Housing Support Worker

SALARY: £28,080 per annum

LOCATION: Leeds LS12

HOURS: 37 hours per week

RESPONSIBLE TO: Beacon leadership team

GENUINE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATION: Male

Schedule 9 (1a) of the Equality and Diversity Act 2010 applies to this position. There is a genuine occupational requirement for the post holder to be male.

Beacon’s aim is to focus on Prevention & Early Intervention (risk of homelessness, rough sleeping), Sustainment (independent living, health, employment) and Integration (within communities, increasing confidence)

The post will take a lead role in supporting homeless men with multiple disadvantages in the service.

Purpose of the post

To provide flexible, focused and short-term housing-related support to clients in dispersed accommodation with a wide range of support needs. The aim is to support clients to secure permanent accommodation within the contracted timescales.

Essential Criteria

Hold a current full driving licence and have access to a car. Business Insurance is recommended if using the car for work purposes.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Support clients to achieve their individual goals in line with their tailor-made support plan and in line with the Beacon remit, with a key focus on obtaining relevant benefits and moving on to own secure accommodation
• Work co-productively with clients, volunteers, peer mentors and professionals from partner agencies to provide an appropriate responsive service
• Liaise with and develop professional working relations with a variety of housing and support providers
• At all times work within, adhere to and promote Beacon’s Safeguarding procedures to ensure that clients are safe from harm and abuse
• Implement the admissions procedures of the service including issuing Tenancy Agreements
• Provide comprehensive information and advice to clients regarding appropriate housing and support options
• Undertake comprehensive risk and needs assessments, support plans and reviews with clients centred on their needs
• Undertake a key worker role
• Maintain relevant written/electronic confidential records in line with Data Protection legislation and Beacon policies and procedures
• Undertake property maintenance/void inspections and make arrangements for the provision of appropriate repairs and renewals
• Prepare accommodation for re-letting so as to maximise accommodation availability within target timescales
• Carry out administrative and monitoring tasks associated with the running of the service
• Collect any rent and charges that are due from clients and to maintain accurate records of these in line with Beacon policies and procedures
• Work at all times as part of a team, this includes working with other staff, attending team and staff meetings and developing a teamwork approach to all aspects of the organisation's work
• Be responsible for personal learning and development where appropriate and undertake training, both mandatory and optional, to increase knowledge, skills and awareness.
• Be inducted, supervised, performance managed and appraised in line with the organisations performance and contracted funding requirements
• Meet individual performance standards as required against Beacon performance standards and contracted funding requirements
• Provide monitoring information and reports as part of funding and organisational requirements and for the Beacon partners Trustees/Supervisory Boards as required
• Work within the organisations’ policies and procedures at all times
• Represent the organisation in a positive manner at all times
• Participate in the further development of the service and organisation in conjunction with the Manager as requested.
• Be aware of and employ the general practices of the organisation’s safeguarding, health and safety policies and ensure these are adhered to at all times
• Operate within the aims, policies and practices of the organisation at all times and to be committed to and promote the organisation’s equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory policies
• Ensure information is dealt with in accordance with organisational policies around Confidentiality, Communications, Internet, Email and Telecommunications and steps are taken to ensure that confidential information is secure e.g. volunteer and service user data
• Provide information about the organisation as a whole and in particular the Beacon Service to people/agencies interested in the organisation’s work
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the post as determined by the Dispersed Accommodation Manager.

Social Conditions

This post requires the successful candidate to work flexibly as required to meet the needs of the service and client group. This may include occasional early evening and weekend working.

The organisation reserves the right to move staff to other sectors of the organisation as and when required so as to meet organisation requirements.

The job description is issued as a guide to the main duties and responsibilities of the post; it is not intended to be definitive.

Physical Conditions

A substantive amount of the post role involves lone working, working individually with clients in their accommodation. Beacon has Lone Working procedures and practices that staff members are required to adhere to so as to ensure their safety.

Some light lifting and cleaning of rooms may be required.

Qualifications

A Level 3 IAG qualification or NVQ in Housing, Health & Social Care or equivalent is desirable.

Special Requirements

Beacon requires applicants to disclose all criminal convictions and cautions; no matter how long ago they occurred and regardless of whether the offences were committed as a juvenile or adult. The organisation undertakes an Enhanced Disclosure & Barning Service (DBS) check for all successful candidates and a confirmed offer of employment is dependent upon a satisfactory response from the DBS.

Person Specification

Experience

• Working with vulnerable people in either a paid or voluntary capacity
• Support clients to achieve individual goals in line with tailor made support plans.
• Work co-productively with clients and other partners/agencies to provide an appropriate responsive service.
• Housing management e.g. familiar with Housing Benefit issues, voids management, tenancy agreements and re-housing processes
• Experience of working effectively with clients with complex needs

Skills

• Good written and verbal communication skills incorporating the ability to communicate with people
• Ability to use a computer, particularly Word and Outlook
• An understanding of the need for confidentiality and data protection when dealing with confidential information
• Ability to undertake comprehensive risk & need assessments based on needs and minimise risk to self and others.
• Ability to respond appropriately to conflict and challenging behaviour
• Adhere to and work within policies and procedures
• To work effectively as part of a team and support other workers. Also be able to access and effectively update an electronic recording and monitoring system for client record keeping.

Knowledge

• The issues relating to homelessness and vulnerability
• Have a good understanding of and commitment to ensuring people are safe from abuse and harm and act upon any safeguarding concern appropriately.
• Ensure individual practice meets Beacon performance standards and contracted funding requirements.

Behavioural and Other Job Related Characteristics

• Demonstrate a respectful, supportive attitude to clients
• Understanding of the diverse needs of individuals and be able to treat everyone fairly and equally
• Committed to empowering clients to become involved in the organisation and it’s surrounding community
• Able to plan, organise and undertake own workload appropriately
• Enthusiastic, reliable, motivated and resilient (calm under pressure)
• Understand, establish and be committed to professional boundaries
• Committed to own learning and development and new ways of working
• Demonstrate commitment to the organisation’s values and aims
• Able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the clients and the service

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £28,080.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person