Women's Support Worker

Imago Dei is a small but growing Christian charity that works with women in prison and once they leave prison. One Charity with 4 Projects. Grace House is our housing project, a Christian project that works with women of all faith and none, it is a brand new project and this role is vital to the success of ID Grace House UK.

You will be an experienced and committed Support Worker who is highly motivated and passionate about the work you do. Be committed to supporting vulnerable adults, enabling them to build on their existing strengths to make positive changes in their lives. This is a great opportunity to join a newly established house and make a real difference to the residents.

Main Duties:

You will work with the residents of Grace House to help them to address habits/choices made, that brought them to offend; to assist them to regain self-esteem, well-being and independence.

You will be willing to undertake on call duties out-of-hours.

You will be involved in attending resident and staff meetings in referral prisons.

You will be willing to facilitate or co-facilitate #SheMatters courses run in the community supporting women in contact with the criminal justice system.

• To offer guidance in every aspect of adjusting to life out of prison, giving both practical and emotional support.
• Ensure full involvement in developing resident’s support plans to meet both their aspirations and needs.
• Monitor residents’ progress through regular key-work and support planning meetings.
• Recommend other support agencies as and when appropriate or necessary.
• Record outcomes and review progress in achieving resident goals.
• Provide advice on benefits, financial and budgeting matters.
• Assist the House Manager in the referral process - reviewing applications, accompanying the House Manger to interviews in prisons.
• To contribute to the referrals database and help with active waiting lists.
• Deal with breaches of the License Agreement sensitively and efficiently, in accordance with warnings and appeals procedure.
• Oversee cleaning duties around the houses and grounds – to model life skills.
• Support residents as they seek work and move on, accommodation. Ensure the support provided is tailored to fit the individual needs of each resident.

Essential Skills and Experience

• A practicing Christian, Imago Dei is a Christian charity and its heart and ethos is that of Christian values.
• A minimum of 12 months experience working within a Hostel setting or confident experience of supporting vulnerable adults with Mental Health, Substance Misuse, Domestic Violence, Challenging Behaviours, Offending Behaviour.
• Have CTC Prison Clearance or willing to complete the vetting and checks for this.
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to vulnerable people including knowledge of welfare benefits.
• Have experience in working in a women centered, trauma informed way.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience working within the health and social care sector, experience with supporting ex-offenders.
• Educated to degree/NVQ/QCF level in relevant discipline (housing, social, support worker, community development etc.), knowledge of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) or equivalent.
• Confidence and experience working with challenging behaviour.

Personal Attributes:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and understanding of the issues facing our residents.
• Ability to build relationships quickly, earn trust and build credibility. Know how to balance authority and compassion.
• Ability to manage your own time/workload.
• Understand the importance of meeting deadlines and commitments to residents and ensure these deadlines and commitments are met.
• High levels of energy and enthusiasm, approachable.
• Self-motivated, ability to work alone and in a team.
• Committed and highly organised.
• Respectful and patient.
• Personal values aligned with Grace House’s values.

All job offers are subject to satisfactory references, right to work and DBS checks.

Imago Dei welcomes and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, ethnicity, gender, religion*, sexual orientation, age or criminal record.

*In accordance with the equality act 2010 it is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a practicing evangelical Christian and in agreement with the Imago Dei Faith Policy.

As an organization, we are committed to growing the diversity of our team and seek to be representative of those we are supporting, so we would especially like to hear from applicants who are from racially minoritised groups in the UK.