Job title | Project Worker |
Reports to | Team Leader |
Contracted Hours | 09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday (total of 40 hours per week) |
Salary | Negotiable dependent on experience £28,000 to £30,000 |
Location | 45 Hare Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 6NE |
Job purpose
The Project Worker will be responsible for the delivery of a responsive intensive housing management service to clients allocated by the Team Leader.
The central aim of the role is to support homeless clients temporarily living in CLHT placements to become as independent as possible and to facilitate timely move-on into independent living settings.
This will be achieved through regular client-led keywork sessions and in close collaboration with external partners.
The Project Worker will coordinate the day-to-day smooth running of each house they are responsible for.
Duties and responsibilities specific to the role
Intensive Housing Management
- Responsible for a broad range of housing management activities, including signing up new residents, issuing licensing agreements, delivering new client inductions, occupancy management and eviction / abandonment.
- Evictions are a last resort and CLHT works within the Homeless Link guidance on preventing evictions and abandonment.
- Work collaboratively with the Finance team to coordinate rent/ service charge collections
- Carry out regular occupancy checks.
- Maintain accurate and timely records related to housing management activities, within the requirements of GDPR.
- Maintain a healthy and safe environment and encourage clients to take individual responsibility for their living environment and for positive relationships with fellow residents.
- Ensure the accommodation where clients live is clean and maintained to a high standard, in line with CLHT property standards.
- Ensure the accommodation meets all legal and statutory health and fire safety requirements
- Work in close collaboration with the Maintenance team to ensure all repairs and maintenance issues are correctly reported and resolved.
- To promote and encourage client participation in the Intensive Housing Management process and to act as advocate for clients when necessary.
- This includes leading regular house meetings and encouraging clients to become ‘resident representatives’.
- To document each visit to projects, detailing tasks undertaken, any changes that have occurred and other relevant information.
- Manage antisocial behaviour and clients complaints in line with our Anti-Social Behaviour and Complaints procedures.
- Liaise with senior managers to ensure complaints are addressed in a timely manner.
Health and Safety
- Adhere to best practice in meeting the requirements of health and safety legislation in all aspects of the organisation’s work.
- Ensure you undertake required health and safety training.
- Comply with Health and Safety requirements and conduct all activities in a manner which is safe for yourself and others.
- Ensure you follow the Lone Working Policies and Procedures - making full use of the IT Lone Working tools made available by CLHT
- To report and record any accident or incident which may occur- no matter how minor - whether to clients or staff, follow RIDDOR reporting procedures, report to the police where applicable in line with policies at all times.
- To report immediately to management on any aspect of a service user’s placement that may warrant an investigation or urgent action.
Keyworking, Support planning, risk assessment
- Ensure all clients have a robust risk assessment, needs assessment and support plan which identifies and meets their needs as far as possible within the remit of the service.
- Use the SMART process to ensure all actions from keyworking are followed up.
- Develop client engagement techniques, being creative in your approach to encourage client participation in the keyworking, support planning and risk assessment process.
- Always ensure that clients are provided with the full range of information required to make informed decisions which encourages freedom and empowerment.
- Signpost and refer to external statutory and voluntary sector partners where necessary
- Develop and maintain positive working relationships with all key partners, escalating any concerns about partner agency engagement to your line manager.
- Maintain up-to-date, GDPR-compliant records on CLHT IT systems, including clients signed copies of all keyworking, support planning and risk assessment documents.
- Develop and maintain a thorough working knowledge of Adult Safeguarding
Team Working
- Foster a positive team culture, being supportive of colleagues
- Participate in minimum monthly one-to-one supervision and team meetings to assist you in carrying out your duties.
- Perform in line with policies and procedures, including drawing to the attention of senior manager’s matters concerning capability.
- Support apprentices and volunteers, ensuring that their skills are utilised to support quality service delivery.
- Work to meet team targets.
- Support new team members in progressing through an induction programme
- To advise of any ideas which may enhance or improve the level of service delivered
Other
- No job description can be entirely comprehensive. The post holder will be expected to carry out such other duties as may be required from time to time in accordance with the job description.
- Willingness to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements.
- Keep managers informed of all significant issues relating to and affecting service delivery.
- Ensure compliance with CLHT Equality and Diversity policy & procedure
- Ensure Client Information is stored in line with Data Protection and Confidentiality guidelines.
- Attend regular meetings as directed by management.
- Adhere to the Company's medication policy at all times, and ensure that medical emergencies are dealt with appropriately.
Person specification
Knowledge
- Working knowledge ofthe welfare benefits system, particularly in relation to clients accommodated in intensive housing management settings
- An understanding of the common reasons for homelessness amongst single homeless people with support needs
- Knowledge of other key partner agencies, such as Probation, Community Mental Health Teams , Local Authority homelessness services , the Refugee Council
- Knowledge of the principles of Adult Safeguarding in a housing setting
- Knowledge of and commitment to the principles of the Equalities Act
Skills
- Able to develop a quick rapport with clients, particularly those who may be mistrustful of services and reluctant to engage
- Ability to work under own initiative & maintain enthusiasm for a high level of contact with clients on a day-to-day basis.
- Assertiveness and de-escalation skills
- Able to proactively participate in a comprehensive induction to the organisation and the services provided
- Coaching skills
- Able to cope under pressure, using initiative to manage time and to meet deadlines
- Ability to work within a team, promoting open communication skills and creative thinking
- Proficient IT skills, including Excel and Word and basic keyboard skills.
- Confident dealing with people at all levels; displays appropriate verbal and non-verbal behaviour
- Excellent numeracy & literacy - able to produce clear written records
- Integrity, sensitivity and understanding.
- Approachable, adaptable and assertive.
- Able to recognise learning needs and seek out learning and development opportunities with your line manager
- Is open and honest about mistakes and willing to use mistakes as tools for development
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Experience
- Experience of working with single homeless clients with support needs , or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Experience of working in partnership with other agencies to achieve effective outcomes.
- Experience of effectively prioritising your workload in a fast-paced environment
- Experience of de-escalating situations where clients have exhibited challenging behaviour
Other
- DBS Check.
- Strong empathy with homeless people, demonstrating a non-judgmental approach
- Commitment to the aims & objectives of the organisation.
Education and Qualifications
- Minimum 5 GCSE’S (A*-C) or equivalent – Including Maths and English.
- Evidence of a commitment to ongoing professional development
- It is desirable for the postholder to have a valid driving licence
Employee:
Signed: | Date: |
Print Name: | Date: |
Management:
Signed: | Date: |
Print Name: | Greg Davies (Head of Operations) | Date: |