Job Title

Please note this is not a Bath & North East Somerset Council Vacancy.

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Homeless Support Worker to join our team in supporting people and providing housing related support to those who the local authority have accepted a homeless duty for, and placed in the YMCA under temporary accommodation.

Support will be provided across the area where needed, both accommodation and community-based work, to assist those who are not housed but need comprehensive housing support to identify, secure and set up accommodation to achieve independent living.

The post is also responsible for providing housing related support to vulnerable young people aged 16-24 requiring low - medium support to help them maintain their licenses/tenancies and support them towards independent living. To prioritise finding appropriate alternative accommodation for residents, whilst maintaining a safe living environment and managing any additional support needs of residents through one-to-one meetings and liaising and signposting to relevant agencies.

Main Responsibilities

• To work as part of the housing team to help identify and meet their personal, social, health, learning and employment needs as identified in their support needs assessment, ensuring safeguarding procedures are followed.
• To work closely with Bath & North East Somerset council housing options team to ensure that all referrals can move on as quickly as possible.
• To maintain up to date accurate and confidential case records, documenting events as they happen, ensuring records are clear, complete, and legible.
• Admissions into and transfers between properties; including issuing of Licence & Support agreements, key handover and inducting resident into the new accommodation.
• Provide advice and assistance to residents to understand and comply with the conditions of their occupancy agreement to enable them to sustain their accommodation.
• Ensure all occupants have a live Housing Application in with the relevant Housing Authority.
• Ensuring claims for Housing Benefit and any other benefits are made & submitted to cover rent and give living expenses.
• Support residents to make arrangements for rent payments, arranging payment plans to address arrears and completing ‘entitled to’ calculations if the resident is working.
• To work closely with each person to help sustain education, employment or training and/or refer to outside provisions to find EET.
• To facilitate resident meetings.
• Ensure that the Licence agreement, hosting contract and House Rules are being adhered to.
• To deal with anti-social behaviour and occupancy breaches.
• Provide ongoing resettlement support for up to 6 months via contact at agreed intervals if required.
• Deliver support work at times that may include weekend/evening work, including active participation in the on-call support service and be flexible and adaptable to cover for staff absence as required.
• Actively participate in supervision, training and commitment to continued professional development.