JOB DESCRIPTION:

FAMILY HOUSING CASEWORKER – NEXT DOOR PLUS

HOME-START WESTMINSTER

Home-StartWestminster is committed to equal opportunities

Home-Start is the UK’s leading family support organisation committed to promoting the welfare of families with at least one child under 5. Volunteers offer regular support, friendship and practical help to families to help prevent family crisis and breakdown.

NEXT DOOR PLUS PROJECT

A partnership between Westminster CAB, Z2K, Home-Start Westminster and Advocacy Plus. This 18 month project will support people in Westminster affected by the housing benefit caps to relocate.

Job title:

Family Housing Caseworker

Hours:

Full Time: 36 hours per week; there may occasionally be some weekend or evening work or nights away from home on training courses.

Purposes of the job:

The Family Housing Caseworker will have key responsibility for supporting a caseloadof families who are affected by the housing benefit caps with the process of relocating to affordable accommodation, finding schools and linking up with other services in the new area. This will involve outreach work with families, supervising volunteers providing intensive support, and building relationships with a range of partners to make the project accessible.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with family support, welfare advocacy and/or volunteer management experience to develop further skills by building a new project together with the HSW team and in partnership with CAB and Z2K.

Responsible to:

The Family Housing Caseworker is responsible to, and will receive regular support and supervision from,the Home-Start Westminster line manager. S/he will also receive guidance and support from the Next Door Plus Project Coordinator. The Family Housing Caseworker is ultimately responsible to the Board of Trustees.

Duties:

These include the following:

  • supporting a case load of families who are affected by the housing benefit caps with the process of relocating to affordable accommodation, finding schools and linking up with other services in the new area.
  • maintaining good knowledge of housing and welfare benefit systems, and advocating on behalf of families where needed.
  • developing a good knowledge of services available to families who are relocating out of the borough, conditions and needs in order to deliver a high-quality, responsive service for parents and children.
  • working with volunteers to build a map of available services and resources for families and children in areas where families move.
  • promoting the Next Door Plus project, encouraging and receiving referrals, assessing need and matching families with an appropriate volunteer where more intensive support is required.
  • supervising and supporting volunteers.
  • building relationships with project partners, and community partners, in order to make the project a success
  • ensuring effective administrative systems are in place and monitored and updated as necessary
  • ensuring Safeguarding policies are followed and that the service works within appropriate legislative and policy frameworks
  • monitoring and evaluating the project delivery provided by Home-Start Westminster, using both quantitative and qualitative measures, providing relevant information and evidence to the Project Coordinator, Steering committee and Board of Trustees, and identifying gaps in service provision
  • participating as a member of the staff team in activities where relevant to the project
  • ensuring HSW’s contribution to the Next Door Plus project is in accordance with the Home-Start Policy and Practice Guide and Standards and Methods of Practice
  • working with the Board of Trustees, other staff and Volunteers to maintain high standards of practice and family support within the ethos of Home-Start
  • such other duties as the Scheme Manager, orthe Project Coordinatorin discussion with the Scheme Manager,may reasonably require.

Salary:

The post is offered on an 18 month fixed term contract at an annual salary of £25,222.

Expenses will be paid at Local Authority agreed rates.

All staff work as members of a team and will be expected to support each other in all aspects of the work.

This is an exciting and varied post, which requires energy, commitment, empathy, awareness, a sense of humour, imagination and creativity.