Job Description:
There are 2 posts available for this position, one in Kilkenny and the other in Tipperary.
Purpose of the Post:
The purpose of this post is to support people who are sleeping rough, those experiencing difficulties accessing and maintaining emergency homelessness, and individuals who are homeless and in hospitals with no accommodation to successfully support medical discharge.
Key Responsibilities:
* Liase with statutory and community-based health, social services, and local services to improve health outcomes for marginalized groups.
* Identify people sleeping rough, sofa surfing, and living in squats, build a relationship to motivate them towards inclusion and integration into services, and focus on their health needs.
* Assess needs and risks, communicate effectively through advocacy and report writing.
* Support people through case management and key working, building their capacity to meet goals, address support/health needs, process referrals, conduct assessments, and implement care/support plans.
Guidance and Authority:
The post-holder will report to the Service Manager GSC Centre and agree a delivery plan with the HSE Homeless Lead for Social Inclusion, South East. They will also liaise with relevant stakeholders in local authorities, the Health Service Executive, and other agencies.
Challenge:
The nature of this work involves supporting vulnerable people with complex needs, including survivors of trauma. The post-holder may engage with sensitive and confidential matters, require empathy, compassion, and pragmatism, and encounter clients in distress or displaying challenging behaviors.
Principal Accountabilities & Key Indicators:
* Provide leadership by demonstrating high standards of social care practice.
* Ensure the service responds effectively to the needs of service users in areas such as referral, induction, key working/case management, and move-on.
* Ensure service users access services/community supports/welfare allowances they are entitled to.
* Maintain a consistently high standard of care for service users and protect/promote their rights.
* Work towards achieving Putting People First and implementing National Quality Standards Framework for Homeless Services and National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.
* Adhere to the Homeless Agency's Homeless Sector Competency Framework.
Communication:
The post-holder will carry out duties according to the values, ethos, and mission statement of the Good Shepherd Centre. They will contribute to the ongoing development of standards, policies, and procedures, ensure staff-handovers are conducted to high standards, attend regular team-meetings, report to the Service Manager/Steering Group challenges, changes, or resource needs, and participate in supervision and meetings.
Office Building:
The post-holder will monitor and ensure that all aspects of Health and Safety standards are met within the service, report any Health and Safety concerns or issues, manage a maintenance system, and maintain office buildings to a high standard.
Information Management:
The post-holder will support and monitor the further development of appropriate information management systems, ensure compliance with Data Protection legislation and the Service Users Confidentiality Policy, and maintain confidentiality at all times.
Care-Management Files:
The post-holder will contribute to and support the implementation of progressive Information Technology systems, facilitate record-keeping and case-management systems, maintain standard records, engage with referral agents, and complete move-in, case-management, and move-out processes in line with policies and best practice in social care.
Monitoring Resources:
The post-holder will advise the Team Lead of efficiencies, pressures, or requirements in relation to resources and have the ability to deal with difficult situations in a calm and professional manner using proven crisis management techniques (MAPA/TCI) and following policy and procedures to ensure safety and relationships are maintained.
Duties and Responsibilities:
* Make contact with people in assigned local authority areas who are sleeping rough and/or experiencing long-term and multiple exclusion homelessness.
* Follow up on referrals received through the Homeless Action Team (HAT) of the relevant local authority area.
* Advise people of the supports available through the Regional Outreach Service and how the service differs from other approaches.
* Signpost people to more appropriate services where necessary.
* Ensure consent for record-keeping, information-sharing, referral, and advocacy prior to proceeding with any of those activities.
Key Working, Support Plans and Case Management:
* Proactively identify and engage with service users experiencing homelessness.
* Assess how the Service can assist them and prioritise their support needs.
* Complete screening/initial assessment, develop and implement care/support plans, and conduct regular key working appointments as appropriate to the service users' needs.
* Carry out risk assessments and risk management plans as appropriate.
Recording Keeping:
The post-holder will maintain accurate, objective, professional, and up-to-date records, generate required statistics for GSCK and HSE, and maintain current records on PASS for everyone in their caseload.
Research:
The post-holder will participate in relevant research/audit projects within the service to improve outcomes and standards in addiction and homeless services, contribute to any service improvement plans as a result of evaluation or audit, and ensure that service user opinion and feedback is sought in relation to all service development projects.
Team Work & Personal Development:
The post-holder will participate in Homeless Action Team meetings, work as part of a team to reach overall objectives, help develop best practice, carry out any other appropriate work as requested by the supervisor, and act as a collaborative member of an interdisciplinary case management and specialist support team.
Risk Management:
The post-holder will be aware of the principles of risk management, individually responsible for risk management issues in their area of work, identify risk situations, and take appropriate action.
Health & Safety:
The post-holder must make themselves aware of health and safety policies affecting the workplace, conform to regulations regarding safe practices and the use of safety equipment, comply with no smoking rules, and work with due regard to their own safety and the safety of others.