Rough Sleeping Navigator - 3 month contract - Medway

Rough Sleepers Navigator
Car driver and access to own vehicle essential
Office based with community visits
3 month contract - potential to be extended

Your new company
Hays are working in partnership with the strategic Housing Services department within a local authority to support them in the recruitment of a Rough Sleepers Navigator for an asap start.

Your new role

Main purpose of this role

* To provide a supportive response to rough sleepers. You will be responsible for conducting 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.
* Able to deliver telephone out of hours support service on a rota basis.


Responsibilities

* 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.
* Identifying the complex needs of often highly vulnerable and high risk clients, which will include, substance misuse, alcohol dependence, mental health issues, offending and violent behaviour, anti-social behaviour and individuals involved in sex working, and making appropriate referrals to services.
* 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 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.


What you'll need to succeed

* 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
* Knowledge and experience of utilising a range of housing options to relieve and prevent homelessness.
* Driving licence is essential


What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

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