This place saved my life (former guest). Are you looking for a chance to make a real difference?

The Shelter MK (formerly called The Bus Shelter MK) is a homeless charity making a real difference to people sleeping on the streets of Milton Keynes. We provide our guests with supported housing and trauma-informed casework to resolve their homelessness and develop skills and confidence to ensure permanent change. Once a housing solution has been found, on-going support is offered to help maintain the guests tenancy and well-being.

Key Duties:

• Develop and agree guest support plans, meeting regularly with guests to monitor progress. This may involve collaboration with other services.
• Deal with phone or email enquiries and referrals, providing advice, advocacy and sign-posting.
• Carry out assessments, inductions and exits from the service.
• Maintain electronic and other records and prepare reports and case studies.
• Carry out risk assessments, identifying and regularly review control measures.
• Assist guests with official processes and applications for such things as Housing, Universal Credit, Passport/Driving Licence, Bank Accounts etc.
• Support guests to move into sustainable accommodation and provide ongoing support to maintain tenancies and well-being in the form of house visits and telephone calls.
• On a rotad basis, support out of hours phone/online service, addressing tasks that require immediate action.
• Provide assistance and oversight to volunteers as directed by The Service Manager.
• Participate in educational and therapeutic group programmes for guests.
• Take part in regular reflective practice staff sessions to support individual and team development.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with external agencies offering support to the guests and the charity as a whole.
• Provide direction, encouragement and oversight of volunteers while on site.
• Advise the Service Manager on the quality of the services provided to TSMK by contractors and third parties.
• Ensure effective relationships with statutory and third-party organisations.
• Undertake ad hoc administrative tasks.
• Other duties as reasonably directed by the Service Manager.
• Seek continuous professional development and undertake training as required.

Person specification:

Qualities

• A strong commitment to helping people affected by homelessness.
• A good understanding of the importance of confidentiality and data protection.
• Empathy with the traumatic experiences and issues that underpin individual cases of homelessness.
• Highly motivated to succeed in delivering services that make a major beneficial impact on the lives of those in need.
• Resilient, resourceful and a problem-solver.
• A team player who is also able and willing to take personal responsibility.
• A commitment to equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practices.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and sometimes stressful environment.
• Willingness to travel (mainly locally) for the purpose of attending external meetings, training, viewing properties and supporting guests and former guests.

Ideal Knowledge and experience

• Experience of working in the housing or homelessness sector.
• Experience of working in a helpline, support or service delivery role.
• Knowledge of the private rented sector and searching for/securing affordable accommodation would be helpful.
• Experience of group facilitation.
• Experience of using trauma-informed practices to provide support.
• Knowledge or a good understanding of legislation, policy and practice regarding homelessness.
• Experience of coproduction with stakeholders or those guests within the service.
• Knowledge of the welfare benefits system and how to support guests with money management.

Essential Skills and abilities

• Positive, problem-solving attitude and ability to see things through to completion.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong and effective working relationships with partner organisations.
• Ability to deal professionally and sympathetically with people affected by homelessness, sometimes in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills.
• Confident and clear telephone manner.
• Ability to produce accurate written reports, complete paperwork or assessments on housing/homelessness-related matters for the purposes of casework management.
• Ability to produce accurate written casework reports and assessments for the purposes of casework management.
• Good IT skills and computer literacy.
• Flexible approach to work and highly organised working practices. xbpsjku
• Ability to work as part of a team, and to provide cover for other colleagues, as required
• Ability to drive with a clean driving licence

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other categories protected by law.