Job overview

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 never give up on people. Last year we helped more than 10,000 people.

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.
We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2022 in the UK. 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.
  • Critical illness cover.
  • Other benefits including interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Role

The area of Prevention supports vulnerable people by providing them with skills, housing advice, accommodation, and tenancy sustainment support. All the services within the area of prevention work to help people transition towards leading independent lives.

We are looking for an Employment Specialist (Support Worker) to join the Individual Placement and Support Team (IPS). The Lambeth Living Well Network Alliance is a collaboration of organisations Thames Reach; Certitude South London Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Lambeth Council; and South-East London Clinical Commissioning Group. The goal of all organisations is to provide mental health services and support to working age adults in Lambeth.

Thames Reach welcomes applications from people with transferable skills.

Responsibilities

As an Employment Specialist (Support Worker) you will be responsible for:

  • Build relationships and promote the service within clinical teams to generate referrals. Collaborative work with TR staff and other key stakeholders to support service users’ employment goals.
  • Manage an active caseload where you will work with people to develop vocational profiles and action plans to help people achieve their employment goals.
  • Build relationships with diverse employers to source job opportunities.
  • Network and develop opportunities to support people to get closer to their employment goals.
  • Work collaboratively with the team and partners to deliver a high-quality service that exceeds the job sustainment outcomes.
  • Keep accurate data, evidence, and update the case management system, understanding the need for to evidence work.
  • To succeed as an Employment Specialist (Support Worker), you will need have:

  • Knowledge and experience of providing support to people to find employment.
  • Be able to initiate and develop relationships with employers and other agencies for the people to access opportunities and overcome barriers to get them closer to employment.
  • Empower and motivate people to build the skills and confidence they need to find and keep work.
  • Good IT skills and administration – Be effective in recording and reporting data.

The person

  • Strong record and good understanding of the issues involved in delivering effective
  • support services to a range of vulnerable people.

  • An understanding of a range of approaches to case working including key working with
  • service users and the implementation of different agendas, such as personalisation.

  • An understanding of homelessness and the impact on the lives of individuals and a
  • depth of understanding of the needs and aspirations of homeless people which is based
    either on your own personal experience of being homeless or professional work or
    voluntary experience.

  • Knowledge, understanding or experience of working in a casework management
  • system.

  • Ability to work independently using own initiative whilst remaining accountable to line
  • management and communicating effectively as part of a team.

  • An understanding of the importance of supportive relationships and fulfilling lives, and
  • especially sustainable work in developing resilience and preventing homelessness.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the potential to present
  • information to a wide audience.

  • The ability to establish good working relationships with service users, colleagues, other

stakeholders externally and to work well within a team