At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a passionate team to support those facing homelessness in Gwynedd.
- Company: Join a dedicated council committed to making a difference in the community.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and opportunities for personal development.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and collaboration across sectors.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by helping vulnerable families find stability and support.
- Qualifications: Experience in housing services and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
Assist the Service Manager in ensuring that the team(s) being led delivers effectively and efficiently what is important to the people of Gwynedd by creating and maintaining a respectful and trusting atmosphere, empowering, and inspiring staff.
Lead the team across the county to effectively and efficiently provide services and support to help people who present as homeless in Gwynedd in accordance with relevant legislation, policies and Council procedures.
Responsibility for functions
- Homelessness team staff members
- Management of support contracts in Supported Accommodation developments across the county
- Management of the Homelessness Hostels
- Personal work equipment (over £500)
Assist the Service Manager to:
- Help the team review and challenge its performance
- Create and maintain an environment that enables all team members to contribute and make decisions to provide the best possible service
- Ensure an environment of trust and accountability within the team ensuring appropriate communication with and within the team.
- Encourage the team to be innovative, daring and learn from experience in order to improve performance
- Coach and/or mentor the team to identify and act in a timely manner in order to eliminate barriers that prevent the ability to deliver what is important to the people of Gwynedd
- Assist to facilitate personal development of team members
- Operate in a flexible manner within the team operating principles to deliver what is important to Gwynedd residents.
- Continuously search for ways to improve the service, identifying matters that prevent the team from delivering effectively and efficiently and act to solve them.
- Contribute and make decisions in order to deliver what is important to the people of Gwynedd
- Act proactively; be open to thinking differently; be energetic and committed with personal integrity in order to fulfil the above role.
- Ensure, by encouraging and motivating, that the team’s staff takes ownership of the Ffordd Gwynedd principles
- Ensure an environment within the team that promotes and encourages staff well-being
- Ensure that the team contributes towards the service objective, or those of other establishments who try to deliver what is important to the people of Gwynedd.
- Promote the need to identify and act on future threats and opportunities, including preventative steps
- Lead change in the team within the service area where change is needed
- Develop individuals and teams ensuring that they have the required skills to fulfil the roles needed now and in the future
MAIN DUTIES
- Responsibility for coordinating and leading the day-to-day work of the Homelessness and Support team
- Ensuring that the team acts in a strong, reasonable and professional manner when advising or acting on service requests, ensuring an ethos of compassion and the hunger to help improve the living circumstances of vulnerable families.
- Ensuring that the Council responds appropriately and fully to homelessness matters.
- Look for opportunities to present, and lead on other strategic homelessness projects which will improve our homelessness provision service in Gwynedd.
- Establish and maintain support provision contracts in new “Supported Accommodation” developments throughout the county.
- Ensure the provision of appropriate private sector options (and other housing leased by our public partners) in order to house homeless individuals temporarily and permanently.
- Manage tenancies provided by the Council to individuals housed in Supported Accommodation.
- Monitor that support provision contracts work effectively.
- Provide technical and professional guidance on Homelessness and Strategic Projects matters when required to officers within the team, the Manager Head of Service and Members.
- Act as lead officer on technical and professional Homeless and Strategic Projects matters within the Council.
- Assist and support the Manager to ensure that strategic schemes related to the work field in Gwynedd are delivered effectively and efficiently.
- Ensure that the Homelessness team acts in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, guidelines and policies.
- Attend meetings, Committees, Sub-Committees or working groups when needed, including co-ordinating with agencies and other councils relevant to the duties of the service and Department.
- Prepare statistical and financial reports as and when required.
- Ensure that the team operates within budgets available to them to run the service and be open to the need to ensure best value for money at all times, identifying opportunities to improve the financial efficiency of the team, Service and Department.
- Collaborate with others on specific projects related with homelessness and housing matters including supporting other teams to deliver their own purposes.
- Support the Manager and Head of Service to deliver services and projects in the Council’s Housing Action Plan.
- Create relationships and partnerships in order to promote close collaboration with other public and third sector bodies operating in the homelessness/housing field.
- Regularly identify, review and monitor any Health and Safety risks to staff and/or clients
- Ensure that the team has effective and efficient IT systems to facilitate service provision, moving to digital operating systems.
- Undertake other reasonable duties related to the Housing service as part of the Service management team.
- Contribute towards the success, prosperity and the development of the Housing and Property Department, including contributing in departmental management/team leader meetings.
- Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
- Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
- Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
- Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
- Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
- Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused
Special circumstances
The need to work unsociable hours from time to time.
Requirements
Personal attributes
- A natural leader who can motivate staff to make decisions and deliver.
- A person who is keen to solve barriers and search for opportunities to improve the service.
- A clear communicator who can inspire and help others
- An organised person who can prioritise presenting work and programmes
- The ability to deputise effectively and stay calm under pressure.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, orally and in writing.
- The ability to foster effective working relationships with clients, colleagues and external partners.
- Can operate IT systems, including case management software and Microsoft Office.
- Familiar with housing systems and local authority support routes.
Qualifications and relevant training
- A degree in a subject associated with the Housing Service field of work or a level 5 or higher management qualification
- Membership of a professional body in a relevant Housing Service field of work
- Experience of dealing with customer needs in the housing field
- Experience of supervising the work of others
- Experience of preparing and presenting reports
- Experience of creating and executing work programmes
- Experience in managing staff
- Experience of managing budgets
Skills and specialist knowledge
- The ability to work within tight timescales and respond to customer requirements
- The ability to lead change and develop more effective methods of working
- Strong communication skills, orally and in writing
- Being flexible and dealing with customers in a constructive and appropriate manner
- Empathetic and person-centric, with a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusiveness.
- Committed to continued improvement and learning, personally and for the team.
Language requirements
- Listening and Speaking - Higher
- Able to follow a conversation or discussion through the medium of Welsh and English on a professional level and discuss general day to day topics in the field in order to present information and express opinions.
- Able to give a pre-prepared presentation and respond to any comments and questions on it in Welsh or English.
- Reading and Understanding - Higher
- Able to understand standard written Welsh and English; both formal and informal.
- Able to gather information from various sources such as letters, reports, articles through the medium of Welsh and English in order to fulfil the post.
- Present written information confidently by letter, more detailed and technical report formats, and respond to written requests conveying information, ideas and opinion in Welsh and English (help is available to check the work).
Co-ordinator of Homelessness and Support Services employer: Darogan
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Co-ordinator of Homelessness and Support Services
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Darogan.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Darogan!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Darogan, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Darogan or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Co-ordinator of Homelessness and Support Services
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Darogan:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Darogan! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Darogan
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
