At a Glance
- Tasks: Support homeless clients in achieving stability and accessing essential services.
- Company: Join a passionate team dedicated to transforming lives and fighting homelessness.
- Benefits: Flexible hours, meaningful work, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and community impact.
- Why this job: Be an inspiration and help others regain hope and independence.
- Qualifications: Experience in support services and a genuine desire to help others.
Are you an inspirational individual with a genuine desire to help people transform their lives and a commitment to doing so? Join us as our Supported Housing Officer in our mission to fight homelessness and transform lives! This is a new project seeking to support homeless clients in restoring stability and hope, enabling them to address their challenges and access housing, essential services, and employment.
Reporting to the Homeless Support Service Manager, the Supported Housing Officer will be responsible for assessing client needs and developing and delivering effective support plans to help clients achieve their housing goals. You will provide clients within the supported housing with a structured timetable of activities, projects, and events, and offer a holistic approach to help clients engage in activities, education, employment, and volunteering that will enhance their opportunities to move forward in their lives.
Hours: This is a flexible role on a 37.5 hours-per-week rota, including evening, weekend, and bank holiday hours in Folkestone.
Purpose: The Supported Housing Officer’s role is to support clients in restoring stability and hope, enabling them to address their challenges and access housing and necessary services.
Principal Responsibilities:
- Working alongside the Homeless Support Service (HSS) Manager and team to help screen and select clients suitable for the Hamlet House.
- Serve as the primary point of contact and primary support for up to 8 clients at Hamlet House. Provide additional support to other clients as needed, ensuring all clients receive guidance and assistance appropriate to their individual situations.
- Assess clients’ needs and produce support plans, and work with them to achieve their goals.
- Advise clients of their rights and work with those with complex needs to identify their personal aims and ambitions, and help them achieve these.
- Work with clients to identify and thereafter support their appropriate move-on option. Gather current information on available housing options and communicate these opportunities clearly to clients. Advise them on their housing rights and eligibility, supporting them to make informed decisions.
- Make referrals to specialist organisations and services.
- Design and deliver in-house practical training sessions for clients covering key areas such as basic skills, job application processes, opportunities for involvement, and volunteering. Evaluate learning outcomes and adapt sessions to meet clients’ needs.
- Actively promote healthy living to all service users and ensure accessibility of all health promotion services and local health facilities.
- Remain accessible to respond promptly to client enquiries, resolve concerns, and offer extra support as individual circumstances require. Monitor clients' ongoing needs and serve as the first point of contact for emerging issues.
- Assist the Supported Housing Manager with all aspects of client arrivals and departures, including facilitating move-ins and move-outs, handling licence renewals, and managing room vacancies. Support the enforcement of house rules and the collection of service charges to maintain compliance and smooth operations.
- Attend to reception and respond to the intercom in the concierge's absence.
- Maintain the HSS database by monitoring and logging clients' records and activities.
Knowledge and experience:
- An understanding of working in homeless support services, with a demonstrable knowledge of Housing and other related legislation or willing to be trained (Desirable).
- Experience of delivering high-quality, structured and time-limited interventions that prevented or relieved homelessness (Desirable).
- Experience in completing assessments and producing planned co-produced support plans focused on setting and achieving goals (Essential).
- Experience of assessment and interview processes (Essential).
- Ability to work in close partnership with external agencies and effectively liaise with a range of service providers or agencies, to establish or improve services for clients (Essential).
- Ability to be self-motivating, work under pressure, and manage time effectively, prioritising different areas of work according to need (Essential).
- Knowledge and understanding of the roles of external agencies (Social Services, Prison Service, Probation, Education providers, Police, other voluntary and statutory organisations) (Desirable).
- Work within the Rainbow Centre's policies and practices, particularly those related to adult safeguarding, data protection legislation, and good practice.
Supported Housing Officers (Two) in Folkestone employer: Folkestone Rainbow Centre
Join us as a Supported Housing Officer in Folkestone, where we are dedicated to transforming lives and fighting homelessness. Our supportive work culture fosters personal growth and development, offering flexible hours and opportunities to engage with clients in meaningful ways. With a commitment to holistic support and community involvement, we provide a rewarding environment for those passionate about making a difference.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Supported Housing Officers (Two) in Folkestone
✨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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre.
✨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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre!
✨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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre, 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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre 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 Supported Housing Officers (Two) in Folkestone
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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Folkestone Rainbow Centre! 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 Folkestone Rainbow Centre
✨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.
