Community Engagement Worker

Responsible to: Deputy Head of Day Services/Service Coordinator

Responsible for: Engaging with the Community (clients, neighbours, and local businesses) in reducing anti-social behaviour and issues relating to substance misuse and homelessness associated with street activity.

Reports to: Community Engagement Lead Worker

Objective: To work within the Merchants Quay mission by working as a collaborative community to reduce the harm caused by addiction and homelessness, minimising the impact of Merchants Quay services on the local community, including anti-social behaviour and community engagement

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Open Access Service, Merchants Quay, Dublin 8.

Hours: Full-time (39 hours per week) and Part-time

Salary: Starting €33,860 (pro rata of full-time hours)

Medically Safer Injecting Facility (MSIF)

In 2015, the Government began legislating to allow for the creation of MSIFs and, as part of that, for a pilot MSIF to be established. In May 2017, the President signed the Misuse of Drugs (Medically Supervised Injecting Facility) Act 2017.

MQI plan to locate the MSIF in our Riverbank Centre on Merchant’s Quay, where we currently provide other healthcare and harm reduction services. Having these services in a single location is key to the success of an MSIF. It is proposed that the MSIF will be in the basement of the existing building and renovation of the basement will be accompanied by a refresh of the exterior of the building.

Responsibilities

• Cultivating positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders by Operating within the different areas/roles within the service, advice and info, drop-in reception, and door.
• Developing relationships with the Gardaí.
• Building relationships with neighbours, regular meetings, and “check-ins”, addressing issues presented concerning Merchants Quay clients i.e. Trespassing, public injecting, loitering.
• Building relationships with the MQI client group, communicating effectively, in a sensitive, non-judgmental, and respectful way.
• Engage with clients of MQI services, dealing with challenging behaviour.
• Being a visible presence on the street during the service's opening hours.
• To upkeep/maintain the outside of the building, picking up Litter and drug paraphernalia.
• Monitoring the queuing area as required.
• Drug/Syringe pick up in surrounding areas as well as responding to calls to pick up/clean drug-related litter.
• Information, referral to harm reduction and other appropriate services.
• Ensure compliance with organisation policies to ensure consistent delivery of services and maintenance of quality standards including:
• Fire
• Health and Safety
• Confidentiality
• Needs assessment, key working, and care planning.
• Boundaries
• National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare

Administration

• Recording data which will be used in the preparation of reports, statistics, and other information/Service Manager/or the Head of Day Services.
• Participate in regular supervision.
• Carry out administrative procedures under organisation policies.

Collaboration

• Working jointly in collaboration with the Merchants Quay Open Access Services.
• Engage with other team members, support colleagues, participate in meetings as required, and be open to reasonable requests from the Service Coordinator/Lead Worker to ensure effective working relationships.
• To work as part of the team with regular and consistent communication, participating actively in all team meetings and supporting the ethos.
• Reporting to the MQI Community Engagement Lead Worker for individual support, supervision, and performance appraisal working within the parameters of the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare, HR and H&S policies and procedures.

This is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities and duties. This is a new role as part of our MSIF project and will be shaped according to the service needs.

If you are currently studying or working towards your Level 7 in Social Care or a relevant field, please click the link to apply as this role is open to all levels of experience.

Person Specification

• Attained or working towards a Level 7 Social Care or similar field qualification.
• 12 months experience or part-time equivalent working in a similar low-threshold environment.
• Understand issues relating to National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare- an understanding of issues relating to (homelessness, mental health, and substance misuse) MQI target group, their circumstances and vulnerability.
• Experience in dealing with de-escalating difficult situations, including but not limited to managing challenging behaviour.
• Experience working in a security role is desirable.

If you are interested in applying for this role, please click the link below.
/merchants-quay-ireland/jobs/28388/community-engagement-worker-dublin

This role will be open until positions are successfully filled.