Trainee Project Worker Scheme

SPEAR has successfully run a Trainee Project Worker scheme for more than five years, with 90% of participants going on to gain employment in the sector.

Trainee Project Workers (TPWs) come from a very broad range of backgrounds, from young people hoping to start a career in homelessness work, to others making a complete career change after working in an unrelated field for a number of years. Some people come with experience of voluntary work in similar projects, whilst others are entirely new to the field. We encourage applications from people who have personal experience of homelessness.

Trainee Project Workers are key members of the staff team at SPEAR, working alongside Hostel Resettlement and Support Workers to ensure that residents are well supported and the project is run smoothly. As with Resettlement and Support Workers, Trainee Project Workers work 35 hours per week to a rota of day shifts and sleepover shifts. Trainees are currently paid £10,050.00 per annum. This is paid monthly in arrears.

Over the six months that TPWs initially work at the Hostel, a range of training courses are undertaken, both within SPEAR and involving other professional organisations. The training programme undertaken by TPWs is tailored to the needs of the individual, depending on their immediate training needs and interests, as well as their past experience.

In addition there is considerable on-the-job training as TPWs work closely with permanent staff, attending team meetings and learning more and more about hostel procedures and the support networks available to homeless people in London. As time goes by, Trainee Project Workers can expect to take on increasing levels of responsibility, overseen by their line manager, until they are conducting key work sessions with clients, making housing referrals, offering benefits advice and carrying out any of the other tasks which hostel staff are involved in on a day-to-day basis.

Towards the end of the six months initial training TPWs are offered the opportunity to apply for another six months of accredited training, paid for by SPEAR. This usually takes the form of an NVQ in housing, but we are open to other ideas.

Trainees who are interested in continuing their training in this way will be asked to write a letter of interest and attend an interview. We have only a limited number of places for this extended training. For Trainees leaving SPEAR, whether after six months or one year, we offer advice and support with job applications.

All trainees contribute to the effective running and development of the service, and, although the role can sometimes be a challenging one, we hope that all find the experience rewarding.

We are not currently accepting applications to the Trainee Scheme. If you are interested in being added to our list for our next round of recruitment, please email admin@spearlondon.org.