Homeless Prevention Outreach Worker in Truro

Job Description

The Service & Team

This specialist countywide role sits within the Homeless Prevention Service and focuses on supporting people who are sleeping rough or are at immediate risk of rough sleeping across Cornwall. Working as part of a dedicated outreach and casework team, you will engage with customers who can often be difficult to reach, working alongside key partners such as St Petrocs, Coastline, health services, and other support agencies to help people access accommodation and improve their lives.

The Role

• Rough Sleeper Outreach & Engagement – Work directly with rough sleepers across Cornwall, building trusted relationships and supporting people to access accommodation and move away from the streets.
• Specialist Housing Advice & Casework – Manage a caseload of customers, providing housing advice, homelessness prevention support, and personalised plans to achieve sustainable outcomes.
• Partnership Working – Work closely with housing providers, support services, health agencies, and voluntary organisations to coordinate support and maximise opportunities for customers.
• Prevention & Move‑On Support – Identify solutions that prevent homelessness, secure accommodation, and help customers sustain housing and avoid returning to rough sleeping.
• Advocacy & Housing Solutions – Advise on housing rights, welfare benefits, tenancy matters, and available housing options whilst advocating for customers with complex needs.
• Outreach Visits & Rough Sleeper Counts – Undertake outreach visits across Cornwall and contribute to local and national rough sleeper counts, including occasional evening and night‑time work.
• Record Keeping & Performance – Maintain accurate case records, monitor outcomes, and ensure statutory duties and service standards are met.

This is a public/customer‑facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies. This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.

Working Pattern

• Monday to Friday working pattern with flexibility to meet service needs.
• Hybrid and community‑based working across Cornwall.
• Significant travel throughout Cornwall required.
• Regular face‑to‑face engagement with customers, including outreach work in community settings.
• Participation in an out‑of‑hours rota and occasional evening work, including rough sleeper counts.

What you’ll need to succeed

• Excellent communication skills – Able to engage effectively with vulnerable individuals and build positive relationships.
• Empathy & resilience – Comfortable working with people experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping, and multiple disadvantages.
• Strong case management skills – Able to manage a varied caseload and achieve positive outcomes.
• Problem‑solving & initiative – Skilled at identifying practical housing solutions and overcoming barriers.
• Partnership working – Experience of collaborating with a range of agencies and stakeholders.
• Organisation & time management – Able to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines.
• IT proficiency – Confident using Microsoft Office and case management systems.
• Knowledge of housing & homelessness – Understanding of housing options, homelessness legislation, and welfare benefits is desirable.

Whilst experience in homelessness, outreach, housing, support work, or a related field would be beneficial, we’re particularly interested in people who are passionate about supporting rough sleepers, can build strong relationships, and are committed to achieving positive outcomes for some of Cornwall’s most vulnerable residents.

What you’ll get in return

Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high‑performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff, helping provide a greater work‑life balance while ensuring service needs are met.

Our core employee rewards and benefits include:

• A competitive salary.
• A defined benefit pension scheme, based on your career average earnings, including the option for extra voluntary contributions.
• A generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave.
• A national award‑winning employee health and well‑being programme.
• An employee benefits scheme giving access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services.

Additional Information

Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.

Fairness and inclusion are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall. In order to best serve our communities, we are striving to achieve a diverse workforce that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and identities – e.g., race, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, age, religion and sexual orientation. We are an equal opportunities and Disability Confident employer, and we will assess applicants on their merits. Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and following safer recruitment principles to help make sure our staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and adults at risk. It is a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keeping all service users safe from harm.