Position

Job title: Support Practitioner – Direct Access Service

Responsible to: Lead Practitioner – Direct Access Service

Salary: £20,045 - 24,703 (Scale Point 21-28)

Contract - Full Time, Fixed Term until February 2023

Main responsibilities:

To support the Lead Practitioners in delivering the Direct Access Service the provision of crisis intervention and ongoing housing & food provision support and advice to Service Users attending the Direct Access Service.

JOB ACTIVITIES

Work with Service Users to provide daily crisis intervention and ongoing housing and food provision support through the Direct Access Service in accordance with the requirements of Aberdeen Cyrenians.
Form, develop and maintain relationships with service users, key working Service Users, on an intensive basis to reduce chaotic behaviour, re-integrate into society and sustain their tenancy.
Engage with and support service users to support and assist in the community reintegration.
To encourage service users to make appropriate practical arrangements regarding accommodation, employment, education and training needs.
Assess and review service users’ circumstances through accurate & appropriate information gathering.
Ensure that the basic needs of service users are addressed and met (food, shelter, warmth, bathing, clothing, etc.).
Provide service users with ongoing support in their tenancies, liaising and working with a range of agencies on their behalf.
Assist service users in identifying external sources of support and to engage with other agencies in relation to improving their lifestyle (including accommodation situation, economic well-being, health, quality of life, practical skills, social functioning, general outlook and reduction in risky behaviour).
Intervene in a crisis to effectively pre-empt and/ or de-escalate accidents and incidents.
Support the Lead Practitioner to engage in partnership working by liaising/working with a range of agencies on behalf of service users, including social work, housing, health, police, courts, utility companies, debt agencies, Department for Work & Pensions, other voluntary sector organisations and other professionals such as lawyers, etc. to ensure a seamless service is delivered.
Advocate on service users’ behalf and generally assist them with communication issues.
Work with service users to tackle debts, to manage budgets and maximise their income.
Provide emotional support to service users.
Assist service users with substance misuse/mental health issues using a risk harm minimisation approach and engage the support of other agencies as required.
Ensure that services users’ views remain paramount and ensure that potential obstacles such as literacy & numeracy are assessed and addressed.
Assist in protecting service users from abuse and work with other agencies in this regard.
Liaise with DASAP/VAW Projects to manage the specific support needs of women.
Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required.

SYSTEMS

Maintenance of paperwork – Utilisation InForm System to record all information in relation to Service User Management. Writing letters on behalf of service users, report writing, H&S checks, diary entries, hours worked on tasks, etc.
Day-to-day operation of service (budgeting, appointments), meeting attendance.
Service finance (petty cash).
Computers/IT systems – Word, Excel, email, databases.

REFERENCES

Aims & Values Policy
Resettlement Policy
Improving Employability Policy
Health & Well-being Policy
InForm Guidelines
Child Protection Policy
Support and Protection of Adults at Risk of Harm

QUALITY STANDARDS

Working to the appropriate Care Inspectorate standards.
Working to the appropriate Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator standards.
Working to the appropriate Housing First consortium standards and working in partnership with the partner organisations.
Working to the appropriate Environmental Health standards.

GENERAL TERMS OF REFERENCE

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

Work on their own and as part of teams, both within Aberdeen Cyrenians and with partnership organisations;
Maximise their own performance and contribution;
Ensure they comply with internal and external regulations, procedures and other requirements pertaining to the service;
Maintain the good reputation of the organisation;
Keep abreast of developments and legislation relevant to the service’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.

BASIS, VALUES AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

To respect and work according to the mission, aims and values in all aspects of the job and be responsible for the demonstration of these in the course of the daily work.
To respect and work according to our Equality and Diversity Policy and ensure its promotion in the course of daily work.

Position

Aberdeen Cyrenians

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