Overview
To provide a responsive and needs‑led frontline advice and support service to Portsmouth Homes tenants and their households, who have complex needs requiring additional and on‑going support, in order for them to be able to maintain their tenancies satisfactorily and to complement the support offered by the generic Housing Officers.
A Tenancy Support Adviser (TSA) provides specialist housing support and advice to Portsmouth Homes tenants and their households to prevent and reduce the risk of homelessness due to unsafe housing conditions that could be a breach of tenancy conditions. Utilising good negotiation and persuasive skills to ensure support plans are met and tenants and their households are supported appropriately.
This may be difficult particularly when there is pressure on services and a lack of funding or high eligibility criteria. To support Housing Officers and other staff within Portsmouth Homes when managing complex cases and working collaboratively with other departments and external agencies as necessary. TSAs will act as a single point of contact within Portsmouth Homes for those in most need of support to prevent the risk of homelessness, communicating effectively and confidently with tenants and households with complex needs, showing empathy and understanding for personal circumstances, whilst being impartial and honest, setting realistic expectations and small step milestones.
Responsibilities
Provide frontline response to crisis situations, including chronic circumstances, by identifying relevant support needs and social issues, and collaborating to enable tenants to maintain tenancies.
Attend multi‑agency meetings to coordinate and encourage input and relevant support from external partners and agencies and help formulate realistic support plans.
Identify and prioritise cases through full investigation of current and previous experiences and behaviours, ensuring the right support is provided.
Make appropriate decisions about the storage, management and disclosure of personal and sensitive information without recourse to supervision, in accordance with data protection legislation.
Create accurate and relevant notes of conversations and reasons for actions or non‑actions needed to be understandable to others and relied on for Court Action.
Work independently, visiting tenants in their own homes, to provide appropriate advice and support, including practical help with cleaning, decluttering and sorting personal possessions, belongings and furniture.
Skills and Qualifications
* You should have experience of working within a Social Housing setting or similar, with a focus on supporting tenants with complex needs effectively, in order for them to maintain their tenancies.
* You should be able to support the housing officers to provide a frontline response to crisis situations, as well as chronic circumstances by identifying relevant support needs and social issues which necessitate joint‑working to enable tenants to maintain tenancies.
* You should be experienced in attending multi‑agency meetings to coordinate and encourage input and relevant support from external partners and agencies and to help formulate realistic support plans.
* You must have an comprehensive understanding of the types of risks which may impact upon a persons tenancy and be able to identify these risks and support needs to be able to support the tenant in maintaining their tenancy, utilising collaboration with the tenant/household, external partners and agencies, as appropriate.
* Be able to identifying priority of cases by full investigation of current and previous experiences and behaviours, to identify the right support necessary.
* You should be able to demonstrate knowledge of Portsmouth Homes policies and procedures, local and national policies and legislation regarding tenancy support and sustainment.
* You should be confident making appropriate decisions without recourse to supervision about the storing, management and disclosure of personal and sensitive personal information, in accordance with data protection legislation.
* You should hold an awareness of departmental budget constraints and the need to minimise expenditure and ensure that appropriate support is proportionate and timebound.
* You must have good negotiation and persuasive skills to ensure support plans are met and tenants and their households are supported appropriately. This will be difficult particularly when there is pressure on services and a lack of funding or high eligibility criteria.
* You must be comfortable lone working, and visiting tenants in their own homes, to provide appropriate advice and support. This may involve practical help and support cleaning, decluttering and sorting personal possessions, belongings and furniture.
* You must be able to create accurate and relevant notes of conversations and reasons for actions or non‑actions that need to be understandable to others and relied on for Court Action.
* You must have a Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
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