Upstream Prevention Officer

Connect2Luton; Luton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

Connect2Luton are excited to recruit a Upstream Prevention Officer on behalf of Luton Borough Council.

Main purpose of position:

The post holder will provide a comprehensive homeless prevention and early intervention service for the Housing Solutions Team in Luton Council. The post holder will be the first point of contact for households at risk of homelessness, make enquiries to establish the initial facts of the case and identify early intervention opportunities to prevent homelessness from occurring.

The post holder will work to identify households at risk of crisis with a specific focus on homelessness and will provide access to support and assistance in housing, employment, training, debt and budget advice, and in particular work to reduce the risk of households becoming homeless.

The post holder will develop and co-ordinate thorough case work, personalised housing plans that outline steps to prevent homelessness both from the local authority and the applicant with the aim to promote self-sufficiency and future stability. The post-holder will liaise with other council services including the private housing sector team, housing management, and homeless service and external organisations in Luton and on occasion outside of the Borough, including (but not limited to) employment services, other authorities, private landlords, housing providers, voluntary organisations, legal and health professionals.

The post holder will work in a flexible manner and will be based in the main Luton Family Hub in the Luton Central Library although there is an expectation that outreach work will be undertaken to utilise early opportunities to intervene, provide support, provide advice and assistance to individuals and/or communities to reduce the number of households from reaching a crisis point.

You will be responsible to:

1. Provide comprehensive advice and information covering a range of housing issues.
2. Provide support to households at risk of homelessness, ensuring early intervention to assist them to remain in their home or assist with securing alternative accommodation.
3. Make comprehensive enquiries and decisions to satisfy the applicant's eligibility and housing situation, identifying any risk factor that would make it unreasonable for the applicant to continue living in their current property.
4. Complete Personal Housing Plans (PHPs) with clients to agree on reasonable steps to prevent homelessness, maximising client income, mediating with excluders, and building positive relationships with landlords to help households remain in their accommodation.
5. Collate documents and additional information to support the substantive housing needs enquiries and homeless assessments.
6. Participate in the operation of a duty rota system for all housing solutions service including triaging on-line enquiries, managing a mailbox, front-facing appointments and call backs, to ensure an effective service.
7. Establish eligibility for other services such as employment support, healthier wealthier families, flying start, safe at home and all relevant partners part of Luton Supporting You.
8. Maintain comprehensive case records using the council's IT systems and ensure accurate recording of mandatory data is inputted for monitoring and data submission purposes.

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable experience of working with vulnerable households and families with housing needs and complex needs.
• Demonstrable experience of working within an early intervention service delivering support to individuals/families at risk of instability.
• Able to have honest and empathetic conversations with households about their housing options and support their decision making while managing expectations, in accurate and fluent spoken English.
• Effective communication including active listening and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively with partners from the voluntary sector, public bodies and with people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
• Excellent skills in empowering and motivating households to resolve their problems.
• Good numerical skills to carry out affordability tests to recommend financial awards/grants/loans.
• Demonstrable knowledge of interpreting and applying legislation and policies.
• Demonstrable knowledge of Housing and Homelessness legislation, including security of tenure and private tenants' rights.
• Minimum of 2 A Level grade C and above or equivalent.
• Qualification in housing, employment support, customer service information advice and guidance or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Willing to become qualified for any existing early intervention and prevention programmes which have compatibility with the role.

About Us

Luton Borough Council have partnered with Kent County Council to create Connect2Luton, a recruitment managed service for all contingent temporary agency, contract, and interim roles at the Council.

Our heritage and being local government owned means we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the public sector, with many of our employees having previously worked for the Council or have supplied previously into the Council for several years.

We are an equal opportunities employment agency and business that positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Connect2Luton is a trading style of Luton & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Luton Borough Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Luton is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.