Supported Housing Pathway Key Worker

Support Housing Pathway Key Worker

Position Description

Lifewise is an innovative organisation working together with marginalised people to create better services and solutions to enable their full participation and ability to thrive. As a Supported Housing Pathway Key Worker you will support rapid access to permanent housing and on-site support to people experiencing chronic homelessness.

You will uncover and unleash the strengths of the people you are working with and walk alongside them as they determine their futures, based on their own choices, and self-determined goals. You will provide intensive, often long-term support based on these goals.  You will continue to walk alongside people on their recovery journey as they build a sense of wellbeing and strong positive community connections.

You will have extraordinary interpersonal skills, patience and empathy to build trusting relationships with the manaha and their whānau. 

THREE TRUSTS VALUES

Compassion Arohanui

Courage Maia

Respect Whakaute

Integrity Ngakau Pono

 WHO YOU REPORT TO

• You report to the Lifewise Supported Housing Pathway Team Leader

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal                                                

• Supported Housing Pathway Team Leader
• Supported Housing Pathway Team
• Wider Lifewise Rotorua team

External

• Government Agencies
• Other Service Providers
• External agencies as appropriate

LEVEL OF DELEGATION

• As stated in The Three Trusts Policy on Delegated Authorities

 WHAT YOU’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR

As a member of the team, which has a kaupapa Māori approach, you are responsible for acknowledging and enhancing the mana of the people we work with. Supporting and equipping participants with skills and knowledge to be successful in sustaining a future in a private or public home that meets their needs. 

A key aspect of the service is supporting participants to improve health and wellbeing by working in groups and one on one to find pathways of success that work for the participant.  A key aspect of the role is building trusting relationships and to support participants to reintegrate into society. This involves providing a range of holistic support to promote wellbeing, including:

Person led intensive case management

Supporting participants through a case management approach, the goal of which is to help them with housing and maintaining their housing and achieve an optimum quality of life through developing plans, enhancing life skills, addressing health and mental health needs, engaging in meaningful activities and building social and community relations.

Emotional Support

This relational aspect of support includes active listening, reframing, facilitating communication, building motivation and confidence. 

Informational / Educational Support

Provision of information and education to help people to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Navigation

Helping people find out about, connect to and use the resources and services that are available to them.

Direct Support

Doing things with (rather than for) people in order that they build skills, confidence, change behaviour or circumstances. 

You will work with a small number of Supported Housing Pathway participants to:

• Work in an organisation and with a kaupapa Māori approach.
• Improve people’s ability to meaningfully participate in society.
• Improve equality of outcomes.
• Improve awareness of and access to support.
• Provide advocacy as required.
• Improve the connections across different providers and organisations.
• Reduce harm and improve the strength of whānau, families and communities.
• Secure self-sustaining income pathways whereby they feel self-worthy and are integrated into society.
• Holistic assessments for participants.
• Develop care plans for participants.
• Strengthen cultural connectedness.
• Parenting support if required.
• Enable access to education as needed.
• Provide a pathway into other services and agencies as appropriate to the individual’s needs.
• Support clients to become self-sustainable.
• Complete comprehensive data reports per participant.
• Manage multiple caseloads effectively.
• Improve the effectiveness of connections across different providers and organisations and Communicate effectively with stakeholders and partner organisations.
• Maintain high personal and professional standards for yourself and as a representative of Lifewise and the two Sister Trusts Airedale Property and Methodist Mission Northern.
• Create and work towards a strengths based recovery plan that is grounded in the principles of the Supported Housing Pathway and harm reduction.
• Support with daily tasks and activities.
• Broker and provide supported referrals to other organisations or services as required.
• Support connection with Whānau and culture as required.
• Contribute to community development initiatives with participants and the wider team.
• Share your knowledge with your Supported Housing Pathway Key Worker team members to build the collective knowledge and wisdom of the team and to contribute to the overall development of the programme.
• Maintain relevant, timely and accurate documentation at all times.

Note: The above performance standards are provided as a guide only. Performance measures will be discussed between the team member and manager as part of the performance planning and review process.

WHAT SKILLS & EXPERIENCE YOU NEED

• Relevant qualification or experience in one of the following fields: social work, nursing, psychology, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, occupational therapy, counselling, social sciences, community development, sociology, support work, peer or consumer advisor.
• Cultural competencies with knowledge of tikanga me te reo Māori.
• Positivity, flexibility, confidence and compassion with a non-judgmental attitude.
• Resilience, with the ability to work in an environment of chaos or unpredictability.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain professional integrity and self-care.
• Have experience in working alongside people with mental health issues, substance abuse and/or trauma.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal, written and computer literacy)
• Knowledge or understanding of motivational interviewing, harm reduction and trauma informed care.
• Computer literacy and skill in the use of computers and related software applications.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• High attention to detail.
• A clean, current full driver's license is essential and a willingness to drive the organisation vehicles if needed.

CHANGE TO JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• This Job Description is intended to describe the main functions and responsibilities and behaviours required of the role. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities or duties that may reasonably be required of the incumbent in this role.

• Employees will be expected to perform any duties reasonably requested by the employer.

• From time to time it may be necessary to consider changes in the job description in response to the changing nature of our work environment – including technological requirements or statutory changes.