Welfare Support Officer

About the Role

We are expanding our contract and need a Welfare Support Officer to assist asylum seekers with their right‑to‑work applications. This position is highly rewarding, demanding resilience, trustworthiness, empathy, and strong people skills, as each day presents new challenges and opportunities to make a meaningful impact. Key duties include offering practical and emotional support, monitoring wellbeing, and identifying needs for individuals and families. The officer will maintain accurate records for Home Office audits, conduct risk assessments, update support plans, and assist with accessing healthcare, education, and community services, while also accompanying service users to appointments when required. Crisis situations are handled calmly to ensure safety, and the role promotes independence by encouraging life‑skill development, works collaboratively with partners, and contributes to service improvements while upholding equality, diversity, and inclusion. • Support asylum seekers throughout their right‑to‑work application process. • Provide practical and emotional assistance, monitor wellbeing, and identify support needs. • Assist with accessing healthcare, education, and community services, and signpost to external agencies. • Accompany service users to appointments or interviews as required. • Conduct risk assessments, maintain accurate case records, and update support plans regularly. • Respond calmly to crises to ensure safety and provide immediate support. • Collaborate with colleagues, local authorities, and partner organisations. • Contribute feedback for service improvement and uphold equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸right-to-work
• ▸risk assessment
• ▸case records
• ▸support plans
• ▸crisis response
• ▸service referrals

What You Bring

Candidates should have experience working with vulnerable and diverse client groups, a solid understanding of safeguarding practices, and the ability to design appropriate support packages. Experience supporting people with mental health issues or challenging behaviour, strong communication and IT skills, and a proven track record in case management and risk assessment are essential. The role requires independent working, effective time management, a full UK driving licence, and personal qualities such as resilience, empathy, approachability, and the ability to stay calm in difficult situations. • Experience working with vulnerable, diverse client groups and safeguarding practices. • Ability to assess needs and create appropriate support packages. • Experience supporting individuals with mental health issues or challenging behaviour. • Strong communication, case‑management, and IT skills. • Self‑directed work style with effective time‑management and prioritisation. • Resilient, trustworthy, empathetic, good listener, and able to remain calm under pressure. • Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel as needed.

Requirements

• ▸vulnerable clients
• ▸safeguarding
• ▸mental health
• ▸case management
• ▸it skills
• ▸driving licence

Benefits

The role offers an annual salary of up to £29,863.80 and is based in Inverclyde on a full‑time six‑month fixed‑term contract (40 hours per week, Monday‑Friday). Mears Group provides temporary accommodation for asylum seekers across the Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, supporting over 19,000 service users and working with government bodies, providers, landlords, and investors to address homelessness and deliver specialist housing. Benefits include a competitive salary, a company vehicle with fuel card or a £3,500 car allowance, 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, volunteering leave, and access to Mears Rewards discounts, a share‑save scheme, and an annual Mears Fun Day. Additional perks are family‑friendly policies, an Employee Assistance Programme for counselling, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social mobility. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and will undergo background and security checks as part of the recruitment process. • Salary up to £29,863.80 per annum with company vehicle/fuel card or £3,500 car allowance. • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, volunteering leave, and family‑friendly policies. • Access to Mears Rewards discounts, share‑save scheme, annual Mears Fun Day, and EAP counselling sessions.

Work Environment

Hybrid