Reports to: National Projects Manager
Location: Hybrid working: Cardiff office, working from home and at HMP Eastwood Park
Hours: 35 hours per week
Post No: SC731
Role Description
Background to our organisation
Our client is the people and homes charity in Wales and works for the prevention of homelessness, the improvement of housing conditions, and the right of everyone to a safe, suitable and affordable home.
Our client understand the damage that bad housing causes. Every day they deal with the effect it has on people's lives.
Company's 2025 Vision
Our client has an ambitious vision that by 2025 the organisation will:
- Help more people to find long term solutions. They want to help more people experiencing or facing homelessness, or living in unsuitable homes, to find long term solutions to the problems they face
- Fight for good homes. Our policy, research, campaigning and lobbying will focus on structural drivers of need, evidenced by our casework, and underpinned by recognition of home as the foundation of people's personal, social and economic lives and their health and wellbeing
Background to post
Prison Link Cymru (PLC) is an initiative currently working in North Wales, funded by the Welsh Government Homelessness Prevention Grant. They delivers Prison Link Cymru services across the six local authorities in North Wales and also supports people in local prisons returning to South Wales. The project aims to prevent homelessness and re-offending amongst ex-prisoners from Wales, by ensuring wherever possible that complex housing needs are addressed, suitable accommodation is available upon release, and that homelessness is prevented.
Based in Wrexham, our client's PLC project aims to provide a co-ordinated service to all Local Authority areas in North Wales, and works primarily within HMP's Berwyn, Drake Hall and Styal.
Role summary/purpose
Main Duties
1.0 Project Development & Operation
1.1 Remotely and in person, interview and advise serving prisoners (within HMP Eastwood Park) who have housing/homelessness problems. Provide advocacy on their behalf. This will include basic welfare benefits advice.
1.2 Advise clients of their rights under the relevant Welsh housing legislation, referring cases that require legal challenges to companies Housing Law Caseworkers or Solicitors.
1.3 Maintain working practices and protocols and effective communication mechanisms with the local authorities, probation, prisons, contracted resettlement services and other housing & support providers.
1.4 Ensure an adequate risk assessment is undertaken as necessary and the information arising from such is disseminated as appropriate.
1.5 Refer serving prisoners to appropriate accommodation, support services and specialist agencies and refer to the local authority housing/homelessness sections where necessary.
1.6 Act as key link between housing providers and Criminal Justice agencies on a case-by-case basis.
1.7 Assist housing providers in engaging effective support and risk management plans.
1.8 As part of the wider PLC team, regularly review referrals and referral procedures with the prisons/contracted resettlement service providers and with the housing providers and ensure that they are appropriate and in line with requirements.
1.9 Provide support to people in prison moving from HMP Eastwood Park to Approved Premises to ensure as successful a transition as possible.
1.10 Develop a promotional strategy for the service at HMP Eastwood Park.
1.11 As part of the wider PLC team, develop and edit relevant documentation for the project, for example, confidentiality agreements, referral forms, resettlement plans, risk assessments, promotional information, etc.
1.12 Ensure that casework records are maintained effectively and kept up to date as required.
2.0 Monitoring and Evaluation
2.1 Monitor and report on the take up of the service and its success against agreed targets (these will be subject to change) : -
a)On a three monthly basis to the Welsh Assembly Government
b)On a regular basis to our client's and other relevant parties, when requested
2.2 Evaluate the impact of the service in assisting clients with their housing issues and upon resettlement in the community.
2.3 Identify the nature of difficulties experienced by offenders and those in custody, which may lead to future homelessness.
2.4 Analyse the client group who have accessed the service and identify unmet needs and provide reports as requested.
3.0 General
3.1 Identify opportunities to effect positive change to housing policy in Wales and pursue such opportunities in liaison with the line manager and other staff.
3.2 Participate in agreed policy conferences, seminars and events and respond to requests for information from the media in consultation with the line manager and other relevant staff.
3.3 Contribute to the public and in-house training programme and undertake speaking engagements with outside groups as agreed with the line manager.
3.4 Participate as and when required in meetings and one-to-one meetings, and undertake, as appropriate, courses/training/other developmental activities, which is relevant to the role.
You will be subject to a performance review which will incorporate a review of the above duties and performance over the period.
As the post may involve working with vulnerable people, your employment will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Scheme check.
Please return your completed application by email or by post to:
Human Resources
PO Box 5002
CARDIFF
CF5 3YY
An application form and guidelines can be found online on our Vacancies page.