Homeless Prevention Apprentice

SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL; Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Homeless Prevention Apprentice to assist in providing customer-focused services to those threatened with homelessness. You will engage with clients, provide tailored housing advice, and work towards a Level 4 qualification. Key responsibilities include managing housing enquiries, assisting with applications, and supporting clients in crisis. The role offers personal development opportunities and generous benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Retail discounts

Pension scheme

Supportive family leave policies

Hybrid working model

Qualifications

• Experience in a customer-focused role.
• Ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for housing enquiries.
• Assist clients with HomePoint applications.
• Conduct assessments for individuals at risk of homelessness.
• Provide tailored advice on housing options.
• Liaise with landlords to prevent eviction.

Skills

Customer service

IT skills in Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Education

Commitment to learning and development

Job description

Overview

Are you interested in improving the lives of some of our most vulnerable people in Shropshire? We are looking for a Homeless Prevention Apprentice, to work within the Housing Options Team, to assist to provide a customer focussed service to meet the housing needs of customers who are threatened with homelessness or who are homeless. You will also have 20% 'off-the-job' learning time, to work towards a Level 4 Early Intervention Practitioner qualification (funded). As a Homeless Prevention Apprentice, you will be part of a fast paced, reactive team and be expected to develop the appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours outlined in the Early Intervention Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship standard to achieve the qualification and carry out the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for housing enquiries, managing the Housing Options inbox and general telephone line, and triaging cases by gathering information, assessing urgency, and issuing initial advice via email or letter.
• Assist clients with HomePoint applications and working with them to identify the most appropriate housing solution for their needs, including placing bids, liaising with registered providers and private landlords, and supporting access to alternative accommodation.
• Conduct assessments for individuals at risk of homelessness, determine prevention duties, and create and regularly review Personal Housing Plans outlining agreed actions.
• Provide tailored advice on housing options, tenancy sustainment, benefit claims, rent payments, and support planning to help clients maintain or secure accommodation.
• Engage with family or friends threatening exclusion, offering mediation and support to repair relationships and resolve disputes, or delay exclusion while exploring housing alternatives.
• Support clients experiencing relationship breakdowns or domestic abuse, ensuring safety and advising on options to retain their current occupation or advise on options to remove themselves from an abusive situation.
• Liaise with landlords to prevent eviction, resolve tenancy breaches, and attend court to support clients facing legal proceedings.
• Provide admin support including document handling, referrals to supported accommodation, requesting offer letters from social landlords, medical summaries from GPs and general correspondence through letter and email.
• Utilise the Housing Options IT system/database to attach documents, update case records, and manage workflows efficiently.
• Maintain accurate and timely records using the council's housing database to demonstrate performance and outcomes.
• Support the strategic aims of the Housing Options Team and collaborate with colleagues, internal teams, partner organisations, and third-sector agencies to provide holistic advice and support to those threatened with homelessness.
• Working with clients to agree and set goals and actions.
• To receive and deal with enquiries from members of the public, tenants, contractors, visitors and council staff in a professional and efficient manner with due regard to customer care standards.
• Discharging duties recognising successful outcomes to prevent homelessness and those that could not be successfully prevented.
• Other general administrative tasks.

Context and Team

The Housing Options Team work in partnership with support agencies and housing providers to give advice and assistance to help people explore their housing options and to help people who face losing their home or who are homeless. The Housing Options Team ensures that the Local Authority's obligations under the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017) are fulfilled and maximises opportunities for preventing homelessness.

Development and Personal Commitment

You will take a customer-focused approach and build positive, professional relationships while acting as an ambassador for the service and working collaboratively across the Council. You are committed to personal and service development, meeting targets, contributing to team performance, and demonstrating the behaviours and competencies expected by the Council. You understand the importance of safeguarding and actively support the protection and independence of vulnerable people. You will have experience of working in a customer-focused role, IT skills in Microsoft Office, the ability to learn how to use new systems quickly and efficiently, and will have excellent verbal and written communication skills. As an apprentice, you take responsibility for your learning by meeting progress targets, completing assignments, recording off-the-job training, and engaging fully in your own development. You will proactively look for shadowing opportunities in other areas of the business.

Shropshire Council Context

Shropshire Council is a unitary authority which serves the rural county of Shropshire. One of the most important things about working here is the knowledge that you're working to help others and the real sense of achievement and purpose that brings. The people of Shropshire are rightly proud of their county's assets, its natural beauty, its history, its diverse economy, its vibrant culture.

Benefits and Opportunities

We value our employees and offer staff rewards and plenty of opportunities for personal development, apprenticeships and career progression including:

• Generous annual leave commencing at 28 days increasing with service to 33 days (pro rata for part time). With additional annual leave purchase policy.
• Access to a benefits platform with a wide range of retail discounts and salary sacrifice schemes (cars, bikes, AVCs).
• Employer contribution Pension Scheme Shropshire County Pension Fund.
• Supportive carers and parental policies (maternity, paternity, adoption leave, special leave).
• Many opportunities for flexible and agile working, we offer a hybrid model of working to promote flexible working around personal and family commitments.