Support Worker

Job Description

Salary:£25,394.88,Contract: Fixed Term to December 2028 (may be extended subject to funding)
Hours: 35 per week (varied shifts)

Location:Nelson Street, Belfast (with travel)

Community Transition Service for women leaving prison is an innovative service that supports women who find themselves in the criminal justice system helping them to integrate back into their communities. The service does this by providing support in various areas including  rebuilding social networks accessing educational and housing opportunities with 24hr wrap around support. 

Employee Benefits

• Enhanced Annual Leave – 35 days per year, increasing as your length of service increases
• Paid Sick Leave
• Company maternity & paternity pay
• Contributory Pension scheme
• Health Cash Back & Rewards Plan
• Christmas Savers club
• Bluelight discount card

Plus, many opportunities to learn and develop within the organisation

Why work for us? 
Depaul is a cross border charity supporting some of the most marginalised individuals, couples and families experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it. Would you like to help us to meet our mission?
We are a values led organisation and aim, at all times, to live and breathe these values in our everyday work. Our values are based on four key principles:
• We celebrate the potential of people
• We put our words into action
• We aim to take a wider role in civil society
• We believe in rights and responsibilities If you choose to work for Depaul

About the Role

As a Support Worker at Depaul, you will provide vital support to women transitioning from prison into housing and their local communities This role is focused on ensuring that service users have access to emergency support and assistance.  Only female candidates will be considered for this role*.

You will be responsible for responding to service users offering emotional support, addressing neighbourhood concerns, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of individuals in accommodation.

You will work in a response-based capacity, helping women manage any challenges or issues that may arise daily , including housing difficulties, emotional distress, and neighbourhood-related concerns.

Following Depaul's policies and procedures to ensure the health and safety of all service users throughout the night, Carry out regular checks to ensure that accommodation is safe and secure, reporting any issues that may arise.

• Respond appropriately to any emergency situations or incidents, ensuring the safety and welfare of service users is maintained at all times.
• Complete incident reports, wellbeing checks, and any other administrative tasks as required by Depaul’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all documentation is completed thoroughly and in line with confidentiality and data protection regulations.
• Participate in team meetings, case handovers, and training sessions to ensure a consistent and professional approach to service delivery.
  
• Your role will be crucial in providing a safe and supportive environment, and ensuring that service users can access the help they need during evening and night-time hours

Person Requirements

•  A minimum of a Level 2 qualification in a social care field (such as NVQ or GCSEs) is required.
• At least 1 year’s paid experience working with vulnerable individuals, particularly in housing, community outreach, or support roles.
• Experience in crisis intervention and providing emotional support to individuals in distress is desirable.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusting relationships and provide effective emotional support
• Ability to remain calm and professional in potentially challenging or emergency situations.
• Good written and verbal communication skills to effectively document incidents and communicate with the team.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to make quick decisions and respond appropriately to incidents.
• A good understanding of housing issues, homelessness, and community integration.
• Knowledge of services available for vulnerable individuals, including statutory and voluntary resources.
• Understanding of crisis intervention, risk management, and safeguarding procedures.
• Awareness of Health and Safety guidelines and the importance of maintaining a safe service environment.
• Ability to work independently and manage responsibilities during night shifts.
• Ability to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends, as part of a rota system.
• Commitment to Depaul’s values, including respect, empowerment, and service user participation.

Access NI 

This Post is subject to an Enhanced Access NI check. Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar you from working with Depaul. This will depend on the nature of the position, together with the circumstances and background of your offences or other information contained on a disclosure certificate.   

NISCC
This post is subject to NISCC registration, if you do hold a valid registration this must be completed within your probationary period. 

Licence

This role requires the use of a car and a full drivers license.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Depaul strives to create a diverse and inclusive programme and is committed to ensuring equality of access to our opportunities and equality of treatment for our staff in all our policies and practices. We welcome applications from individuals aged 18 and over from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Our Privacy policy can viewed here:

https://ie.depaulcharity.org/about-us/careers/

A waitlist may be compiled for this role.