The Role
The
Housing Support Officer
will report to the Deputy Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, or such other designated officer. The holder of the post will be working directly with people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless.
They will work as part of the Central Placement Service of the DRHE with a focus on prevention, place-finding and generally moving families on from emergency facilities, to more suitable accommodation. The role will involve intensive and direct interaction with households, out in their place of temporary residence, and the provision of clear advice and support to families to enable them to exit homelessness.
The holder of the post will have the opportunity to gain knowledge of housing legislation and social housing options, as well as of the policies and procedures of local authorities and of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive. Ongoing training will be provided in all aspects of the DRHE's services.
The ideal candidate shall
* Have excellent interpersonal communication skills, and be capable of representing the DRHE/City Council in a professional and credible manner with all stakeholders;
* Be capable of conducting assessments of need in a sensitive and professional manner;
* Have the capacity to support people experiencing homelessness to make informed decisions;
* Possess an understanding of homelessness and how to respond effectively;
* Demonstrate a strong knowledge and competency regarding social housing options and an understanding of how to prevent, divert or progress from homelessness;
* Have the ability to identify and liaise with other service providers to prevent homelessness or minimise time spent in emergency accommodation;
* Be able to ensure policies, procedures and quality standards are adhered to and maintained, in particular those that support safe services;
* Demonstrate relevant experience of working effectively with customers;
* Possess an understanding of equality practices and public sector duty;
* Be able to work under pressure to tight deadlines in the delivery of key operational objectives;
* Have an understanding of the representational role of elected members and of local government structure as well as the important roles of charities and voluntary groups involved in the area of homelessness;
* Be self-motivated, with the ability to work on own initiative;
* Be willing to work flexibly, some evening work may be required;
* Have proven management report writing, numeric and IT skills;
* Have very good time management and organisational skills;
* Have an awareness of Health and Safety legislation and regulations, their implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace.
Qualifications
Character:
Each candidate shall be of good character.
Health:
Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Education, Experience, etc.:
Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed applications: -
a) Have a good general standard of education;
b) Have proven and relevant experience in administrative procedures, including practical experience in work of an administrative nature, office organisation and control of staff;
c) Possess a satisfactory knowledge of the functions and duties of local authorities.
Desirable:
* A relevant qualification or background in Social Care and/or Housing .
* Experience working in a similar field.
Duties
The duties of the post
include, but are not limited to, the following: -
* Providing comprehensive and case-management type advice, on all housing options and housing supports, to households residing in various forms of emergency accommodation in particular those in commercial facilities;
* Supporting households to source private rented accommodation, with the assistance of Housing Assistance Payment;
* Developing a housing plan for each homeless household in emergency accommodation, with realistic options aimed at reducing the length of time spent in emergency accommodation;
* Liaising with and referring Homeless families to appropriate Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and to other relevant statutory agencies and their support services;
* Responsibility for the coordination of services going into emergency accommodation properties in their assigned accommodation areas/facilities;
* Working directly with households who present at risk of homelessness from the private rented sector. These Officers will be required to have knowledge of all protections available to tenants under the Residential Tenancies Acts;
* Working directly with households who present at risk of homelessness from a family home. These Officers will liaise with the family and with relevant local authority Housing Departments to prevent homelessness;
* Writing reports and managing correspondence relating to households in emergency accommodation;
* Responding to service user complaints, queries or concerns and correspondence from Public Representatives;
* Housing Support Officers may be assigned to specific roles, for example Dublin Place finder;
* Duties may change to reflect the priorities of Homeless Services at any given time and other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the delegated manager in the DRHE.
The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibilities entailed. The post holder may therefore be required to perform duties appropriate to the post, other than those detailed above, and to take instructions from and report to, an appropriate Officer or such designated Officer as may be assigned from time to time by the City Council.