CLOSING DATE: Monday 6th May 2024 Job Title : Accommodation Finding Worker Reports to: Team Leader Salary: Scale 6, Points 26-28, £26,229 - £27,982 per annum, pro rata Hours of work: Full Time (37.5 hours per week) Key Responsibilities: Housing Options and Advice To provide an effective housing advice service within the Youth Hub. To provide access to a range of accommodation options available to young people, based on their individual housing and support needs, to prevent homelessness. To make referrals to Commissioned Providers To undertake appropriate background checking to ascertain level of risk and need i.e. previous landlord, parent/carer, probation etc. To work in partnership with the local housing services and other referring agencies to prevent a young person becoming homeless. To provide effective telephone advice and guidance to customers where required. To ensure clear and professional case records are kept up to date and accurate at all times. To work closely with other organisations and agencies to provide holistic multi agency responses to the housing and support needs of young people. To provide specialist housing advice including appropriate referrals to legal advice services. To advocate on issues such as, benefits, housing rights etc. to ensure young people are fully supported through the application process and clear of expectations upon them. To work with the Home Options Team to manage all referrals to our Family Accommodation Units To support the Pathway Projects with Move on for young people who are not ready for semi- independent Accommodation Accommodation Providers To liaise with Partners to approve new Registered Social Housing Providers To ensure current Registered Providers are up to date with their Data Sharing Agreements To investigate any housing related issues or complaints from young people with Providers Private Rented Sector To work closely with the Rent Deposit Scheme (RDS) Worker on referrals To increase the availability of private sector properties available to homeless young people To communicate and attend Monthly meetings with partner organisations To work with Homeless Prevention Workers (HPW) to make referrals to the RDS scheme To monitor the outcomes for referrals to the scheme by imputing data into QL system To liaise with PRS and Registered Providers Social landlords regarding referrals To develop relationships with a range of private landlords with the aim of having access to properties, and promote the incentives available to house young people in housing need To work closely with the Homeless Prevention Workers to identify prospective young people to access the private rented sector To support with pre-Tenancy checks before young people move into private sector housing To provide the team with regular PRS vacancies to explore with young people Support the Hub to successfully discharge statutory homeless duties into the private sector Producing Reports To Submit Monthly reports on all young people accommodated through our Commissioned Accommodation Projects and other Registered Social Landlords To ensure all referrals to Commissioned Accommodation Projects are recorded on QL To maintain up to date relevant information and resources related to housing support. Partnerships To develop and maintain effective partnership arrangements with regulated and/or approved Private Landlords, Social Housing Providers and Supported Accommodation Providers through effective communication and clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. QUALIFICATIONS Essential: NVQ 3 Advice & Guidance, Care or equivalent or working towards Youth Work, Social Work, or equivalent ROLE EXPERIENCE Working with young people in the following settings Types of work – Youth Work, Residential or Social Work, Probation, Community Work, Education and Training, Housing. Desirable: Working with Volunteers/Students Knowledge: Housing Rights, Welfare Reform Knowledge Relevant knowledge relating to homelessness. Knowledge of Children’s Act i.e. Section 17, 20 and 47 Knowledge of and Commitment to E.O.P/Anti-Discriminatory practice Knowledge of Social Skills/Job Training skills. Desirable: Ability to work with figures Ability to drive Ability to maintain and improve standards