Supported Housing Officer

Supporting young people aged 16-25 at risk of or experiencing homelessness

Building resilience, confidence, and self-esteem in young people

Providing comprehensive accommodation and practical support services

Engaging with specialist services and promoting BACKUP’s positive image

Maintaining high standards of service and compliance with management agreements

Flexible working to meet the needs of young people and the organisation

Adhering to BACKUP policies and procedures, including health and safety

At BACKUP, we believe no young person should experience homelessness. When they do, we’re here to provide safe accommodation, practical support and opportunities to build a brighter future. We’re looking for 3 compassionate, resilient and motivated people to join our Lucas Project team, supporting young people aged 16-25 who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. This is more than a housing role. It’s about building relationships, helping young people overcome barriers, celebrating progress and supporting them towards independence. Every conversation, every small step and every achievement can help a young person move closer to the future they want for themselves.

Key Responsibilities

• Building resilience within young people
• Building their confidence and self-esteem.
• Developing their social and communication skills.
• Improving their motivation.
• Helping them to set goals and plan for their future.
• Support them to improve their future employability – CV writing and interview skills; re-entering education and seeking, securing and maintaining employment.
• Helping them to access positive, low cost activities and make meaningful use of their time.
• Engaging with young people in order to sustain their supported accommodation.
• Engaging with other specialist services.
• Provide a comprehensive support and service that meets the highly quality standards set by BACKUP.
• Develop effective and professional working relationships internally and externally promoting a positive image of the service and of BACKUP North West
• Sign up new young people, go through tenancy/license agreements with them and complete housing benefits claim and records.
• Ensure service meets the standards required under management agreements and contracts
• Induct young people in the conditions of stay and show them their bedsits/flats and the building of occupation
• Record information promptly and accurately as per scheme procedures
• Ensure the quality of service to young people is not compromised and standards are maintained to the highest level at all times
• Where necessary, in line with Scheme guidelines utilise the support interventions and exclusions policy
• Encourage young person participation and involvement. (To reduce likelihood of isolation and anti-social or unsafe behaviour)
• Deal with local authority Emergency Duty Teams, emergency services and Police were necessary
• Effective management of emergencies
• Produce incident reports
• Ensure service meets the best practice standards required under any management agreements and various RSL’s, ensuring best practice
• Ensure BACKUP complaints process is used to inform service standards
• Liaise with agencies and local authority departments on young person or scheme based queries
• Review and update all case notes, young person files, service risk alerts/ assessments, food hygiene, health & safety logs
• Produce correspondence, reports & minutes accurately & timely
• Ensure compliance with the Scheme’s policy and practices in relation to the allocation of tenancies under the referral process.

Support Work

• Ensure support service is young person focussed and complies with BACKUP policies and practices, statutory & regulatory requirements & all funding contracts
• Engage each young person in a support plan that includes as a minimum: daily routines, managing the tenancy, budgeting and specific issues relating to the individual young person in line with an assessment of needs and risk.
• Engage with young people to promote independent living and young person engagement
• Provide 1-2-1 and group support to young people
• Produce and Review case notes, young person’s files, service risk alerts/assessments
• Oversee support plans that address all pathways of support required including health and wellbeing of young people

Provide Staff Support

• Provide mentoring, support & training for volunteers and bank staff ensuring staff are motivated to work to the best of their ability
• Daily handover following end of shift, with update on any actions/issues
• Ensure bank staff & volunteers comply with all Backup North West’s policies and procedures
• Encourage young people to access Drop-Ins and other activities organised through colleagues (as appropriate)

Participate in promotional activities, fundraising and other outings and activities with residents

• Occasional working outside normal hours, and outside Bolton boundaries (where required)
• Attending appointments, events, promotions for BACKUP
• Promote where possible BACKUP values and demonstrate agreed behaviours.

Rent, Licence Fee, Service Charge and general Income Management

• Check income status weekly to prevent accrual of arrears.
• Assist young person in devising repayment strategy (where required).
• Take appropriate action to recover unpaid rent/licence and other charges
• Complete and manage Housing Benefit applications and any subsequent changes as a matter of urgency.

Provide Financial Support

• Manage petty cash and submit expenditure returns
• Keep accurate records, including making up-to-date Housing Benefit applications and to ensure a prompt information flow with BACKUP North West office.
• Implement BACKUP North West policies and procedures in a conscientious manner.
• Monitor payment by residents of service charges
• Support Project Manager and colleagues to recover unpaid rent/licence fees and other charges
• Keep void times to a minimum

Provide Premises Management

• Preparation of rooms for occupation between lets – aiming to maintain high standards of accommodation
• Maintain a safe and secure environment for young people
• Undertake light cleaning duties, minor repairs and domestic tasks, including putting out refuse and undertaking laundry.
• Use Backup North West approved contractors for property maintenance and supply of household goods
• Responsible for Health, Safety and well-being off all staff, young people and visitors
• Responsible for the building – fixtures, fittings, furniture and equipment
• Ensure building is adequately cleaned and maintained and repairs reported
• Conduct regular building risk assessments, fire drills, risk assessments, accident book, food hygiene records comply with Health & Safety Requirement
• Responsible for security of the premises

Maintain Information systems

• Ensure office filing is maintained
• Comply with GDPR
• Maintain accurate client and property records
• Create new files and archive old files as required
• Accurate reporting of statistics on use of service as required
• Daily updates to referral agencies including Leaving Care team
• Update SASSHA (or other rent, referral, resident & property database in place within the charity) system daily, alerting housing benefit of any changes.

Flexibility

• Be flexible in approach to work in order to meet the needs of our young people
• Be flexible in approach to supporting young people
• To undertake any other duties as may be requested by Backup North West Managers, Senior Managers and Trustees, broadly consistent with the job description and level of the post
• Provide training, assistance and adequate cover for colleagues as necessary

Policies & Legislation

• Adhere to all BACKUP systems, policies and procedures
• Take personal responsibility for the Health, Safety & Welfare of the working environment, escalating issues to responsible person were necessary
• Actively follow Health & safety Policy, procedures and safe systems of work
• Comply with Equality, Inclusion and Diversity policies and regulation.
• Reporting any issues linked to safeguarding vulnerable adults and/or children.
• Upholding safe and efficient working policies and practices, undertake supervision and training.

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