Rough Sleeper Navigator

Rotherwood; Lancaster; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Rotherwood Cares is recruiting a Rough Sleeper Navigator to work within the local community across Lancaster and Morecambe. You will identify and engage individuals sleeping rough, assess immediate needs and connect them with housing and support services.

The role requires resilience, empathy and the ability to liaise with local councils and housing providers. Flexible hours and frontline impact are central to the position, with a view to lasting positive change.

Qualifications

• Experience in homelessness or rough sleeping support is beneficial.
• Experience working with vulnerable adults is valuable.
• Able to engage with service users and local agencies effectively.
• Approachable, non-judgemental and resilient in challenging environments.

Responsibilities

• Identify and engage with individuals experiencing rough sleeping.
• Build trusting relationships with service users.
• Complete welfare checks and identify immediate support needs.
• Support access to emergency and longer-term accommodation.
• Liaise with councils, housing providers and external agencies.
• Make referrals to relevant support services.
• Advocate on behalf of service users when required.
• Maintain accurate records and case notes.
• Respond to challenging and unpredictable situations.
• Work flexibly across Lancaster and Morecambe per service needs.

Skills

Homelessness / rough sleeping

Outreach work

Housing support

Mental health

Social care

Community support

Housing and welfare liaison

Advocacy

Job description

Below covers everything you need to know about what this opportunity entails, as well as what is expected from applicants.

Location: Lancaster & Morecambe

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Long-term Temporary / Potential Temp-to-Permanent

Salary: Competitive, depending on experience

Rotherwood Cares are currently recruiting for Rough Sleeper Navigators to join a local council-supported winter initiative across Lancaster and Morecambe.

This is a rewarding frontline role supporting individuals who are experiencing rough sleeping, helping them move away from the streets and access appropriate accommodation, services and longer-term support.

The Role

As a Rough Sleeper Navigator, you will work within the local community to identify and engage with people who are sleeping rough. You will build positive relationships, assess their immediate needs and work alongside local agencies and housing services to help them access appropriate support and accommodation.

The role involves working flexible hours, which may include early mornings and later shifts, as this is often when people sleeping rough are most likely to be located.

You may be required to visit tents, rough sleeping sites and other challenging environments. This is a frontline position where you may witness difficult or upsetting situations, so the successful candidate will need to be confident, resilient and able to remain calm, professional and positive in challenging circumstances.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and engage with individuals experiencing rough sleeping
• Build trusting and professional relationships with service users
• Complete welfare checks and identify immediate support needs
• Support individuals to access emergency and longer-term accommodation
• Liaise with local councils, housing providers and external agencies
• Make appropriate referrals to relevant support services
• Advocate on behalf of service users where required
• Maintain accurate records and case notes
• Respond appropriately to challenging and unpredictable situations
• Work flexibly across Lancaster and Morecambe according to service requirements

About You

We are looking for someone who is confident working in the community and comfortable supporting people with complex and challenging circumstances.

Previous experience in one or more of the following areas would be highly beneficial:

• Homelessness / rough sleeping
• Outreach work
• Supported housing
• Mental health
• Substance misuse
• Social care
• Community support
• Housing support
• Probation or criminal justice
• Other frontline support services

You will need to be approachable and non-judgemental, with the resilience to work in environments that may not always be comfortable or predictable.

Most importantly, you will need to be someone who can stay positive, professional and focused on helping people, even when faced with difficult circumstances.

What We Offer

• 37.5 hours per week
• Long-term temporary opportunity
• Potential temp-to-permanent opportunity
• Flexible working patterns, including early and late shifts
• Meaningful frontline work within a local council winter initiative
• Opportunity to make a genuine difference to people experiencing homelessness
• Ongoing support from Rotherwood Cares

If you have experience working with vulnerable adults and are looking for a challenging but rewarding community-based role, we would be keen to hear from you