able to design and
effectively
implement
programmes to
improve life and
social skills both
for individuals and
groups.
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form/interview
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form/interview
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form/interview
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form/interview
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