Housing Support Development Link Worker

The Methodist Church in Britain; Swadlincote, Ilkeston, Waingroves, Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 23,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Life assurance

25 days’ annual leave (pro rata)

Travel expenses reimbursed

Season ticket loan

Wellbeing talks and activities

Career development through learning系统

24/7 employee assistance programme

Job summary

Phoenix Futures, delivering Derbyshire Recovery Partnership housing links within drug and alcohol recovery services, seeks a part-time Housing Link Worker. You will spot housing issues early, build referral routes, and improve systems with partners to support treatment engagement and recovery.

The role involves cross-county travel, building relationships with housing providers, and contributing to trauma-informed, person-centred approaches. Driving is required.

Qualifications

• Experience working with people with complex needs.
• Partnership and multi-agency working experience.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Identify housing needs early where they affect treatment engagement and recovery.
• Support people before, during, and after treatment where housing issues create risk.
• Build relationships with housing providers and homelessness services.
• Advise on housing options and referral routes for treatment teams.
• Coordinate tenancy sustainment and housing-related support within recovery programmes.
• Develop housing resources and guidance materials.
• Attend Housing Support Worker meetings and public health thematic meetings.
• Gather feedback from lived experience to shape service improvements.
• Develop referral pathways between substance use services and housing support.

Skills

Housing knowledge

Partnership working

Communication skills

Independent working

Relationship-building

Risk management

Driving licence

Tools

Driving Licence

Job description

This is a new part-time post in the Derbyshire Recovery Partnership, the drug and alcohol service run by Phoenix Futures. The work is about linking housing services with treatment and recovery teams so that housing problems stop people getting into, staying in or sustaining recovery. The post-holder works without a caseload, spotting housing issues early, building referral routes and improving systems with partners. Travel across the county is central, so a driving licence and access to a vehicle are needed.

What the job involves

• Identify housing needs early where they affect treatment engagement and recovery
• Support people before treatment, during treatment and in recovery where housing problems create risk
• Build relationships with housing providers, homelessness services and accommodation support organisations
• Advise and navigate treatment teams on housing options and referral routes
• Run tenancy sustainment and housing-related support groups within recovery programmes
• Develop practical resources, contingency plans and housing guidance materials
• Attend quarterly Housing Support Worker meetings and Derbyshire County Council Public Health thematic meetings
• Gather feedback from people with lived experience to shape service improvements
• Develop referral pathways between substance use services and housing support
• Help develop and embed a housing link model across DRP teams, specialist housing support and accommodation providers
• Identify trends, service gaps and opportunities to improve outcomes
• Promote a trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred approach

What’s required

Experience

• Working with people who have complex needs
• Partnership and multi-agency working

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of housing, homelessness, tenancy sustainment or accommodation support services
• Understanding of safeguarding and risk management
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Working independently and influencing across systems and services
• Commitment to reducing stigma and improving outcomes for vulnerable people
• Strong organisational and administrative skills

Checks & eligibility

• Full UK driving licence
• Access to a vehicle

Nice to have

• Experience in substance use, homelessness, mental health, social care, housing support or a related sector

What’s offered

• Pension scheme and life assurance
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 30 (pro rata)
• Potential yearly salary increments subject to appraisal
• Season ticket loan and travel expenses reimbursed
• Occupational sick pay, eye-care vouchers and wellbeing talks and activities
• Continuous training and career development through the PXL learning system
• 24/7 employee assistance programme
• Discounts such as Blue Light and some NHS-related training