CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. ABOUT HOMELESS LINK 3
3. ROLE DESCRIPTION 3
4. PERSON SPECIFICATION 3
5. GUIDANCE NOTES ON COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION FORM 3
PLEASE READ THE GUIDANCE NOTES CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM.
The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 16th April with testing and interviews likely to take place on the 23rd and 27th April.
- INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in this post. This pack will give you some more information about the role. Please feel free to contact us if anything is not clear or you have further questions.
Homeless Link is the national membership organisation for agencies working with homeless people in England.
As the collaborative hub for information and debate on homelessness, we seek to improve services for homeless people and to advocate for policy change. Through this work, we aim to end homelessness in England.
Our member agencies range from the smallest of homelessness organisations to the very largest and they deliver a wide variety of services; hostels, day centres, street based work, resettlement support. Our members’ views inform our policy approaches and influencing work, and through our connections and resources we act as a central voice for the homelessness sector.
You’ll see that we are more interested in your track-record of being an effective communicator, developing ideas and building relationships, than whether you know the homeless sector inside out. We are looking for someone with the right set of skills who will be able to commit to developing within their role at Homeless Link.
The Policy Projects Co-ordinator post is full time and permanent graded at point range 25-29 on the NJC scale. The starting salary is £24,818 - 28,771 pending review and including the inner London weighting, plus a generous package of benefits including 30 days annual leave, flexible working and a contributory pension scheme. This post is based in our head office in London. The post is part funded by The National Lottery through Big Lottery Fund.
Finally, we are actively seeking to increase diversity within our organisation and would greatly welcome interest from people with direct experience of homelessness, from a black or minority ethnic background and/or with a disability.
I look forward to hearing from you.
With best wishes
Alice Evans
Head of Policy Analysis
- ABOUT HOMELESS LINK
Homeless Link supports homelessness organisations that work directly with homeless people. We help to improve how they work by sharing information, providing training and consultancy, providing one-to-one support for organisations, and publishing resources and online tools. We also collate accurate and up-to-date information from homelessness organisations and use it as we represent them among national and local government. Through every aspect of our work, Homeless Link seeks to end homelessness in England.
homeless link works in the following areas
Improving services for homeless people
We recognise we can only end homelessness through great collaboration. We look for really effective practice in organisations working directly with homeless people that helps other organisations to be as effective as possible. We organise visits between organisations, provide advice and one-to-one support through nine regional offices to help organisations solve their problems, and we provide the tools and information they need to improve the way they work with homeless people.
Changing policy for the better
Homeless Link is in a unique position to influence local, regional and national government on policies that affect homeless people. Our authority is based on genuine knowledge of what’s happening on the ground among our members and other organisations. We take what we’ve learned about what’s working and what isn’t and use our strong links in government to bring about change.
Forum for debate
Homeless Link is the national hub for debate and policy development among organisations working directly with homeless people in England. We have the capacity to bring hundreds of organisations together to develop practical answers to the organisation’s most challenging issues. Our quarterly magazine, Connect, and our series of national and regional conferences and networking events, help to encourage new ideas and debate on more effective policy and practice.
Information for change
Homeless Link is the national knowledge centre for up-to-date and accurate data on homelessness and organisations working directly with homeless people, as well as on issues which can lead to homelessness. We maintain the national database of all services and collect other information and statistics on homelessness. This data enables agencies and local authorities to better meet the needs of homeless people, while enabling decision makers to design better policies.
Practical tools and resources
Homeless Link publishes handbooks, resources and online tools that enable organisations to work with homeless people more effectively. They include best practice guides, databases, directories and toolkits. We produce resources independently and also for service providers, local authorities and government departments.
Changing public perceptions
Homeless Link offers an honest, but forward looking picture of homelessness in the media. Through our communications, we aim to change public perception of homelessness and homeless people. More sympathetic public attitudes towards homelessness make it easier for government to improve policies on homelessness and for organisations to work with homeless people at a local level.
Training
Homeless Link hosts a national training programme for organisations working directly with homeless people, offering national and regional training. We aim to improve both how organisations operate and how they work with homeless people.
For more information
Visit our website www.homeless.org.uk
- ROLE DESCRIPTION
POLICY PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR
PURPOSE
· To influence policy through projects that provide evidence of improved approaches to tackling and ending homelessness.
· To contribute to planning, delivering and evaluating these projects to ensure that they are closely co-ordinated with our policy and influencing work.
· To undertake other policy work that contributes to Homeless Link’s aim of ending homelessness.
· To ensure that our policy work is closely coordinated with our wider work such as research and information, good practice, and in the regions.
Accountability
The Policy Projects Co-ordinator reports to the Policy Projects Manager and is a member of the Policy Team, which currently has five members.
Responsibilities
Project Co-ordination
· To plan and deliver specific policy projects, with clear objectives, targets and measurable outcomes, that will contribute to Homeless Link’s strategic aims.
· To establish and maintain contact with a range of partners to ensure successful delivery of projects.
· To produce succinct project reports in a range of different formats for relevant audiences.
· To research and identify key policy areas relating to homelessness and update the website.
· To ensure that people who are homeless are involved in the planning, delivery and evaluation of projects.
Influencing change
· To prepare, and support the production of, policy updates, briefings, reports and other documents.
· To respond to policy consultations, working with other members of the policy team as appropriate.
· To write up or edit policy content, case studies, reports etc for the web, Connect magazine and for our other communication tools.
