Harbour Worker

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About the harbour

The Harbour is a new four-bed service developed by Herring House Trust for people moving away from rough sleeping.

We know that moving from the street into accommodation is not always straightforward. The Harbour provides a small, supportive environment where people have the time and space to settle, build relationships and decide what they want to do next.

Our approach is built around relationships, trust and consistency. We work in a trauma-informed, psychologically informed and harm minimisation way, recognising people's strengths, respecting their choices and involving them in decisions about their own lives.

For staff, The Harbour offers the opportunity to help build a new service from the beginning. We want to create a small, supportive team where people can bring ideas, test and learn from different approaches and contribute to how the service develops.

Support for staff is an important part of the model. Harbour Workers will receive regular supervision from the Client Services Manager, alongside reflective practice and case formulation with Herring House Trust's Counsellor. You will not be expected to do this work alone.

The Harbour also brings together Link Work, peer support and lived experience. Harbour Workers will work alongside our Link Workers and Herring House Trust's Lived Experience Collective and Collective Lead.

Main purpose of the role

Harbour Workers provide the day-to-day support for the four people living in The Harbour.

This is a practical, relationship-based role. It may involve sitting with someone who is struggling, making a meal together, helping someone attend an appointment, supporting someone through a difficult situation or simply being a consistent presence.

You will get to know residents well, understand what matters to them and work alongside them as they settle into accommodation, build greater stability and consider what they want to do next.

Main responsibilities

1. Day-to-Day Support
   • Build trusting and consistent relationships with people living in The Harbour.
   • Provide practical and emotional support based on each person's individual needs.
   • Support people as they settle into accommodation and adjust to living indoors.
   • Work alongside residents with everyday activities such as cooking, shopping, cleaning, budgeting and managing their living space.
   • Support people to attend appointments and access health, substance use and other services.
   • Help people identify what matters to them and what they would like to work towards.
   • Encourage independence by doing things with people rather than routinely doing things for them.
   • Maintain clear and appropriate professional boundaries.
2. Safe and Trauma-Informed Practice
   • Work in a trauma-informed, psychologically informed and harm minimisation way.
   • Treat people with dignity, respect and without judgement.
   • Understand that behaviour often has meaning and seek to understand what may be happening for the person.
   • Remain calm and thoughtful when situations are difficult.
   • Support residents to live alongside one another and help maintain a safe and respectful environment within The Harbour.
   • Recognise when someone's behaviour, circumstances or wellbeing may create concerns for them or others and respond appropriately.
   • Recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns in line with HHT procedures.
   • Work within The Harbour's harm minimisation approach, including agreed procedures around alcohol use within the service.
3. Stability, Housing and Move-On
   • Work with residents to develop and review support plans.
   • Support people to build the confidence and practical skills needed to sustain accommodation.
   • Provide support around benefits, budgeting, appointments and other practical matters where needed.
   • Work alongside Link Workers and other HHT colleagues so that support remains consistent.
   • Support residents to explore future housing options when they are ready.
   • Help plan transitions into HHT accommodation or other appropriate housing so that support continues through the move.
4. Lived Experience, Outreach and Wider Support
   • Work closely with Herring House Trust's Lived Experience Collective and Collective Lead.
   • Help residents access peer-led support, activities and opportunities for connection.
   • Recognise the value of lived experience and peer relationships within the support offered by The Harbour.
   • There may be opportunities during daytime hours to accompany Link Workers on street outreach and build relationships with people who may later move into The Harbour.
   • Street outreach will always be undertaken with two members of staff and there will be no lone working on street outreach.
   • Work positively with partner agencies and other HHT services where this supports the individual.
5. Being Part of the Harbour Team
   • Work closely with other Harbour Workers, Link Workers, the Senior Link Worker, Hostel Workers and the wider HHT team.
   • Keep clear and accurate records, including daily logs, case notes, support plans and incident records.
   • Share relevant information appropriately to provide consistent and safe support.
   • Participate in handovers, team meetings and relevant training.
   • Participate in regular supervision with the Client Services Manager.
   • Participate in reflective practice and case formulation with Herring House Trust's Counsellor.
   • Ask for support when needed and be open to discussion, reflection and challenge.
   • Contribute ideas and learning to the ongoing development of The Harbour.
   • Work in accordance with Herring House Trust's policies, procedures and values.
   • Undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to the role.

Working hours

The Harbour provides support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Harbour Workers follow a rolling shift pattern of one 12-hour day shift, followed by one 12-hour night shift and then three days off. This averages approximately 34 hours per week, with the rota moving across weekdays and weekends.

We recognise that this can be demanding work and that proper time away from work is important. The shift pattern provides a regular period away from scheduled shifts following each day and night rotation.

As part of a small 24-hour team, Harbour Workers will occasionally be asked to cover additional shifts for colleagues' annual leave or sickness. Any additional hours worked will be paid in accordance with Herring House Trust's arrangements.

Person specification

Qualifications

No formal qualification is essential. We are looking for transferable skills, relevant experience and an understanding of trauma-informed practice.

The ability to maintain clear and accurate written records, including daily logs, case notes and support documentation, is essential.

Essential Experience and Understanding

• Experience of working with people experiencing homelessness, multiple disadvantage or similarly complex circumstances.
• Understanding of trauma-informed working and how trauma and previous experiences can affect behaviour, relationships and engagement with services.
• Experience of building relationships with people who may find it difficult to trust or engage with services.
• Experience of providing practical, person-centred support.
• Understanding of safeguarding and the ability to recognise and respond appropriately to concerns.
• Ability to remain calm and thoughtful when situations are difficult.
• Ability to maintain clear professional boundaries while remaining compassionate and non-judgemental.
• Willingness to reflect on practice and consider different approaches when something is not working.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of working in supported housing, homelessness or a residential setting.
• Experience of working with people affected by alcohol or substance use.
• Understanding of psychologically informed or harm minimisation approaches.
• Experience of working alongside lived experience or peer-led services.

Skills and Personal Qualities

We are looking for someone who:

• Has strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Can engage people respectfully and without judgement.
• Can listen and build trust over time.
• Is calm under pressure and able to think clearly when situations are difficult.
• Is curious about what may be happening for someone rather than quick to judge.
• Is reliable, consistent and trustworthy.
• Can work independently while remaining part of a supportive team.
• Is practical and willing to get involved in everyday activities alongside residents.
• Is comfortable working with uncertainty and complexity.
• Is open to learning, reflection and constructive challenge.
• Is committed to improving outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.

Additional information

This is a hands-on support role. Harbour Workers will work alongside residents with everyday living activities, but personal care is not part of the role.

The Harbour operates within a harm minimisation approach and residents are not required to be abstinent from alcohol as a condition of living within the service.

How to apply

We want to keep the application process straightforward.

Please send us your CV, telling us what role you are most interested in and a short supporting statement answering these three questions:

1. Why does this particular role interest you?
2. What experience, skills and qualities would you bring to the role?
3. What does good support look like to you?

We’re interested in what you can bring to the role, not simply the job titles you’ve held.

Closing date: Sunday 13 September 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 21 September 2026

Please send your CV and supporting statement to:

rsvp@herringhousetrust.org.uk

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in our recruitment process, please let us know.