SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION AND HOMELESSNESS SERVICES – SHOALHAVEN ILLAWARRA (SAHSSI) POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION: Case Manager - Outreach Shoalhaven
REPORTS TO: The Manager Shoalhaven, SAHSSI
HOURS: 38 hours per week
CLASSIFICATION: Grade 4
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
· Terms and conditions of employment will in accordance with the Social, Community, Home and Disability Services Industry Award (Commonwealth).
· The Case Manager, Outreach will be required to relieve the Case Manager, Crisis Accommodation Shoalhaven as required.
· The Case Manager, Outreach will be required to participate in the On Call roster.
· The Case Manager, Outreach will be required to work from other locations as required.
POSITION CONTEXT:
Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Service, Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI) is a streamlined service supporting families and women who are homeless or at risk, that will provide clients and stakeholders with a flexible range of client centred services offering to meet their needs regardless of their support requirements (high, medium, low).
SAHSSI includes:
· central administration at Wollongong (current CBD location) with management, finance and administration, intake and referral through a 1300 hotline and online referral, and specialist tenancy manager (already on staff)
· outreach support offered for this package through the Housing Resource Centre (HRC) in Wollongong, accessible by public transport and delivering outreach support including tenancy management. Support for clients and referrals to and from partner agencies including internally managed supported accommodation, transition properties, partner properties including Housing NSW’s Temporary Accommodation (TA) service in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven
· established Wollongong Housing Resource Centre
· supported accommodation to clients in three well established and smoothly run crisis facilities at Keiraville, Lake Illawarra and Nowra
· single strengthened Management Committee - members include senior staff from legal, real estate, youth, mental health, financial services and marketing sectors.
There are 22 members of paid staff (18 full time and 4 part time) employed by SAHSSI, and this position is part of the Outreach Team operating out of the Nowra crisis accommodation.
PURPOSE AND FUNCTION:
1. Provide outreach support to single women and women with children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to domestic/ family violence or other life crisis.
2. Provide rostered 24 hour on call supervision for women and their children experiencing a crisis
3. To provide support to women to gain approval for products offered by Housing NSW such as Start Safely Subsidy, Private Rental Brokerage or urgent housing and to investigate and refer to other available options including transitional properties.
4. To provide support to women to sustain their tenancies if at risk in either private or social housing.
5. To liaise with the landlord on behalf of women to remedy any tenancy issues.
6. To assist clients to develop skills and identify strategies to enable them to sustain long term housing.
7. To transport clients to view and apply for private rentals and advise Housing NSW once the client has acquired a property.
8. Provide assessment and short-term interventions to clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
9. To work effectively with partner agencies and promote a no-wrong-door approach to service provision for clients across the District.
10. Case-manage medium and high need clients.
11. To provide client focused and trauma-informed case work.
12. Provide information and referral to clients to enable them to meet own goals, access services and build skills.
13. To actively promote early intervention and prevention of homelessness strategies.
14. To provide service system development.
15. To positively engage in all aspects of team building and development of the new organisation.
16. To represent the Association positively within the local community.
This position requires a background in working with homeless clients in particular women and children living with and/or escaping domestic violence and requires abilities in assessment and referral; client focused and trauma-informed case work; service networking; effective partnerships; openness to innovation and change; and managing a demanding workload.
RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO:
The Case Manager, Outreach is employed by SAHSSI Management Committee and is responsible to the Management Committee through the Manager, Shoalhaven who provides day to day supervision, direction and support. The Manager, Shoalhaven reports directly to the CEO.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Case Manager, Outreach will undertake the following duties:
Client Tasks
1. Provide outreach support through home visiting, to single women and women and children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless (tenancy at risk).
2. Provide client centred and trauma-informed assessment and case planning to all clients and their children to: identify the client’s strengths, risks and needs; plan and co-ordinate a mix of services to meet the client’s needs; monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the services being delivered to the client.
3. Provide activities to implement the case plans of individual clients, including: information and advice; support, advocacy and counseling; mediation including re-establishment of family links where appropriate; referrals to relevant agencies or specialist services; skills development to help clients achieve outcomes; and the use of brokerage to purchase goods and/or services for clients.
4. Develop collaborative relationships with other services e.g. Social Housing Providers, Real Estate Agents and other agencies to get results for clients.
5. Participate in community development strategies to address issues impacting on homeless people.
6. Working collaboratively with the SAHSSI Case Managers Crisis Accommodation to ensure a positive transition for the clients from crisis accommodation to their transitional or other housing to ensure long term sustainable outcomes.
7. Promote community awareness of homelessness, domestic violence and resources available to people at risk.
8. Ensure that all requests by and requirements of clients are dealt with appropriately and in accordance with SAHSSI policies and procedures.
Administration Tasks
1. Ensure that the policies, procedures and philosophy of the Association are implemented and adhered to.
2. Collect and report data, and referral information as required by the Manager, Shoalhaven.
3. Undertake administrative tasks relating to the care of the clients, e.g. developing and maintaining case notes, correspondence in regard to the client’s welfare, correspondence with Government and Community Organisations.
4. Keep accurate documentation of staff time sheets and leave.
5. Provide a monthly report to the Manager, Shoalhaven giving details of current service delivery and client statistics.
6. Engage in Quality Management System processes and procedures to ensure that SAHSSI meet the requirements of the NSW Homelessness Quality Assurance System.
7. Carry out any administration tasks needed for the effective maintenance of work within the service.
8. Ensure that filing systems are maintained and ensure the security of client files.
Service Tasks
1. Undertake supervision with the Manager as required.
2. Participate, where required in staff development, training, planning days, Management Committee meetings and team meetings.
3. Ensure the office and its assets are maintained and report any faults or repairs.
4. As a member of the team be involved in any task which is required to successfully run services provided by SAHSSI.
5. Carry out all duties in a pleasant, helpful manner and help SAHSSI promote itself to the Community in a positive and professional manner.
6. Abide by all relevant Policies and procedure of the organisation including the WH&S Policy.
7. Comply with any statutory provisions under the (Children & Young People, Care & Protection Act 1998).
Any other duties as directed by the Manager, Shoalhaven Services.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
The Case Manager, Outreach will work with SAHSSI clients in social housing, temporary accommodation, private rentals and own homes. The Case Manager, Outreach will support clients who are at risk of losing their tenancies due to financial, poor property care, social, emotional or physical factors including domestic and family violence. The Case Manager Outreach will also work with homeless clients who are unsuitable, unable (due to lack of vacancy) or uninterested in residing in crisis accommodation to access safe and stable accommodation, establish case plans and work to achieve clients’ own goals
A significant amount of work will be undertaken in clients’ own homes across the Shoalhaven.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Essential:
· Tertiary qualifications in community welfare, social science or related field;
· Strong communication and interpersonal skills especially in crisis situations;
· Demonstrated ability to work with clients in an outreach capacity;
· Demonstrated ability to case manage using an integrated, trauma-informed and strengths based approach and to achieve client outcomes;
· Demonstrated ability to work with individuals and/or families from diverse cultural and language backgrounds;
· Ability to work independently and in a team and effectively manage own workload;
· Report writing skills and computer literacy;
· Knowledge of community agencies and ability to liaise with other organisations;
· Willingness to complete the “Working With Children Check”
· NSW driver’s license and sound driving record.
Desirable:
· Prior experience in working within the Specialist Homelessness Service (SHS) funded sector
· Familiarity with family and community support services in the Shoalhaven
· Holder of a current First Aid Certificate (or willing to obtain one).
Prepared by:
Approved by: Date:
ORGANISATION CHART:
SAHSSI Position Description: Case Manager – Outreach Page 1 of 6