Homelessness Prevention/Relief Prevention and Relief Officer
- Recruiter
- Anonymous
- Location
- Wembley
- Salary
- 16.48 - 17.30 GBP Hourly
- Posted
- 21 May 2019
- Closes
- 18 Jun 2019
- Sectors
- Surveying & Property
- Contract Type
- Contract
- Hours
- Full Time
Our client is seeking a Homlessness Prevention officer on an initial 3 month contract with the possibility of an extension.
Working Hours:
36 Hours per week
Monday - Friday
Pay Rate:
GBP16.48 p/h
Job Purpose:
To be responsible for the effective delivery of the Council's duty to prevent and relieve homelessness for households who approach the Council in housing need. This will involve assisting homeless households to avoid the experience of temporary accommodation by engaging with all necessary parties including landlords and other excluders to stop the loss of their current accommodation followed by a planned move to the Private Rented Sector where appropriate. When this is not possible or appropriate, to explore and present a range of housing options to resolve their housing needs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
* Make a positive contribution to the delivery of the service, this will include working flexibly and positively to achieve the objectives of the Council.
* Manage and lead staff to achieve high performance and effective operational delivery, including developing and improving staff capability.
* Manage a customer focused service and the effective use of resources.
* Ensure that the Council's overall vision, values and ethos are central to the requirements of the service.
* Support effective working relationships and act as an ambassador and advocate with external organisations.
* Keep up to date with developments in service delivery and best practice to ensure the service performs effectively and to the highest standards.
* Deliver intensive, specialist support to homeless clients.
* Manage a caseload of people who are currently experiencing a housing crisis, and provide a service that seeks to minimise the duration of that crisis;
* Understand the complex, multiple needs as well as strengths of those individuals; and develop trusting, non-dependent relationships to improve their confidence and motivation to progress towards their next step in housing
* Empower individuals to find their own solution to their housing crisis, drawing on the assistance provided by the Housing Options Team.
* Create individual Personal Housing Plans (PHPs) for everyone in housing need to sustain existing accommodation and/or find new housing, taking account of their personal circumstances and keep the plan under review.
* Carry out all agreed actions in the PHP that the Council is to take in a timely manner and update the plans promptly.
* Help people to understand the rented housing market, keeping up-to-date with Local Housing Allowance, benefit changes, and opportunities;
* Provide some support for individuals through the resettlement process when moving to a new home;
* Help tenants with preparing defence forms for section 21 and other relevant court proceedings.
* Ensure all applicants who approach the Council in housing need are supported to sustain their tenancies and to resolve the threat of homelessness and to secure suitable and affordable accommodation based on their vulnerability and needs.
* Facilitate the relationship between tenants and landlords/agents, secure the letting and ensure that Housing Benefit / Universal Credit is in place.
* 1Achieve and exceeding challenging, individual and team targets to achieve measurable outcomes.
* Attend court where necessary and appropriate to support tenants with a defence against claims by their landlords.
* Deliver the Housing Needs Out of Hours Service on a rota basis as required.
* Interview all applicants who approach the Council in housing need, to determine what actions can be taken to resolve any threat of homelessness, to secure their continued occupation of their current accommodation. If this is not possible, or appropriate, to explore what other options are available to them to prevent them from becoming homeless.
* Conduct home visits to appropriate locations both inside and outside of the borough, as and when is necessary, to assist in the investigation of households circumstances. This could be achieved through some use of public transport, however it is desirable that the postholder has access to some form of their own transport.
* Have good understanding of the issues affecting affordability of housing including accurate understanding of benefits, benefit tapers, welfare reforms (current and proposed).
* Maintain a detailed knowledge of homelessness legislation, case law and government guidance concerning the Council's statutory duties and maintain a working knowledge of related housing, property, immigration and family legislation.
* Maintain up to date knowledge of the different housing options available to service users seeking accommodation and systems of access to housing of all types including; the private rented sector, intermediate housing schemes, and hostels.
Skills and Experience:
Experience of giving advice and information to vulnerable customers and working in a busy front line customer focused environment.
Strong and effective experience in provision of exceptional customer services.
Worked with households experiencing a housing crisis and the provision of advice and assistance covering a range of aspects of that crisis.
