Guardian Jobs
Supported Housing Support Worker, YMCA DOWNSLINK GROUP
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
22.5 hours per week / £28,330 per annum, pro rata / permanent / working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
About YMCA DownsLink Group
YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.
We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.
We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.
Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.
Our 16+ Older Looked After Young People (OLYP), Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) services delivers specialist 24-hour supported accommodation where young people are supported to acquire the necessary skills in preparation for living independently, safely explore their increased freedom of choice and develop responsibilities associated with adulthood, whilst still having the appropriate level of support from an experienced team.
We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and support residents into independent accommodation. We have a dedicated team of Support Workers, Night Workers and additional Bank Workers who provide support, guidance, and signposting around areas such as housing, budgeting, living skills, jobs and relationship building.
Role Overview
We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our Ewhurst Road, Crawley team, who will hold a caseload of residents and meet with them weekly to build a support plan.
Main Areas of Responsibilities
Housing
- Coach young people to manage their occupancy agreement and adhere to house rules, in preparation for independent living
- Promote a credit culture, encouraging young people to keep up to date with all payments for rent
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing and welfare benefits for young people and be well-informed on significant changes to housing law
- Deal effectively with non-compliance issues, such as non-payment of rent or damage to room, using restorative practices and working collaboratively with the rest of the team
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Coaching and Engagement
- Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives
- Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community
- Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries
- Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance)
General
- Work as part of a team, on a rota shift pattern, ensuring young people at the service have non-judgemental, objective, and supportive staff during the day/evening, along with taking responsibility for personal safety during periods of lone working
- Contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations
- Participate in relevant continuing professional development and utilise Reflective Practice Supervision as part of leading psychologically informed practice
There will be times when lone working will be a requirement for this role, but you will get to know the team and service, along with an induction and training prior to starting on a rota.
About You
If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.
This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people.
Experience and Knowledge
- Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk
- Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people with multiple and complex needs to enable them to achieve independent living
- Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people with multiple and complex needs
- Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries
- Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary
- Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team
- Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills
- Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately
Contact Information
If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact Tammy.Fraser@ymcadlg.org. Should you require any assistance with our application process, please email us at Recruitment@ymcadlg.org
Closing Date
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 9 August 2026 at midnight.
Important Notes
- We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.
- An inclusive workplace: We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
- Accessibility: If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.
- YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.
- Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity checks.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location