Independent Living Officer (Young People)

Location: 1a Princes Street Blackburn Lancashire BB2 1LS

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week - covering 8am to 7pm (rota basis) min 2 late nights per week (until 7pm)

Closing date: 30th March 2025

Interviews: 1st and 8th April 2025

Do you have experience working with young people with fantastic motivation skills Do you have knowledge of welfare and benefits systems and experience of working with independent agencies.

MSV Housing has a Young Persons Schemes based in Blackburn providing support and accommodation for young people aged 16 - 25. We are seeking an Independent Living Officer to provide care and assistance to Young People ensuring our theyhave the support they need to thrive throughout their independent living journey.

Youll carry a caseload of young people and work to engage them tailoring support plans and goals to enable them to achieve positive outcomes during their stay with us. Youll have a proven track record in this highly rewarding field with the skills and experience to deal with multiple and complex needs of our young people. Youll be able to manage difficult situations calmly and recognise necessary intervention measures when needed.

Youll show enthusiasm and a strong commitment to meeting the individual needs of each young person accessing our service. Youll have the ability to engage motivate and inspire our young people to live independent lives empowering them to maintain their tenancy agreement and in time move on to their own accommodation.

Experience of one to one support planning risk assessment delivering training and an understanding of the welfare benefits system is also required. You must be client focused be able to communicate at all levels be a self-starter and demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm to helping our young people achieve their goals.

Youll become part of an established and hardworking team who are passionate about our services and our young people. You will also provide cover for other Young Persons schemes as required.

At MSV we are passionate about our Young People and making sure that they have the best start to life. We are looking for candidates who match that passion and have previous experience working within a young person setting with a similar client group. You will recognise the importance of joint working between Leaving Care Services Housing and partner agencies and be able to engage and motivate young people to address their housing needs.

Experience of one to one support planning risk assessment and delivering training is required. You must be client focused be able to communicate at all levels be a self-starter and demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm to helping our young people achieve their goals.

Were committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues to share this commitment. As this job is based in a supported housing project for young people and vulnerable adults an enhanced criminal records background check (free of charge to you) is required. A criminal conviction does not necessarily stop you from working with us. All decisions regarding convictions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Further detail on our commitment to safeguarding young people can be found in our Safeguarding policy attached alongside this vacancys candidate pack.

We offer a range of great benefits including:

• 33 days holiday per year plus bank holidays and a holiday a buy scheme.

• Company pension scheme with up to 10% matched contributions.

• Company funded access to a health cash plan where you can claim back costs of everyday health treatments such as optical dental and much more.

• Enhanced sick pay with up to 3 months full pay and 3 months half pay.

• Health and Wellbeing Support including an employee assistance programme free counselling mental health first aiders and numerous wellbeing initiatives.

• Life assurance subject to being a member of our company pension scheme.

• Learning and development to support you to develop the skills you need to fulfil your role and progress in your career.

• Commitment to Equality and Inclusion with employee network groups covering anti-racism LGBTQ disability and long-term health conditions carers and menopause.

MSV are also committed to supporting you to balance work and life including with any caring or parental responsibilities you might have and have a range of flexible working options and wellbeing support available to all colleagues to facilitate this.

Were passionate about inclusion and wed love to hear from people from diverse backgrounds for this role.

We own and manage almost 9000 homes across Greater Manchester Lancashire and West Yorkshire and pride ourselves on being a housing association that retains our original values and missions and continues to deliver a range of housing solutions to the most vulnerable in MSV our main priority has and always will be to deliver and build on the services we provide as a social values embrace equality and inclusion and are genuinely focussed on people. We want better life chances for our people we work with customers to strengthen our business and we want to see fewer homeless people and people in poverty.