Role: Support Worker – Rapid Response Outreach Team

Salary: £30,859 per annum

Hours: 37.5 per week

Closing date: 01/04/2024

Interview date: 10/04/2024

Thames Reach’s Rapid Response Outreach Team delivers a vital emergency first response to Rough Sleepers across London.

As a Support Worker in the team you’ll work at night, following up referrals from the public, locating rough sleepers and supporting them to take their first step away from street homelessness.

Your shift will begin at home, where you’ll plan your nights before travelling to locations where rough sleeping has been reported in a rental car.

You’ll then engage with rough sleepers you find, assessing their needs, identifying their best option and supporting and encouraging them to access this. At the end of your shift you’ll record your work on an online database and communicate follow up actions to colleagues.

The team works every night of the year, Support Workers work five nights a week from 8 pm to 4 am.

This role is a great opportunity for someone who can work nights and wants to make a difference!

We welcome applications from people with previous experience of support work or with transferrable skills. You’ll have:

• The communication skills to quickly engage with rough sleepers, accurately assess their needs and persuasively make and deliver an offer of support.
• A UK driving licence you’ve held for over a year with no more than 3 points and be over 25.
• The ability to keep calm in challenging circumstances with the confidence, diplomacy and tact to deal with situations if they arise.
• Experience of planning your work, ensuring you work efficiently and complete your tasks.
• Able to work remotely, with the IT skills to use online recording systems on a tablet and smart phone.

About us…

Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.

Is our mission easy? No. But we believe people can change and never give up. Last year we helped more than 11,000 people.

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2024 in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.

As part of a commitment to our employees we offer:

• Generous holiday allowance – 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).
• Pension – we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%.
• Excellent development opportunities – career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach.
• Wellbeing support – our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL.
• Life assurance – four times your annual salary and critical illness cover.
• Other benefits including interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.

To apply visit our website and complete our application form.

Thames Reach is committed to safeguarding. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre-employment screening appropriate to the post, including, but not limited to checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not exclude you from applying but you will be asked to provide further details as most posts are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.