Housing Support Manager

About the organisation

They are a thriving Leeds based charity, established in 1983 to benefit people with learning disabilities, autism and Aspergers. The charity makes a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable and socially isolated; inspiring and empowering people to recognise their potential, fulfil their aspirations and lead safer healthier, better connected lives.

The charity provides a range of innovative, inclusive, person-centred services which reflect the needs of the people it supports. The activities are wide ranging and include the provision of opportunities for leisure, learning, employment, health, wellbeing and the development of life skills. The range of activities runs from practical courses in cooking and IT to social groups that meet in the community to enjoy leisure time together. Through individual support packages the charity also provides practical one to one support tailored to the members’ individual needs.

About Count Me In (CMI)

The Count Me In Service is a practical one to one support service, tailored to the needs of the individual, it aims to empower and enable people to reach their goals and fulfil their aspirations.

The individual support packages are designed using a person-centred approach to planning and support. The charity works with the individual to promote choice, independence and control in meeting their outcomes and goals.

Members can purchase the service through their personal budgets or through the local authority. The charity currently supports around 90 individuals through this service.

Count Me In at Home is a new project which will focus on the Housing Support needs of their members. NDTI (National Development Team for Inclusion) estimates that 15% of learning disabled people in England rent or own their own homes as compared to 70% of the general population who rent or own their own homes. Through this project, they aim to support learning disabled and autistic adults to live safely and well in the home of their choice.

Purpose of role

To develop and manage the project to ensure the delivery of outcome focused, personalised support for the members, which empowers them to meet their housing needs and fulfil their aspirations.

To ensure the project provides the highest standard of support in line with regulations, contractual requirements, legislation and organisational expectations.

To assess the Housing Support needs of all CMI members and manage an allocated case load of members who have higher Housing Support needs; assessing members on initial meeting, support planning, and regularly reviewing their support to ensure outcomes/needs are being met.

To directly line manage the Senior Support Worker (Housing), liaise with the CMI Service Managers and Support Workers and drive performance within the services; ensuring the optimum resourcing levels are used and staff are clear on the standard that is expected of them.

To build relationships with housing providers, landlords and other Housing Support agencies in the city.

To provide information to our CMI Community Support Workers to increase their knowledge of housing related support needs of our members and receive the appropriate training, coaching and mentoring to ensure they are effective in their role.

Role and Responsibilities

Project Management

• Work with the Registered Manager and CEO to set up systems that integrate with their current services and support the delivery of the project plan.
• Establish and maintain excellent working relationships / partnerships with statutory and non-statuary agencies to ensure a cohesive approach to maintain accommodation and prevent homelessness across their CMI membership.
• Engage effectively in multi-agency working, developing collaborative relationships and partnerships with relevant staff in a range of agencies to broker and co-ordinate support for learning disabled and autistic members tailoring an intensive, holistic support package that meets their housing and tenancy sustainment needs.
• Alongside HR, to take part in the effective recruitment, induction and training of the Senior Support Worker. Identify ongoing training needs and ensure allocated staff are up to date with current best practice through supervision and observations.
• Manage the Senior Support Worker to deliver safe and quality support to the staff and members. Providing a structured workplan and guidance to direct their work across the membership to tackle lower level Housing Support needs.
• Hold 4-weekly supervisions and regular observations with the Senior Support Worker as part of the line management responsibilities.
• Engage in, and promote, collaborative team work between themselves and the Count Me In Service Managers to provide a seamless service for members and other stakeholders. Ensuring that a member’s Housing Support needs are met and embedded into their overall support.

• Provide Community Support Workers with support and regular communication about housing related support. Develop accessible information, training materials and share knowledge and good practice through a range of training and mentoring opportunities.
• Liaise with members, their families, carers and support agencies as appropriate to keep them aware of changes in support in relation to housing needs.

• Contribute to excellent service of care / support through feeding in to support planning which enables members to lead an independent lifestyle, ensuring that privacy, dignity, independence and wellbeing of members is promoted and maintained at all times in the housing related choices.

• Attend and contribute to the weekly Count Me In Team Meeting at least monthly.

For further info and duties - please click 'apply'. You will then see more job advert details and can apply directly to the organisation.