Housing Support Officer - Wolverhampton, United Kingdom - The Refugee and Migrant Centre Ltd

The Refugee and Migrant Centre Ltd

Verified Company

Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

1 week ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

About us

The Refugee and Migrant Centre (RMC) is an established, multi award winning charity that provides a safe, welcoming environment to thousands of refugees and migrants living in the Black Country and Birmingham.

Our highly skilled and diverse staff team provide a broad range of services including advice and support on immigration (OISC regulated level 1, 2 & 3), employment, welfare, education, ESOL, housing, homelessness, destitution, citizenship, health and wellbeing.

RMC have been assisting beneficiaries to access and sustain appropriate accommodation and improve their housing and living conditions for nearly two decades.

RMC also deals with many aspects of homelessness, destitution, rough sleeping, exploitation, etc.

Purpose of the Job:

Why work for us
Our culture is what makes us unique. We encourage an open, honest working environment where people are valued.

We're always challenging each other to learn and improve, because we know when we work together, we can deliver better outcomes.

What you'll be doing:

As the Housing Support Officer, with your insight and knowledge of the housing related issues and regulations, you will work alongside the main casework teams on the delivery and development of our housing and homelessness related provision.

Providing expert advice to clients on their housing rights, responsibilities and entitlements to enable them to sustain and manage in their accommodation as part of a wider community
Delivering training and support to colleagues on housing related processes, law, legislation, and changes linked to the Homelessness Reduction Act
To work with colleagues to provide accurate options to clients based on their status and home office decisions; inclusive of assisting with voluntary returns where feasible and safe option
To work with colleagues to ensure clients are supported to access the full extent of resources and provisions that they are entitled to; immigration, welfare, health, housing, employment and schools etc., especially clients who have no recourse to public funds
To create and engage with a portfolio of private sector landlords negotiating on behalf of our clients, securing accommodation, addressing quality concerns and supporting the local authority in raising housing standards
Engaging with hardtoreach individuals and communities to provide housing related options.
Working in collaboration with key partners and providers to address homelessness and tackle rouge landlords
Developing and delivering housing and welfare related workshops to clients to enable them to sustain and manage in their accommodation as part of a wider community
To safeguard vulnerable clients and those who are at risk of exploitation due to their status or circumstances, inclusive of those with no recourse to public funds
To support managers, leading on delivering and evidencing housing, homeless prevention and rough sleeper outcomes based on funder targets

Principal Tasks

To ensure that clients are supported to access the full extent of resources and provisions that they are entitled to; immigration, welfare, health, housing, employment, and schools etc. especially clients who are with no recourse to public funds
To positively influence and support clients to access private rented sector housing solutions
To negotiate and work collaboratively with landlords and housing providers to secure quality and longterm housing for our clients
To mediate between landlords, housing providers, LA and our clients to offer remedial action and assistance to prevent evictions
To work proactively, analysis data to provide adequate intervention; with an ability to coordinate support across all services to meet need.
To negotiate and work collaboratively with the team and agencies to support our vulnerable rough sleeping clients and those at risk of homelessness.
To provide outreach surgeries providing expert housing advice and realistic housing related solution to vulnerable individuals and the local community
To provide accurate options to clients based on their status and home office decisions; inclusive of assisting with voluntary returns where feasible and safe option
To work with our core client group to empower and enable them to sustain their housing inclusive of income maximisation and community integration
To develop and deliver training sessions to colleagues on supporting clients sustain their tenancies, sharing your expert insight on the housing rights and responsibilities that are relevant to our clients and their housing circumstances

Flexibility

Person Specification

Experience and Skills

Essential
Minimum 2 years' experience in the housing sector or equivalent

In-depth knowledge of the private sector housing - law, legislation and client's rights, responsibilities, and entitlements

Desirable
Ability to create and deliver workshops to enable individuals sustain tenancies

Experience of de