Community Support Worker – Mental Health Supported Living

Location: Ipswich, Suffolk 
Salary: Dependent on skills and experience
Hours: Part-time / 20 hours per week and above
Reports to: Deputy Manager / Manager

About the Role

We are looking for a compassionate, reliable, and motivated Community Support Worker to join our Mental Health Supported Living Service.

The purpose of this role is to support people with continuing mental health needs to live as independently as possible. You will work flexibly as part of a team to provide support, advice, advocacy, and practical assistance, helping service users develop personal choice, autonomy, and a lifestyle that promotes good physical and mental health.

This role includes key working responsibilities and may involve supporting service users in the community, in their accommodation, and during times of crisis.

Key Responsibilities

As a Community Support Worker, you will:

• Build caring and supportive relationships with service users while respecting their dignity, rights, choices, and confidentiality.
• Encourage service users to participate in all aspects of the service and wider community life.
• Support service users to claim welfare benefits where appropriate and help maximise benefit uptake.
• Assist service users in maintaining health, safety, cleanliness, and good domestic management within their accommodation.
• Provide practical support with everyday tasks, including working alongside service users where required.
• Offer advice and support around housing needs, rights, and moving accommodation where appropriate.
• Use support agreements to provide support, advice, and advocacy that promotes independence, choice, and autonomy.
• Help service users develop skills and opportunities to achieve the fullest possible independence from support services.
• Support service users to access educational, work, leisure, social, health, advocacy, and welfare services.
• Provide appropriate support during times of crisis and assist with preventative work.
• Support service users with self-care and personal care tasks where required by service needs.
• Respond appropriately to situations of abuse, self-neglect, or safeguarding concern.
• Support with the handling and administration of prescribed medication where applicable and in line with policy.
• Liaise positively with families, professionals, housing providers, health services, and other agencies in the best interests of service users.
• Promote service user involvement and support individuals to engage with this process.

Administrative Duties at Site

The role will include general administration duties connected with the running of the service, including:

• Maintaining accurate written and electronic records relating to service users and project activity.
• Updating project records, care notes, support documentation, and other required records.
• Keeping accurate records of petty cash, expenditure, and receipt of monies in line with organisational procedures.
• Completing and submitting claim forms, timesheets, mileage records, and other required documentation by the relevant deadlines.
• Supporting the Manager with delegated administrative tasks required for the smooth running of the project.

Essential Requirements

Applicants must have:

A compassionate, respectful, and person-centred approach.

Good communication skills.

Basic awareness of welfare rights and benefits.

Awareness of issues affecting people with mental health needs.

Practical skills and willingness to support individuals with everyday tasks.

Ability to provide emotional support to people recovering from mental health problems.

Awareness of diversity, confidentiality, health and safety, abuse, and neglect.

Basic IT and administration skills.

Ability to organise own workload and work flexibly as part of a small team.

Ability to advocate on behalf of service users.

Ability to work under pressure and support people experiencing acute mental distress.

Willingness to work shifts and flexible hours in line with service demands.

Willingness to undertake relevant qualifications and training.

A full driving licence and access to your own vehicle. This is essential for the role.

Desirable

The following would be an added advantage:

Previous experience of working with people who have long-term mental health needs or in a related field.

Experience in community work.

Experience of working in supported housing.

Knowledge of housing legislation.

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