Job Introduction

Are you a substance use worker, mental health professional, social worker or a tenancy sustainment worker who is finding that with larger caseloads you are sadly not seeing real recovery within your service? Do you want to be an important part of an innovative new supported accommodation service which is going to support real recovery within its customer group?

Do you have lived experience of street homelessness, substance use or mental ill- health and a passion for supporting others to make valuable changes to their lives? If so, this is a fantastic opportunity to help to develop an innovative new service in Stafford, designed to support individuals with long term homelessness (including rough sleeping) to work effectively with essential services such as mental health, healthcare, substance misuse services and long-term housing options.

The role will help to build a continually developing community, not just a service, with true power-sharing at its core.

The service has a dual focus:

• Proactive outreach support to people experiencing street homelessness including a co-production project to harness the lived experience of experts by experience to shape our accommodation based service and future homelessness services in the area.
• Provision of a bespoke 6 bedroomed accommodation service for people with experience of homelessness and complex needs which may include mental health, substance misuse and physical health needs.

At Turning Point, we support people across the UK with mental health issues. You will make a real difference to their lives as you work closely with them to help them achieve their potential. Turning Point has several well-established services within Staffordshire. You will form part of a wider supportive team within the region and there is the opportunity for growth in the future.

Role Responsibility

As a Recovery Worker your role will be varied and flexible in its delivery.  Initially you will help to establish access to the service by building trust with rough sleepers at street level and initiating a street-based triage to assess the most appropriate accommodation support required.  You will need to have the confidence and experience to be able to gain the trust and confidence of rough sleepers, as well as the ability to advocate on their behalf with a range of housing providers.   

Following assessment, the Recovery Workers will continue to work with guests and linking in with providers across housing, mental health and substance misuse through MDT processes to support a move in and sustainability of accommodation. Your role will be to provide continuous motivational support to guests of Turning Point’s new purpose built supported living service to empower positive choices to sustain their accommodation and build a truly transformational multi-agency support plan with partners from health, mental health, substance misuse & others to support ongoing treatment and recovery paths.

As a Recovery Worker your role is vital in managing a small caseload working closely with other providers / colleagues to collate and coordinate key information about guests with multi agency providers across mental health and substance misuse and to act quickly to advocate or coordinate multi agency rapid interventions to prevent impulsive actions leading to harmful situations and potential breakdown of support and threat to housing stability.

The service is being built with higher than normal tolerance levels aimed at initially attempting to prevent behaviours which may lead to breakdown of this accommodation service and responding and learning from incidents to further learn about our guests’ behaviours to continue to enhance our responses to continue to keep them safe.

The Ideal Candidate

Ideally you will have relevant lived experience through directly accessing health, social care and / or substance use services.  Our ideal candidate will have the Level 3 award in Understanding Substance misuse, as well as training in mental health and trauma informed approaches.  Alternatively, you will be able to demonstrate extensive history or knowledge of working with people with complex needs. 

You will be a strong motivator and an agent for change who is able to empower people who often don’t have the opportunity for their voice to be heard and be able to demonstrate passion, energy, enthusiasm and empathy.  You are resourceful and innovative in your approach to working with individuals experiencing homelessness, confident and resilient, with the ability to work with and lead on aspects of the service development. In addition you must have experience of coordinating multi-agency approaches as well as experience in mobilising rapid multi- agency interventions to prevent breakdown.  

You will have strong written and verbal communication skills and knowledge of IT and digital systems is important as well.

About us

As a leading health and social care provider with more than 300 locations across England, we take real pride in the services we offer. We run all of our services on a not-for-profit basis; instead, we invest every penny back into our services and people. We never stop believing in change for the better, and we work constantly to improve the lives of the people we support.

Our people bring our vision to life. So, if you are enthusiastic, motivated and committed to support others to fulfilling their potential, here at Turning Point, we don't just offer you a job – we offer you a career.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager in confidence prior to applying please contact Nick Bolger on 01785 225071.

What benefits will I receive?

We know reward looks different to each person and so whether its ways to make your money go further, a culture supporting recognition and celebration, or opportunities to boost your career – we want to support you in every way we can with our total reward package that includes:

• Comprehensive learning and development opportunities so we can invest in your future – we’re proud to have a silver accreditation from Investors in People. Choose from our range of courses to gain recognised qualifications
• 28 days’ paid holiday a year, increasing with each year of service up to 30 days. Plus the option to buy or sell additional holidays and spread the cost
• An exclusive discounts hub for TP colleagues, to help make your money go further – including high street shopping, pubs and restaurants, mobile phones, gym memberships, and much more. You’ll also have access to the Blue Light Card, for even more discounts and savings!
• Flexible working solutions to support your work-life balance
• Life Assurance of up to 3x annual salary and a competitive Pension Scheme to support your savings and security
• Access to our Rightsteps Therapy service – free, confidential telephone based counselling sessions, access to an online wellbeing platform, and a Financial Education hub to support your total wellbeing
• A 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme including a Digital GP, legal advice and more – all free to you and your immediate family
• Recognition awards to recognise colleagues’ inspirational work and dedication, as well as Long Service bonuses to celebrate your commitment to us
• Flexible benefit options including a Cycle to Work scheme and interest-free Season Ticket Loans
• A £300 bonus if you successfully refer a friend as a new colleague through our Refer a Friend scheme, as a thanks from us!

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closing date.

Turning Point