Job Title: Community Outreach Support Officer

Contract: Full Time/ Permanent

Hours: 38 hours per week

Salary: £29,334 per annum

Location: Waltham Forest, London.

About Outward.

For 50 years, Outward has been providing high-quality support and care services to vulnerable people across London, predominantly in North East London. Established by families seeking alternatives to institutional care, we’ve grown into a respected provider of person-centred support for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex needs. We support over 1,000 people across nine boroughs, guided by our core values: engage, enable, and empower.

Outward is proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means we are committed to paying the Real Living Wage – not just the government minimum or national living wage – to our frontline Support Workers and other eligible staff. We recognise the value of the work our teams do, and we are committed to ensuring fair pay that reflects the true cost of living. The Real Living Wage is updated annually by the Living Wage Foundation, and Outward remains committed to aligning our pay accordingly.

About the Role

We are looking for a proactive and passionate Community Outreach Support Worker to join our dedicated team supporting adults with a range of needs, including learning disabilities, autism, mental health challenges, and complex support requirements.

As a Community Outreach Support Worker, you will play a key role in empowering the people we support to live independent and fulfilling lives. You’ll provide high-quality care and support, while also managing elements of service delivery such as support planning, key working. You will work closely with the Deputy or Team Manager and play an active role in ensuring our services are person-centred and aligned with Outward’s core values of engage, enable, and empower.

Your Responsibilities

As a Community Outreach Support Worker, you will:

Provide direct, person-centred support [Building supportive, trusting relationships with the people we support.
Encourage independence in daily living skills (e.g., travel, shopping, personal care).
Use well informed approaches such as structure, predictability, and clear communication.
Support individuals to access community services, activities, and social groups safely.
Encourage People we support to participate in meaningful activities (sports, hobbies, volunteering).
Assist with public transport use, route‑planning, and confidence‑building.
Help reduce social isolation by promoting community involvement.

· Carry out key working responsibilities including (Developing personalised support plans based on people we support strengths, needs, and goals)

Using positive behaviour support (PBS) strategies to help individuals manage anxiety, sensory challenges, and emotional regulation.
Recognise triggers and implement proactive, non‑restrictive interventions. Ensuring safe environments in the home and community.
Following safeguarding policies to protect vulnerable adults and children.
Identify and report Safeguarding concerns promptly.
Work alongside parents, carers, social workers, therapists, schools, and healthcare providers.
Share information appropriately and contribute to multi‑disciplinary reviews.
Help families access local resources and support services.
Recording progress of support, incidents, and outcomes.
Work flexibly with the people we support across different boroughs, including evenings and weekends, to support consistent service delivery.

· You must have strong understanding of autism as a neurodevelopmental difference (communication styles, sensory needs, routines, strengths‑based approaches).

· Awareness of the autism spectrum’s diversity – recognising that everyone experiences autism differently.

· Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and responsibilities.

· Understanding of person‑centred, trauma‑informed and PBS approaches.

· Awareness of co‑occurring conditions (e.g., ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, sensory processing differences).

· Excellent communication skills, including the ability to adapt communication methods

· Ability to build trust and rapport with autistic individuals and their families.

· Strong observation skills to recognise stress, sensory overload, or unmet needs.

· Problem‑solving and creative thinking, particularly when planning interventions or support strategies.

· Ability to work independently in community or outreach settings.

· Good Record‑keeping, report writing, and basic IT skills.

Essential Criteria

Good understanding of autism as a spectrum condition, recognising that every autistic person is different and experiences autism in their own way.
Ability to work in a person‑centred way, respecting individuality, preferences, routines, and choices.
Commitment to identifying and supporting strengths, abilities, and interests, not just needs or challenges
Willingness to adapt communication styles and allow additional processing time when needed.
Ability to respond with empathy, consistency, de‑escalation strategies, and proactive support.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team, following guidance from senior staff and managers.
Ability to be able to lone work and using own initiative
Understanding of safeguarding procedures, duty of care, confidentiality, and information sharing
Ability to work collaboratively with Families and carers, Multidisciplinary professionals

Commissioners, social workers, and health teams

Understanding of confidentiality, GDPR, and data protection principles
Staff must have access to a smartphone capable of receiving SMS messages and installing authentication apps for secure systems access
Right to Work in the UK. Please note: Outward will not provide visa sponsorship.
Additional training in PBS, safeguarding, or housing-related

Desirable Criteria (examples)

NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent)
CPI trained (Breakaway techniques)

How to Apply

The above is not an exhaustive list of requirements for the role.

If you think you are who we are looking for, please submit a CV and statement detailing how you feel your experiences meets the requirements of the role by referring to the Job Responsibilities and the Person Specification.

There is no specific closing date for this advert. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. It would be great to hear from you.

Benefits:

We value everything our staff do for the people we support, so we provide a great benefits package:

25 days Annual Leave excluding Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time)
Comprehensive Learning & Development Programme

Cycle-to-Work Scheme
Death in Service Benefit
Health Assured – Employee Assistance Programme
Eye care Vouchers
Flu Jab Reimbursement
Pension Scheme
Purchase Additional Annual Leave
Refer-a-Friend Scheme

Diversity and Safeguarding at Outward:

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Outward applies its Equal Opportunities Policy at all stages of recruitment and selection. Shortlisting, interviewing and selection is carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age or trade union membership.

As an employer, who aspire to become Disability Confident Committed, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. Please indicate clearly at the beginning of your supporting statement if you have a disability (as defined by the Equality Act 2010), and you wish to be considered for an Offer Of an Interview (OOI) Please note that the OOI is available to disabled candidates only. Regrettably, any false declaration of disability in order to secure an interview will impact on your overall application.

Outward is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and expects all staff to share this commitment. If the post you apply for involves working with or having access to adults at risk and/or their records, we will require a DBS for successful candidates.

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Community Outreach Officer - Waltham Forest, London