Housing Support Coordinator

The Forward Trust; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job summary

The Forward Trust is seeking a Housing Support Coordinator for its Sittingbourne location. This role focuses on supporting adults with drug and alcohol issues at risk of homelessness. Candidates will provide tailored support while coordinating access to essential services, contributing to holistic care. The position is permanent and offers a range of employee benefits, emphasizing flexible working and professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Contributory Pension Scheme

25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

3 Wellbeing Days

Qualifications

• Experience in supporting rough sleepers or outreach services.
• In-depth knowledge of supported housing systems.
• Familiarity with East Kent local services preferred.

Responsibilities

• Complete housing assessments to prevent homelessness.
• Offer practical and emotional support to clients.
• Coordinate with housing providers to meet client needs.

Skills

Understanding of housing needs

Knowledge of substance misuse

Knowledge of mental health

Awareness of complex needs

Understanding of tenancy sustainment

Education

Background in social care or housing

Job description

Location: Sittingbourne, Kent

Salary: £24,000 per annum plus benefits

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

We are currently recruiting for a Housing Support Coordinator - Sittingbourne, Kent

You will support adults (18+) with drug and alcohol issues who are at risk of homelessness. Within a community-based role across East Kent, you will hold a smaller, high-need caseload, providing flexible and enhanced support underpinned by trauma-informed care.

You’ll coordinate access to housing, health, and recovery services—liaising with housing workers, healthcare providers, and other partners to ensure clients are supported holistically. This role offers transitional support until individuals are settled in permanent accommodation.

Aligned with Forward Trust’s mission to empower individuals to break cycles of addiction and crime, you’ll work in line with our values of Empowerment, Collaboration, Resilience, and Innovation. You’ll contribute to service targets, particularly measuring client outcomes, and maintain strong relationships with local agencies to deliver effective, joined-up care.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete housing assessments to prevent homelessness and help clients sustain tenancies.
• Offer practical and emotional support, empowering clients to find and maintain housing.
• Coordinate with councils, housing providers, and support services to meet client needs.
• Build knowledge of housing through co-location with housing teams and relevant training.
• Support clients in managing finances and maintaining rent payments.
• Occasional travel is required to attend team, departmental and other meetings.
• Take on other reasonable tasks and responsibilities as deemed appropriate by Line Manager.
  
  

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Strong understanding of the needs of people who are rough sleeping or experiencing housing instability.
• In-depth knowledge of at least one: substance misuse, alcohol misuse, or mental health.
• Awareness of complex and multiple needs and the barriers to engagement.
• Understanding of supported housing systems and tenancy sustainment.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures for vulnerable adults.
• Familiarity with local services and geography (East Kent preferred).
• Experience supporting rough sleepers or delivering outreach-based services.
• Background in social care, housing, or substance misuse settings.
  
  

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often-interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
  
  

Diversity at Forward Trust

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with 'Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness.When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

We recognise the importance of safeguarding, dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the 'Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.