Job Description
Job Role Food Bank Support Worker – 6 months temporary contract
Job hours: 35 hours per week (Includes Saturdays as required on a rota basis)
Responsible to: Drop-In Support Leader
Salary: £12.50 per hour
Happydays UK are an expanding charity supporting adults and families in crisis. We do this through serving the local community via the food bank, and providing free, hot meals, three times per week at The Gathering Place in Halifax.
The charity promotes acceptance and values courage and honesty, to inspire positive change. We are a progressive and forward-thinking organisation, and our support work is relationship focused, and built on trust to ensure the best possible outcome for the people who use our services.
Building a community is at the heart of what we do. Our Foodbank Support Worker will proactively engage our community with a view to addressing food poverty and empowering people to work towards independent living.
PERSONAL ATRIBUTES AND TRAINING
Our ideal candidate will have:
- Up to date knowledge of local and national Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
- A working knowledge of the Welfare Benefits System
- Understand GDPR legislation
- Experience of working with people with complex needs and challenging behaviour
- An understanding of the Cost of Living Crisis and how this impacts on families and individuals under economic pressure
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to empathise and build relationships within our diverse community
- Excellent organisational and time-management abilities to handle multiple tasks and prioritise effectively, working towards deadlines
- Attention to detail and accuracy in record-keeping and data management.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
- Flexibility to work weekends, as needed.
- Basic computer skills for data entry, reporting and administrative tasks.
Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and upholding professional ethics.
- Empathy, compassion, and a non-judgmental approach when supporting individuals facing food poverty.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
- Create a welcoming safe space where adults and families at risk feel they are accepted and can access the support they need
- Liaise with DWP to update Universal Credit claim and address any issues such as sanctions / work commitments / child welfare benefits
- Keep accurate and up to date records
- Follow and keep up to date with safeguarding policy and procedure, implementing them when necessary
- Ensure adherence to GDPR standards
- Performing of dynamic risk assessments in a busy and sometimes challenging environment
- Use de-escalation strategies and manage conflict, when required
- Maintain professional boundaries at all times
- Conduct client assessments to determine their eligibility and specific needs, ensuring confidentiality and sensitivity at all times.
- Provide clients with a walkthrough to external services when appropriate.
- Build partnerships with external stakeholders to support people in crisis.
- Work with Food Bank and Free Cafe clients to address support needs and longer-term help to enable them to get out of food poverty
- Keep up to date with all local initiatives to support people in crisis and help to connect our clients to these services, such as Fuel vouchers, debt support schemes etc.
- Promote healthy eating habits and provide basic nutritional advice to clients.
- Assign tasks and responsibilities to volunteers, ensuring a smooth workflow and effective utilisation of resources.
- Foster a positive and inclusive volunteer environment, recognising and appreciating their contributions.
- Assist with fundraising efforts and grant applications to secure financial resources for the food bank's sustainability and growth.
ADMIN:
- Maintain client records to reflect the supported pathway to independent living.
- Attend regular supervisions and provide feedback to the organisation
- Contribute to any written reports produced by the Head of Communities and Head of Operations Generate regular reports on food bank activities, including key metrics, challenges, and successes, to share with management and stakeholders, and contribute to any reports written by Heads of Service
- Complete expenses forms
- Attend local authority meetings and any other relevant forums
- To actively work with partners and stakeholders to promote the work of the organisation.
If you are interested in this role, please send a CV and covering letter to [email protected] by midday on 09/07/2023
Job Types: Full-time, Temp to perm
Contract length: 6 months
Salary: £12.50 per hour
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Halifax: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Support Worker: 2 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 10/06/2023
Reference ID: food bank support