Support Worker

Support Worker
We are looking for a Homeless Support Worker to provide support to individuals to help them on their path to resolve their homelessness. You will be making a real difference in this role.
Position: Homeless Support Worker
Location: Milton Keynes
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, which will include some evening/weekend work. Part-time or job-share applications will be considered.
Salary: £26,000 to £28,500 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus employer-matched pension contribution of up to 5%
Benefits: Pension and 36 days holiday including Public Holidays.
Closing date: 2nd April 2024 – the role may be closed earlier if the right candidate is found.
About the role:
The Homeless Support Worker will be the initial point of contact for referrals and will work with guests and landlords (social and private rented) to find housing. You will facilitate moves into suitable housing to ensure the best possible outcome and provide ongoing support to ensure the tenancy is maintained. You will also provide ad hoc support to the Service Manager as a member of the support team.
Key responsibilities will include:
Be the first point of call for all homeless enquiries to the service, normally received by phone or email. This includes processing self-referrals, giving housing advice and signposting to other services.
Work closely with all referral agents to ensure they are aware of our criteria and that referrals received are to standard.
Facilitate a drop-in service for those who would like to be considered for our accommodation.
Coordinate all referrals that come into the service, ensuring they are added to our in-house database.
Keep accurate and up-to-date records of all enquiries and referrals for reporting purposes.
Build and maintain positive relationships with external housing providers in the Social Housing and Private Rented Sector to source suitable housing solutions for our guests.
Support guests to attend assessments or viewing of potential move-on opportunities.
Undertake day to day procedures to ensure the smooth and safe operation of TBSMK in line with the charity’s ethos, policies and direction of the Service Manager
Ensure records are accurate and kept up to date in our in-house database system to evidence guest support and risk management plans.
Provide staff absence cover as a member of the support team. This will involve an active role in helping guests with their support needs.
Undertake ad hoc administrative tasks.
About you:
For the Homeless Support Worker position, you must have excellent communication skills, be well-organised, and have enhanced levels of skill and experience to provide effective support. It is not expected that the successful candidate will necessarily have experience/competency in all the areas highlighted. The Bus Shelter MK is committed to helping individuals develop professionally and personally, and your application is encouraged. The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
To perform well in this role, you’ll need:
Experience working in the housing or homelessness sector.
Experience working in a helpline, support, or service delivery role.
Knowledge of the private rented sector and searching for/securing affordable accommodation.
Knowledge or a good understanding of legislation, policy, and practice regarding homelessness.
Knowledge of the welfare benefits system.
Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills.
Confident and clear telephone manner.
Ability to produce written reports, and complete paperwork or assessments on housing/homelessness-related matters for casework management.
Good IT skills and computer literacy.
A commitment to helping people affected by homelessness.
About the organisation:
The organisation is a small Milton Keynes based charity which provides a temporary home and extensive person-centric support to single people experiencing homelessness, with the aim of providing a sustainable, long-term solution.
Originally based on a double-decker bus (hence the name), the charity now has a unique nine bedroom facility in Stantonbury, Milton Keynes and three “move-on” houses elsewhere in the city, providing a further twelve rooms. The level of ongoing support offered to guests is delivering long-term success and preventing the well-known “revolving door of homelessness”.
The employer welcomes and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. They do not discriminate based on disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or other categories protected by law.
You may also have experience in areas such as Homeless Recovery Worker, Peer Support, Resettlement Worker, Homelessness, Homeless Project Manager, Homeless Caseworker, Project Coordinator Homelessness, Resettlement Caseworker, Housing Support, etc.
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by Social Care People on behalf of the organisation