· To keep the Homeless Link website updated on policy information and developments.
· To liaise with other Homeless Link departments to ensure that the policy projects support and are coordinated with their work, and that learning is incorporated into wider policy and influencing work carried out by Homeless Link.
· To develop events and initiatives based on the policy projects in partnership with colleagues as appropriate, to influence practice in the sector, presenting policy projects at internal and external events/meetings as relevant.
Team
· To contribute to the work of the Policy Team.
· To develop the work of the policy team, producing policy briefings, responding to consultations and developing knowledge base.
· As appropriate, to recruit, develop and manage Policy volunteers.
Supporting our members
· To support and minute Homeless Link’s National Advisory Council, and other meetings as appropriate.
· To attend visits, events, meetings where necessary (including outside London).
· To build up contact with members and offer support on policy issues.
GENERAL
Roles and objectives in Homeless Link may change. All members of staff are expected to be prepared to work flexibly in response to changing business needs.
All members of staff are expected to undertake any other responsibilities or tasks that are consistent with their role and/or reasonably required by the Chief Executive.
All members of staff are required to operate in accordance with Homeless Link’s values, policies and procedures.
- PERSON SPECIFICATION
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE FOR THE ROLE
Essential
· Some understanding of the current policy context in relation to homelessness and social exclusion
· Ability to understand new complex issues quickly
Desirable
· Knowledge of political and policymaking processes in the UK at national, regional and local levels
EXPERIENCE AND TRACK RECORD
Essential
· Planning and conducting projects, from an initial idea and analysis through to clear final results
· Brokering, developing and sustaining effective relationships at different levels
· Using different communication tools to influence a range of audiences
· Production of a range of high quality written materials
· Use of MS Office systems on a day-to-day basis
· Planning and managing a workload with conflicting demands to ensure deadlines are met and tasks are completed to a high standard
Desirable
• Negotiation and problem solving across organisations or teams
• Working or volunteering for an organisation concerned with homeless or vulnerable people
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ROLES AT HOMELESS LINK
Essential
· Willingness and ability on occasion to work outside normal office hours and to travel within the UK and occasionally overseas
· Willingness and ability to operate in accordance with the values and policies of Homeless Link
· Willingness & ability to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements
· Commitment to bring into the work the views and needs of people with direct experience of homelessness
Desirable
· A sound understanding of the causes, consequences and solutions to homelessness based on direct experience
KEY COMPETENCIES
Please note that these are for your information only at this stage. You do not have to address them in your application. We will look for evidence of these during the interview and testing stage if you are shortlisted.
Personal Contribution
Personal effectiveness
Takes responsibility
Self development
Critical thinking, innovation and judgement
Working with others
Team member
Customer focused
Working relationships
Communication
Organisational contribution
Systematic
Resource management
- GUIDANCE NOTES ON COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION FORM
Please read these notes carefully. They have been written to help you make the best of your application. The decision to shortlist you for interview will be based solely on the information you provide on the application form. Please do not send us your CV. Your application form should ideally be completed by word processor and emailed to us.
The Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form should also be completed and returned with your application.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED
· Role description - Gives details of the duties of the post. Use this as a guide to decide whether or not you think the job would suit you.
· Person specification - Lists the criteria, which will be used to assess your application & covers the qualifications, specialist knowledge, experience and track record that we are looking for.
· Key competencies - These are for your information. We will look for evidence of all these during the interview and testing stage if you are shortlisted.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Include all relevant work experience including part-time or voluntary work, particularly if you have not been employed on a full-time basis before include any previous posts you may have had with your current employer.
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
This is where you make your case for the job. The criteria in the person specification are listed in the application form - demonstrate your capabilities in relation to each of these points under the relevant headings. You may also make some comments about the criteria in the “General requirements for roles at Homeless Link” although this is not essential and we may ask you about these at interview.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Homeless Link is committed to improving its employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Please let us know if you have a disability we should take into consideration in this section. If you require support, modifications, adjustments, or special equipment to assist you with the recruitment process, please also include brief details about this. The line manager for the role will contact you to discuss your requirements if you are shortlisted.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS
As part of Homeless Link’s commitment to support people with experience of homelessness, we have committed to giving feedback to applicants who have experience of homelessness. If you are happy for the panel to know if you have had experience of homelessness and you would like to contact us for feedback on your application, please tick the ‘yes’ box in this section. All applicants are able to request feedback following the interview stage.
REFEREES
One of the referees that you provide should be your present or most recent employer. If you have not been employed, or have been out of employment for a period of time, you may wish to give the name of anyone who knows you sufficiently well to confirm the information that you have given and to comment on your ability to do the job.
NOTIFYING YOU ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION
Please note we are not able to acknowledge receipt of individual applications or notify applicants individually if you have not been shortlisted. We will notify shortlisted applicants within 2 days of the closing date. Unfortunately, Homeless Link is generally not able to give feedback on applications that have not been shortlisted.
SENDING IN YOUR APPLICATION
Applications received after the published closing date will not be considered.
The application form, together with the equal opportunities monitoring form, should be emailed to our Office Co-ordinator at .
Alternatively you could submit the application by post to: Office Coordinator, Homeless Link, Gateway House, Milverton Street, London, SE11 4AP or by fax to: 020 7840 4431.
For any queries about the post, please call 020 7840 4430 quoting the job title.
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