Advice Worker, Community Employment (CE)

Advice Worker, Community Employment (CE)

Purpose of job:

To work as part of a team, in a busy office environment, providing efficient and effective advice and advocacy services to people who contact Threshold with housing problems, with an emphasis on helping people to help themselves.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Working with service users

· In response to queries:

· Establish full details of query

· Explore with an advise caller of all options and their possible effects

· Help caller choose course of action

· Provide caller with accurate information using agency information resources

· Support callers in taking action themselves

· If appropriate, undertake follow-up work on behalf of caller, including advocacy and mediation or referral to other agency

· Keep accurate records of work with clients

Development, training and administration

· To keep up-to-date with information resources and technology and with relevant legislation, policies and practice

· In consolation with other staff members, identify staff training and development needs

· To contribute to Thresholds research and lobbying function; particularly by identifying queries which have wider implications

· To attend training sessions

· To participate in staff meetings

· To undertake specific education work (talks to groups; students etc)

· To maintain and develop links with other relevant agencies to share in the necessary administrative and domestic tasks (including updating information, filing, compiling statistics)

Skills Requirements

· A level of basic IT skills to include Word and operation of a busy email account is essential.

· A commitment to customer service and willingness to help people experiencing housing problems

· Communication skills both written and verbal

· Team work

· Commitment to learning and developing.

Induction and ongoing training will be provided both in-house and externally.