Temporary Accommodation Move On Visiting Officer

Temporary Accommodation Move on Visiting Officer x2 posts

SO2: Starting salary £40,005 per annum incl LW

12-month fixed term contract

Be part of someone's journey out of temporary accommodation toward finding their next home.

It's an exciting time to join Lambeth as we undergo an important transformation programme to improve housing services, placing people at their heart. The Temporary Accommodation Move On Team is a key part of this; we are looking for committed and enthusiastic colleagues to join us, helping people who have been in often long-term temporary accommodation to find their next home.

We are pleased to announce two opportunities for driven, proactive and empathetic people to join Lambeth's ambitious new Temporary Accommodation Move On Team as Visiting Officers.

About the Temporary Accommodation Move On Team

At Lambeth we are investing in a newly formed Move On Team because we are determined to reverse the growing numbers of people living in temporary accommodation. We want to support people into settled homes which provide them with the certainty and stability that is so needed, while also helping to relieve the significant pressure that temporary accommodation is placing on council budgets.

The role

This role is an exciting opportunity to be part of delivering and developing a new service in Lambeth. The team is an integral part of transforming how we work with people living in temporary accommodation.

In your role you will carry out visits to people living in temporary accommodation and be the initial point of contact between them and the Move On Team. You will work with the household to understand their circumstances, complete a housing needs assessment and carry out property and occupancy checks. This will help to ensure that someone's next home is the right one for them.

By working with people you will also get to understand what matters to them, informing the different housing options they could explore and identifying any support they may need to move out of temporary accommodation into a more permanent home, be it privately renting, social housing or another option like sheltered.

You will work alongside and refer to Temporary Accommodation Team Move On Officers who will provide ongoing support and a casework approach to households as they move on toward a more permanent home.

A key part of your role is to implement the Council's legal duties to people living in temporary accommodation. You will be supported to apply the legal framework of statutory homelessness alongside local policies which may involve making decisions, eligible offers of move on accommodation and completing discharges.

This role requires you to travel throughout the week within Lambeth and the wider south-east to carry out visits, with expenses covered according to Lambeth's Travel and Subsistence Policy.

About You

The successful candidates will be passionate and motivated to support people out of homelessness. You will be a skilled and confident communicator, able to build relationships and rapport with residents while also working sensitively to manage expectations about options and someone's most likely route out of temporary accommodation.

You will build, maintain and develop an excellent knowledge of housing options, homelessness law and practice and related fields including housing benefits and welfare rights. This will enable you to ensure that households have access to or are connected to the right advice and support.

Your communication style will be clear and as you would wish to receive it. You will be organised and thorough, maintaining accurate and timely records of steps you have taken. You will also be able to self-manage your visits throughout the week according to team priorities.

You will be a good listener, able to reflect on what you hear and learn from working with people in temporary accommodation to identify common themes, barriers to move on and opportunities which collectively the team can help to overcome - and improve the approach as they go.

Experience working with people who are or have been homeless, or who are in vulnerable situations is desirable. We especially welcome applications from people who have experienced homelessness or living in temporary accommodation themselves.

We welcome applications from individuals seeking a development opportunity in this role, as well as candidates who are returning to work, or from a local authority or other organisational background.

The successful candidate will be required to hold a valid Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the Disclosure can be found at .

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below:

Job Description and Person Specification

Contact Information:

If you are interested in this role but feel uncertain about whether you meet everything in this job advert we encourage you to still apply, or to get in touch for an informal conversation with Ode Ogwu the Temporary Accommodation Team Manager or Junior Omo-Idahosa the Private Sector Solution Manager .

How to apply:

Click on the 'Apply' button and complete an online application.

You will need to upload a CV and supporting statement. In your supporting statement you should clearly demonstrate how you meet the shortlisting criteria marked with 'A'.

We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement.

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close :59 on Sunday 27 th October 2024

Interviews: Will take place in early November 2024.

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms.
• Learning and Development opportunities, including Apprenticeships.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Secure Bike Storage facilities at our Town Hall and Civic Centre.
• Trade Union Membership.

At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here .