Support Worker

Job Title: Support Worker
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31/03/2025
Salary: £25,965.41 (£27,112.48 is achieved after 18 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours
Working Pattern: 8-week rolling shift pattern, some weekend/bank holiday work
Location: The Quays, Sittingbourne

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

The difference you will make as a Support Worker

You will be responsible for the delivery of individual, positive outcome focused support packages to clients of Riverside’s supported schemes, ensuring that the support service promotes empowerment and independence. The emphasis will be on using coaching methods to empower clients on their resettlement journey, delivering individual personalised support packages, reflective of different client needs, including culture and diversity issues. 

You will assist clients with day-to-day tenancy issues, payment of rent, claiming benefits, preparing units to let and working with clients to agree goals and actions.

About you

We are looking for someone with:

• Experience of working with vulnerable client groups


• An understanding of providing structured support to vulnerable people – this could include having your own lived experience of homelessness or drug or alcohol addiction


• Ability to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours and may include lone working

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. 

We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension 


• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays 


• Flexible working options available


• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology


• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside: 

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues. 

Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Role Profile

• Delivering a ‘best practice’ support service, appropriate to clients’ needs


• Ensuring the delivery of individual personalised support packages, reflective of different client needs, including culture and diversity issues


• Assisting clients with day-to-day tenancy issues, payment of rent, claiming benefits, preparing units to let


• Knowledge of ‘best practice’ in both crisis intervention and planned support working


• Undertaking referrals and assessments of potential clients, working with them to identify the most appropriate housing solution for their needs


• Ensuring clients have access to relevant external support services.


• Working with clients to agree and set goals and actions


• Meeting clearly defined client outcome targets through key-working, support plans, risk assessments and other interventions


• Ensuring that opportunities for education, training and employment opportunities are integral to the support service. The aim being to enable clients to develop the life skills to live as independently as possible


• Maintaining accurate and timely records of all activities including the maintenance of a support planning database


• Providing practical support and information to clients when entering the service and throughout their involvement with the service, e.g., assisting clients in the completion of occupancy agreements and welfare benefit claims


• Working in line with ‘health and safety’ and safe guarding requirements to ensure the overall safety and security of the client


• Report repairs and maintenance needs on behalf of the client following agreed procedures


• Promote and encourage a high level of client involvement, consultation and communication.


• To understand your role in the organisation and to be accountable for your contribution to maximise profitability


• To understand how your job contributes to the overall purpose of the organisation and be accountable for delivering it in the most efficient way


• To understand that your efforts will be client led and be accountable for positive and tangible outcomes


• To understand that Riverside is a nationally focused organisation and to be accountable for adhering to the agreed corporate policies and procedures


• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary staff team and meeting the requirements of a rota system, ensuring support is available across all schemes in the cluster


• Actively involved in team meetings and attend regular supervisions


• Working with colleagues to ensure key performance indicators (e.g. voids and arrears) are being met


• Working in line with company policies and procedures and the requirements of funders and stakeholders to ensure effective service delivery


• Working in line with other key agencies, both in statutory and voluntary sectors


• Ability to use appropriate IT systems and maintain professional and timely records


• Attending appropriate training and development opportunities as required


• To provide a high quality, customer-orientated service


• Constantly review work outputs, setting improvement targets and appraising individual performance


• Participate in the work of the Divisional team, encouraging innovation


• Undertake personal development and training as necessary to keep up to date with legal, political, financial and other developments in the fields of housing and customer service


• To ensure compliance with Riverside’s Equality and Diversity policy, in respect of employment and service delivery


• Ensure that all data is compliant with legislation and policies relating to data quality


• To actively promote Riverside locally


• To ensure compliance with Riverside’s safeguarding policies and procedures in every aspect of service delivery


• Any other relevant duties as required by the designated manager

Skills and Knowledge

• Experience of working with vulnerable client groups


• Experience of delivering structured support in either housing or social care


• Able to demonstrate IT Skills to include a basic proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word and Excel as well as a willingness to learn specific IT systems used within Riverside; and complete relevant IT training where required