Application of the Suitability Assessment in recommending potential pathways for applicants
Experience of negotiation/advocacy/mediation.
INDEG
Disclaimer: By applying for this role, you give consent for your information to be forwarded to our Client(s) and information of which may be retained within our databases
Working Hours:
36 Hours per week
Monday - Friday
Pay Rate:
GBP16.48 p/h
Job Purpose:
To be responsible for the effective delivery of the Council's duty to prevent and relieve homelessness for households who approach the Council in housing need. This will involve assisting homeless households to avoid the experience of temporary accommodation by engaging with all necessary parties including landlords and other excluders to stop the loss of their current accommodation followed by a planned move to the Private Rented Sector where appropriate. When this is not possible or appropriate, to explore and present a range of housing options to resolve their housing needs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
* Make a positive contribution to the delivery of the service, this will include working flexibly and positively to achieve the objectives of the Council.
* Manage and lead staff to achieve high performance and effective operational delivery, including developing and improving staff capability.
* Manage a customer focused service and the effective use of resources.
* Ensure that the Council's overall vision, values and ethos are central to the requirements of the service.
* Support effective working relationships and act as an ambassador and advocate with external organisations.
* Keep up to date with developments in service delivery and best practice to ensure the service performs effectively and to the highest standards.
* Deliver intensive, specialist support to homeless clients.
* Manage a caseload of people who are currently experiencing a housing crisis, and provide a service that seeks to minimise the duration of that crisis;
* Understand the complex, multiple needs as well as strengths of those individuals; and develop trusting, non-dependent relationships to improve their confidence and motivation to progress towards their next step in housing
* Empower individuals to find their own solution to their housing crisis, drawing on the assistance provided by the Housing Options Team.
* Create individual Personal Housing Plans (PHPs) for everyone in housing need to sustain existing accommodation and/or find new housing, taking account of their personal circumstances and keep the plan under review.
* Carry out all agreed actions in the PHP that the Council is to take in a timely manner and update the plans promptly.
* Help people to understand the rented housing market, keeping up-to-date with Local Housing Allowance, benefit changes, and opportunities;
* Provide some support for individuals through the resettlement process when moving to a new home;
* Help tenants with preparing defence forms for section 21 and other relevant court proceedings.
* Ensure all applicants who approach the Council in housing need are supported to sustain their tenancies and to resolve the threat of homelessness and to secure suitable and affordable accommodation based on their vulnerability and needs.
* Facilitate the relationship between tenants and landlords/agents, secure the letting and ensure that Housing Benefit / Universal Credit is in place.
* 1Achieve and exceeding challenging, individual and team targets to achieve measurable outcomes.
* Attend court where necessary and appropriate to support tenants with a defence against claims by their landlords.
* Deliver the Housing Needs Out of Hours Service on a rota basis as required.
* Interview all applicants who approach the Council in housing need, to determine what actions can be taken to resolve any threat of homelessness, to secure their continued occupation of their current accommodation. If this is not possible, or appropriate, to explore what other options are available to them to prevent them from becoming homeless.
* Conduct home visits to appropriate locations both inside and outside of the borough, as and when is necessary, to assist in the investigation of households circumstances. This could be achieved through some use of public transport, however it is desirable that the postholder has access to some form of their own transport.
* Have good understanding of the issues affecting affordability of housing including accurate understanding of benefits, benefit tapers, welfare reforms (current and proposed).
* Maintain a detailed knowledge of homelessness legislation, case law and government guidance concerning the Council's statutory duties and maintain a working knowledge of related housing, property, immigration and family legislation.
* Maintain up to date knowledge of the different housing options available to service users seeking accommodation and systems of access to housing of all types including; the private rented sector, intermediate housing schemes, and hostels.
Skills and Experience:
Experience of giving advice and information to vulnerable customers and working in a busy front line customer focused environment.
Strong and effective experience in provision of exceptional customer services.
Worked with households experiencing a housing crisis and the provision of advice and assistance covering a range of aspects of that crisis.
Application of the Suitability Assessment in recommending potential pathways for applicants
Experience of negotiation/advocacy/mediation.
INDEG
Disclaimer: By applying for this role, you give consent for your information to be forwarded to our Client(s) and information of which may be retained within our databases