HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING ADVICE SUPPORT WORKER

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for Homelessness and Housing Advice Support workers to join our team at Crossways Supported Housing Ltd for our 18 projects across different locations.

Crossways Supported Housing Ltd manages supported housing projects for single homeless people who has a history of rough sleeping. Our aim is for adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to become independent and resilient. We want everyone to have a place that they can call home, the support they need to keep it and a country free from homelessness. ​​We work alongside both national and local organisations in order to achieve our aim.

Main duties of the job

You will be working alongside an established and experienced team. These duties will also involve multi-agency working by liaising with other practitioners from more than one agency (e.g General Practitioner, Social worker, Probation Officers, Police, Mental Health Team, Job Centre, Housing Officers etc) and to work together jointly with these team by sharing aims, information, tasks and responsibilities.

You will be doing an incredibly important role, by providing support and supervision for the clients we look after, getting to know them and working with them to manage their tenancies via our supported housing scheme.

Job responsibilities

• To act as key worker to clients at the project and manage a caseload
• Carry out risk assessment and complete comprehensive SMART support plan
• Use the appropriate Industry Standard confidently and effectively with those clients that they support and to measure their journey of change through our service.
• Conduct regular clients’ visits, have face to face meetings and updating company IT Clients records systems, in line with Crossways Policies and procedures.
• Provide assistance, counselling and advice to people who have housing problems or have been sleeping rough.
• Provide practical support and guidance to clients, help to apply for benefits, open bank accounts and access healthcare.
• Provide emotional support, help with budgeting, debt counselling, help to improve life skills, drug and alcohol counselling and help to stop offending.
• Reporting any anti-social behaviour, investigating the cause, and liaising with third party agents if required.
• Accompany clients to various appointments when necessary.
• Provide feedback about client’s progress through the service and how they are managing their tenancy.
• Have regular one to one time with the clients in order to continually assess their mental and physical health.
• Monitor clients behaviour and risk to prevent relapse in mental state.
• Support clients to keep their environment tidy.
• Perform light cleaning duties in line with infection prevention and control.
• Motivate and encourage clients to take responsibility by accessing education, training and paid or voluntary employment. Ensure that they are making use of their time meaningfully and not engaging in offending behaviours and using drug and alcohol. Help client to write/update their CV and support them with IT to apply/upload their CV on job site.
• Discuss and support clients to look into move on options from the project thought private rented scheme, assist to bid on the housing register and other explore other move on options that are available to Verified rough sleepers, ex-offenders etc.
• Takes responsibility for the shift and for the service whilst on duty
• Responds to emergencies and provides guidance and support to staff.
• Help with daily activities such as letter writing, paying bills, collecting benefits, reminding of appointments they require to get their health back on track
• Help clients connect to the families and friends and other social network as applicable

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Tenancy related support and accommodation management, that is, help to keep client’s rent account up to date; have access to out of hours staff assistance 24/7 via on-call service; have regular environmental and health and safety checks at the project; arranging and organising access for maintenance staff to carry out repairs; help to resolve conflict amongst clients.

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent, 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £32,000 - £40,000 per year

Location: Various locations within the project

What benefits will I receive?

Crossways Supported Housing Ltd has an excellent employee benefit programme, which includes:

• Full paid induction programme
• Paid annual leave as per rota
• Pension scheme
• Excellent development, training and promotion opportunities
• Regular supervision and appraisals

Person Specification

• Experience in the support of vulnerable adults, homeless people, people with substance misuse, alcohol misuse and mental health and physical health problems is essential.
• A full driving licence and use of a vehicle is essential, please confirm on application.
• Experience of working within a health or social care setting for at least 10 years dealing with rehabilitation of ex-offenders, Mental Health, Rough Sleepers and Drug and Alcohol clients.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Closing Date: 30th November 2024

Please send your CV and covering letter to housing.vacancies@crosswayshousing.co.uk

Employer Details

Employer Name: Crossways Supported Housing Ltd

Address: Interchange House, 1st Floor, 81-85 Station Road, Croydon, CR0 2RD

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent