About Us
Job Title: Homelessness Prevention and Solutions Officer
Salary Range: £37,766 to £44,430 per annum (pro Rata)
1 Officer Part Time 3 days per week (21 Hours)
Location: Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ
Objective of role
We are looking for a capable and ambitious individual keen to help families and individuals facing homelessness to support them in their homelessness journey and adhere to legislative guidance as well as policy and procedures.
Who are we looking for?
We are especially interested in your transferable skills, particularly your ability to assess information, understand and accurately apply the assessment criteria, problem-solve, and communicate effectively with applicants, colleagues, and agencies.
While previous experience of working in a homelessness or other busy front-line public-sector role would be advantageous, it is not essential. What we would like you to be is:
1. Emotionally mature and confident to work with people facing homelessness for various reasons.
2. A good listener and able to apply what you hear to the legal framework in which we work.
3. Organised in your work and able to keep on top of changing priorities.
4. Able to engage and work collaboratively with families and individuals who require housing assistance.
5. Able to discuss, negotiate, and persuade families and their landlords to prevent and relieve homelessness.
6. Able to write reasoned decision letters, carry out interviews, and produce case notes and assessments of a high standard.
7. A motivated and engaged team player.
About the role
You will be working proactively and collaboratively with households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to assist them in sustaining their current housing where possible, or otherwise to secure alternative, suitable, and affordable accommodation.
You will hold a personal caseload of households to agree on practical and reasonable steps for the Council and the household to take to prevent and/or relieve homelessness. Households will include private or social tenants, homeowners, those evicted by family members or facing relationship breakdown, and may be vulnerable and/or have complex needs.
You will provide a flexible and responsive service for applicants who are homeless or threatened with homelessness by delivering services from our offices and ensuring comprehensive housing advice is available for customers, staff, and partner agencies.
You will carry out home visits to assess homelessness and the sustainability of the applicant's current housing.
Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience
1. Experience of working within a customer service, housing, or lettings service.
2. Experience of carrying out interviews, investigations, negotiations.
3. Experience of effective record keeping, including electronically held information.
4. Experience of working with people who are homeless or in other stressful situations.
5. Experience of working successfully to performance targets and deadlines.
6. Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening and negotiating.
7. Excellent communication skills including the ability to write detailed case notes and technical letters.
Indicative Recruitment Timeline:
Closing Date: Sunday 6 April 2025
Shortlisting Date: Week commencing Monday 7 April 2025
Interview Date: TBC
Useful Information:
Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer; if you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working, and a generous pension plan.
For more details, please click here.
Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
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