At a Glance
- Tasks: Support vulnerable individuals in securing and maintaining safe housing.
- Company: Join Wintercomfort, a leading charity dedicated to helping the homeless community.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, pension scheme, and ongoing training opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team with excellent career development prospects.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while gaining valuable experience.
- Qualifications: Passion for helping others and strong communication skills required.
Hours of work: Full-Time, 37.5 per week (5 days per week)
Contract: 2-year 9-months Fixed Term
Salary: £28,000 per annum
Location: Overstream House, Cambridge CB4 or at other locations within Cambridge
About Us
Wintercomfort works with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or with a history of homelessness. We provide services to aid every stage of recovery - from immediate basic welfare needs to long term help in identifying and dealing with the problems which are undermining their stability, and enabling them to engage with education, employment and specialist health services. National statistics rank the numbers of rough sleepers in Cambridge within the highest 20 UK local authorities. Wintercomfort is the only day-time service in the city, providing year-round advice and support for homeless or vulnerably housed people.
About you and the Role
This is a full-time community outreach and homelessness prevention role, working as part of the Wintercomfort tenancy sustainment and homelessness prevention project worker team. The Wintercomfort Housing Project Worker will provide practical, person-centred, housing-related support for people identified through community outreach and within Overstream House who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The postholder will deliver frontline casework, advocacy and practical support to help vulnerable individuals secure, maintain and transition into safe, independent living.
Key Responsibilities
- Community and Centre-Based Engagement: Build trusting relationships with people in familiar community settings and within Overstream House, including those who may feel unable to approach statutory services independently. Engage people at the earliest possible stage, identify practical support needs, and offer approachable, consistent support that encourages ongoing participation.
- Housing-Related Support and Homelessness Prevention: Provide practical housing-related support and homelessness prevention assistance while recognising that the charity does not provide formal housing advice to people at risk of losing their accommodation. Supporting individuals to gather information, complete forms, attend appointments, understand correspondence and access appropriate statutory, voluntary or legal services where specialist advice is required.
- Casework, Advocacy and Practical Support: Manage a caseload of people with varied and sometimes complex needs, providing one-to-one support, clear action planning and regular follow-up. Liaise with landlords, local authority housing teams and other agencies, accompany people to appointments where appropriate, and help individuals navigate housing-related processes, benefits, financial support, grants and wider welfare systems without providing regulated or specialist advice.
- Partnership Working and Referral Pathways: Develop and maintain productive working relationships with local authority services, landlords, voluntary sector partners, legal advice providers and internal charity services. Make timely referrals into welfare, counselling, women's services, wellbeing support, training opportunities and other specialist provision where further advice or support is required.
- Safeguarding, Risk and Complex Needs: Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, mental health issues and other factors that may affect a person's ability to engage with support. Work within organisational policies and professional boundaries, ensuring that risks are identified, recorded and escalated when necessary.
- Housing Stability and targeted intervention: Provide support to service users to both secure new accommodation and sustain their current homes, including mediation with landlords, accessing legal support, addressing anti-social behaviour. A core focus involves identifying high-risk groups and delivering targeted trauma informed interventions to those navigating complex mental health challenges, dual diagnosis, or substance misuse, as well as individuals fleeing difficult circumstances or leaving prison, hospital or care systems.
- Records, Outcomes and Service Development: Maintain accurate, timely and confidential case records on Inform, monitoring activity and outcomes to demonstrate the impact of the outreach programme. Contribute to service learning, identify gaps in provision, and support the development of effective community-based responses to homelessness and housing insecurity and deliver impactful case studies for funder reports.
Benefits
You will be eligible for benefits and services, including pension scheme, death in service benefit and free counselling and clinical supervision. You will receive a comprehensive induction, and you will have a probation period to provide a supportive framework for reviewing your progress and discussing your training and development needs. You will be expected to have developed the skills to fulfil all role requirements within this period. Appropriate objectives will be discussed, agreed and reviewed regularly with your Line Manager so that your performance can be measured against these.
Training
We recognise the importance of having a motivated and effective staff team. We offer on-going training to support you in your role.
Closing date: Thursday 27th August 2026
Interested? If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We are committed to a proactive approach to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all underrepresented groups, promoting an inclusive culture and valuing diversity. We make selection decisions based on personal merit and an objective assessment against the criteria required for the post.
Housing Project Worker in London employer: Wintercomfort
Wintercomfort is an exceptional employer dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those facing homelessness. Located in the vibrant city of Cambridge, we foster a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering opportunities for training and development. Join us to be part of a compassionate team that values collaboration and innovation in creating sustainable solutions for our community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Housing Project Worker in London
✨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 Wintercomfort.
✨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 Wintercomfort!
✨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 Wintercomfort, 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 Wintercomfort or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
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 Wintercomfort:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Wintercomfort! 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 Wintercomfort
✨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.
