Job title: Tenancy Support Worker
Salary: SO1 £22,797-£24,204
Place of work: Area Office with in London Borough of Hillingdon
Department: Housing Services

36 Hours per week
* Includes flexi-time
* Job-sharing is available
Job details: .Potential candidates for roles within these teams will need good customer care and communication skills. You will need to be well organized, and able to work on your own initiative. You will also need some experience of delivering support to vulnerable groups, and of networking with other support organisations. You will need to have use of a car for work, for which an essential car user allowance will be paid.

Additionally, you will need to know how to assess the support needs of people who (for whatever reasons) may be considered individually vulnerable, and how to agree personal development plans with them. You will be working to encourage the people you support to become increasingly well prepared and independent. The challenge is to identify where individuals are struggling, and to show them how to deal with these problem areas, for themselves. We offer:· Essential car user allowance· Flexible working patterns· Final salary pension scheme· Generous annual leave· Good learning and development opportunitiesApplication forms….etc .

People from minority ethnic communities are particularly encouraged to apply as they are currently under represented in this service area.

Closing date: Friday, 7 May, 2004

JOB DESCRIPTION
1.0 JOB TITLE:
Tenancy Support Worker

3.0 GRADE: Scale SO1

4.0 DIVISION: Housing Management
Supporting People Team

5.0 IMMEDIATE SUPERIOR:
Supporting People Team Leader

6.0 SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
i) Number of people supervised: Nil
ii) Number of people directly supervised: Nil

7.0 CONTACTS: i) Internal Hillingdon Homes, Housing
Management, Technical Services Teams, Repairs Services
ii) External London Borough of Hillingdon, Statutory Non-Statutory and Voluntary and Community Groups and other professional colleagues with similar roles

8.0 MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB:
To provide an effective and efficient tenancy support service to residents identified as requiring either floating or a fixed package of support.

To provide short term support to an agreed caseload of tenants with support needs.

To maintain regular contact with tenants and ensure that support plans are agreed and delivered in accordance with SP team policy and procedures Whilst carrying out their duties to be aware of all issues relating to equal opportunities.

Duties will be carried out from a Hillingdon Homes Housing Office. A Tenancy Support Worker may be required to operate from any facility in any location.

9.0 SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
9.1 Undertake assessments of all new referrals and develop an individual programme of support for each case with the objective of promoting and encouraging independence and ensuring tenancy sustainment

9.18
Regularly review the support plan, monitor outputs and work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure the support needs of the tenant are met.

Ensure take up of Housing and other welfare benefits, providing support and assistance to ensure income is maximised.

Assist tenants with developing budgeting skills and promote regular rent payments.

To provide support to tenants in gaining access to a range of services that will meet their individual needs

Assist tenants to develop their social, personal, home based and community skills in accordance with their support plans by providing appropriate models, opportunities , support and adopting a number of needs-led approaches.

To enable tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities Visit tenants at home to provide agreed support tasks Accompany tenants to other agencies, such as health centres, housing benefit offices and educational establishments Prepare reports and reply to correspondence including investigating and drafting replies to MPs and Councillors enquiries. Maintain and update case records

Observe client confidentiality at all times

Attend meetings and visit clients outside normal office hours when necessary

Assist in the development of working protocols between other sections within Hillingdon Homes and other agencies

Respond to enquiries made by MPs and Councillors. Carry out investigations into complaints through the Hillingdon Homes Complaints Procedure.

Attend accompanied viewings where required

To attend relevant internal and external training courses as appropraite and in agreement with line manager

To regularly participate in and receive supervision with line manger

To have age appropriate reciprocal relationship with the tenant as far as possible being supportive rather than directive

9.22
Develop and sustain close working relationships with the community housing, income and repairs and major works teams.

Act as a specilialist resource to Hillingdon Homes staff in relation to support for vulnerable clients

9.23 Ensure that the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 are complied with and undertake such responsibilities as are required under the Act.

9.24 Any other related duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post, including temporary assistance to the Supporting People Team Leader/ Manager with management of cases to which a Tenancy Support Worker has not allocated.

P E R S O N  S P E C I F I C A T I O N

This "Person Specification" lists the essential requirements needed in order to do the job. Applications will be considered in relation to the essential knowledge, skills and abilities required for the job and candidates will therefore be selected for interview on this basis. Some desirable requirements may also be included.

For each of the requirements listed below, you will need to explain how our skills, abilities, knowledge and experience make you suitable for this post. These may have been gained through previous employment, voluntary/community work, spare time activities and training. You should also include anything else relevant to the job, which you think we should know about.

JOB TITLE:
Tenancy Support Worker

DIVISION
Housing Management

SECTION:
Supported Housing Team

R E Q U I R E M E N T S
1.0 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:


1.1 Ability to undertake home visits, advice tenants of Hillingdon Homes policy and procedure. Ability to be able to differentiate between whether a senior officer needs to be consulted or when to make a decision in line with the Hillingdon Homes policy and procedure.

1.2 To be able to deal sympathetically with tenants.

1.3 Ability to make a positive contribution towards the development and good practice technique in Housing Management/Supporting People procedures.

1.4 Ability to adopt a pragmatic approach to problem solving and committed to taking practical ,responsive initiaves

1.9
Ability to form and maintain good working relationships at all levels both internally and externally

Ability to plan and prioritse workload

Ability to respond to crisis situtations with positive actions

Ability and skills to initiate and implement skills teaching/training
programmes

Ability to resolve conflict,possessing good negotiation and mediation
skills
Communication:
1.10 To be able to write complex letters and reports in plain English. .

1.11 Ability to speak at public meetings, and communicate effectively with members of the public.

1.12 Demonstrate good communication skills and confidence in dealing with colleagues from other sections and departments.

2.0 Education and Experience: (Except for those posts which require a statutory qualification, we always state an experience level equivalent to a qualification).

2.1 Prior experience of working with at least one of the following
Young tenants/residents in social housing
Elderly or vulnerable people in social housing
Survivors of Domestic violence or racail harssment
At least one years experience of housing management.

2.2 i) Competent working knowledge of standard office based computer applications.
ii) To demonstrate familiarity with office routine and able to use records/filing systems.

3.0
Special Requirements: (If any)

3.1 Must have full driving licence and use of a car at all times.

3.2 Willingness to attend evening meetings.

Equal Opportunities:
3.3 Understanding of difficulties faced by special needs groups, e.g. ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, mental health, young people, the elderly.

SOURCE: http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/jobs/

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