Supported Housing Support Worker

Job Application Form

Supported Housing Support Worker, Burgess Hill / Crawley, £28,330.00

Employment Type

Full Time, Permanent

Application Start Date

03-04-2026

Application End Date

26-04-2026

Location

Burgess Hill / Crawley

State/County

Mid Sussex / West Sussex

Zip Code

RH15 8AL

Country

United Kingdom

Work Style

On-site

Description

37.5 hours per week / permanent / working across Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (not including bank holidays), you will be based either in Mid Sussex (Burgess Hill) or Crawley (can be discussed at interview) – with the requirement to travel to West Sussex Transitional service sites in the community. 

It is essential that you hold a current UK driving license and have a car for this role (expenses for mileage paid at 45p per mile, excluding home to work journey).

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.

West Sussex Transitional Housing provides homes for young people in a range of settings across the county. Services provide a low level of support for young people who already have a basic level of daily living skills and can keep themselves safe without daily supervision. Services are staffed Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, with some services having on site staff and others visiting staff; all services are supported by a mobile night team who carry out regular safety and security checks. The aim of the service is to enable and empower young people to move on to independent accommodation and articulate and start to achieve their aspirations and ambitions.

We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures.

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our team, who will hold a caseload of residents and meet with them weekly to build a support plan. Main areas of responsibilities are:

Housing and Compliance

• Support young people to understand and comply with their occupancy agreements, including coaching them to meet house rules and responsibilities as part of preparing for successful independent living.
• Promote a strong rent‑payment and credit culture, encouraging residents to maintain regular payments and understand their financial obligations.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of housing legislation, welfare benefits, and statutory requirements affecting young people, ensuring practice aligns with current housing law and organisational policies.
• Respond promptly and effectively to breaches of agreement, including rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or property damage, using restorative approaches where appropriate and working collaboratively with the wider team.

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).

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. 

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 in housing or supported accommodation, ideally supporting young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Strong understanding of occupancy agreements, rent management, welfare benefits, and tenancy sustainment.
• Ability to manage arrears, ASB, and other non‑compliance issues using appropriate and restorative approaches.
• Good knowledge of housing legislation, safeguarding procedures, and compliance requirements, with the ability to maintain clear professional boundaries.
• Familiarity with statutory and voluntary services available to young people and ability to work proactively with a caseload to support progression towards independent living.

Skills and Abilities

• Confident in record‑keeping, including case notes, incident reporting, and health and safety checks.
• 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.

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact Denise.Morgan@ymcadlg.org. Should you require any assistance with our application process, please email us at Recruitment@ymcadlg.org

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 26 April 2026 at midnight. 

TO APPLY: Scroll down the page to the application form. Please also download the job profile (below), which includes the full role description and person specification.

PLEASE NOTE: 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.