Job Description:
Housing Advisor, Housing Options and Homelessness Team.
Housing Services are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic Housing Adviser to work in the Housing Options and Homelessness Team.
Housing Advisers see customers face to face by appointment, drop-in for homeless on the day and telephone advice work. As well as providing direct one to one advice, advisers attend professionals' meetings, and visit housing applicants in supported Housing, Temporary Accommodation and at home when threatened with homelessness. Housing Services offer a wide range of housing options and advice to customers in housing difficulty or who are looking for alternative accommodation to prevent homelessness.
Communication with applicants' landlords and professionals will be the most important skill for this role. You will need to motivate applicants to take active steps to prevent their own homelessness or to find alternative accommodation. You will help create Personal Housing Plans for each applicant based on an assessment of need to prevent or relieve the applicant's homelessness. You will need to assist households to access temporary accommodation and to move on to more permanent housing.
You will need to support applicants to work in partnership with multiple agencies to find housing solutions and prevent homelessness.
A good understanding of Homelessness legislation, including The Homeless Reduction Act will be useful but can be gained in the post. A wider knowledge of social housing, welfare reform and local government will also be an advantage.
Advisors usually lead on a specific area for the team, these include young people, mental health, Domestic Abuse and private renting.
You will need to have excellent IT skills and knowledge of the Civica/Abritas system is desirable. You will need to manage a complex and varied workload which at times can be demanding.
We can provide a friendly working environment with supportive colleagues and flexible hours. We also offer good training and personal development opportunities
RQ1329685