Outreach Officer

**Job title**:Outreach Officer

**Department**:Strategic Housing Services

**Reporting to**:Outreach Team Leader

**Pay rate**:£10.66 - £13.40

The role of an **Outreach Officer**:
To provide a supportive outreach response to rough sleepers. You will be responsible for conducting outreach work across Medway to verify, engage and support rough sleepers. You will have experience in dealing with rough sleepers with multiple needs and able to work with challenging behaviour.

To follow up individuals sleeping rough and liaise with partner agencies to deliver multi-agency reports and interventions, within Medway.

To provide information and advice on support services available and provide assistance in exploring various housing options. To seek resettlement and move on options for long term rough sleepers.

To be able to adapt working practises to work with vulnerable people both on the streets and within accommodation.

To carry a case load of clients, ensuring they are effectively supported and this is followed up with effective casework management including client centred support plans, risk assessments and needs assessments.

**To be able to work flexibly which includes early mornings, evenings and weekends on a rota based system.**

**Qualifications**
- Essential_
- Good level of general education (GCSE Grade A* - C) including Maths and English

**Experience**
- Essential_
- Knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation such as the Housing Act 1996; Homelessness Code of Guidance; Protection from Eviction Act 1977; and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
- Good working knowledge of outreach, accommodation projects and services that can help vulnerable people.
- The ability to converse at ease with people adapting communication style to suit various abilities.
- Experience of working with vulnerable people providing support, in the field of homelessness, housing related field or another support service.
- Demonstrable experience of being able to motivate and engage with service users who are chronically and socially excluded from mainstream society and services.
- Experience of support planning, key working and reviewing risks in collaboration with service users
- Experience of multi-agency and partnership working
- Knowledge and experience of utilising a range of housing options to relieve and prevent homelessness
- Desirable_
- Full UK driving licence and use of own car for work purposes

**Skills**
- Essential_
- Ability to deliver assertive outreach service to rough sleepers and street homelessness throughout Medway.
- To undertake work out of hours including weekends and evenings.
- To work in collaboration and partnership with stakeholders to investigate areas of known and new rough sleeping.
- Make contact with those individuals sleeping rough, promoting and encouraging their engagement with support services and options for accessing accommodation.
- To maintain accurate records detailing the rough sleeping cohort, including updating the centralised referral list.
- To produce high quality support plans with a client centred approach.
- To attend weekly operational meetings, focusing on the high profile, high-risk cases.
- To provide a multi-agency response and communicate information between all agencies in order to reduce rough sleeping and increase access to support services.
- To support the delivery of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol in accordance with local policy and national guidance.
- Facilitating the re-connection of individuals with the areas in which they are from.
- To ensure lone working policies and procedures are followed at all times.
- To meet agreed performance targets, including maintaining high standards of record keeping.
- To undertake any training and development as required.
- To comply fully with the Council’s Equal Opportunity Policy.
- To comply fully with the Council’s Health and Safety at Work Policy.
- To comply fully with the Council’s IT Security Policy and GDPR.
- To undertake other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
- Must be able to work effectively and flexibly as part of a team to achieve the targets of the Housing Needs Team.

Must be able to deal with difficult situations to achieve positive outcomes.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Temporary contract

**Salary**: £10.66-£13.40 per hour

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability

Work Location: One location