JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:Part-time Youth Benefitsand Tenancy Sustainment Officer

Department:Mansfield & Ashfield Housing

Responsible to:Area Housing Manager

Location:Based at 57 Commercial Gate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire with travel to other sites as required

Hours:18 hours per week

Salary:£8457 per annum

Job Purpose

  • To sustain, supportand provide guidance to young people in our accommodation by maximising their abilities to claim benefit and access grants andto effectively prepare them to be successful in independent living situations
  • To implement aneffective youth work provision
  • To support the development of an organisational culture that puts our Christian Core Values– Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility - at the centre of all we do.

Principal Responsibilities

Service Delivery –Benefits and Tenancy Sustainment:

  1. To ensure the maximisation of benefit claims and income for residents
  2. To work with young residents and other agencies to check eligibility of claims and assist with debt advice and prevention through referral to other agencies as required
  3. To help young residents source and apply for appropriate loans and grants as required
  4. To work with young residents and colleagues to ensure that housing benefit and other claims are processed promptly and accurately.
  5. To ensure that the young people in our accommodation understand their tenant obligations and their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the tenancy agreement.
  6. To liaise with colleagues concerning breaches of the tenancy agreement and help seek resolutions.
  7. To deal with anti-social behaviour issues, serve notices, issueverbal and written warnings and terminate licenses in accordance with procedures and attend court hearings if required.
  8. To collect and process charges, rents etc as required.
  9. To ensure all standard and housing specific policies and procedures are adhered to.
  10. To assist in the processing, monitoring and reviewing of applications or referrals for accommodation and complete interviews with applicants where necessary.

Service Delivery – Youth Work Provision:

  1. To be responsible for working with young residents in the hostel and in our other homes.
  2. To provide proactive advice and support to young residents with reference to and encouragement to engage with other agencies including debt advice organsiations, money advice agencies etc.
  3. To liaise with external agencies and partners to promote and develop our volunteering and work placement opportunities.
  4. To take part in, develop and set up residents’ meetings, group meetings, life skills, training sessions etc.

Administration, Finance and Facilities:

  1. To prepare and present relevant statistical and financial information.
  2. To maintain effective reporting, filing and recording systems in relation to youth work, volunteers, residents etc.
  3. To assist in the development of new policies and procedures as requested.
  4. To complete statutory forms and write reports as necessary.
  5. To assist with sourcing, completing and securing funding and tendering applications and bids as and when required.

General Responsibilities

1 Other Duties

To undertake any other specific duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the immediate Line Manager or anyone else designated by the Chief Executive Officer, as necessary. To work in a flexible way to ensure that the workload is completed and to undertake any other jobs commensurate with the seniority of the post.

2 Discretion to Act

To exercise discretion in the performance of the duties of the post and to use best practice commensurate with the safety of clients and colleagues, and the effective and efficient use of resources.

Nothing in this Job Description is intended to authorise the post-holder to undertake responsibilities that belong properly to trustees and members of the Executive Management Team unless properly authorised to do so by the Chief Executive directly or through an appropriate Manager.

3Relationships

To establish, maintain and enhance team-working with colleagues and staff of Nottinghamshire YMCA and to keep confidential all information about individuals and the business of Nottinghamshire YMCA. Any breach of confidentiality is extremely serious and may lead to dismissal

4 Personal Development

To play an active role in the development and implementation of your development plan.

5 Association Ethos

To support the Christian aims, objectives, ethos and core values of the Association. The Association is committed to equality of opportunity in recruitment, employment and service delivery and expects all staff to abide by our Equality and Diversity Policy.

6 Health and Safety

To adhere to the Association’s Health and Safety policies at all times.

Line Management Responsibility:

No Line Management responsibility but the post holder will be expected to supportwork experience trainees, placements, volunteers etc as required.

Nottinghamshire YMCA Page 1 of 4 July 2011

Lead Youth Support Worker

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Please ensure that you address all the requirements marked with an “A”

in the final column as we will be looking for this information when Shortlisting

Job TitlePart-timeYouth Benefitsand Tenancy Sustainment Officer

Criteria / Requirements / *How Assessed
1 Experience / 1.1 Extensive experience of successfully delivering youth workin a range of settings including working with challenging young people from diverse backgrounds / A, I, T
1.2Experience of the voluntary and community sector and supported housing / A, I
2. Knowledge and qualifications / 2.1 Qualified to JNC level 3 / Dip HE in Youth Work level or equivalent / A, D
2.2 Knowledge of the benefits system especially Housing Benefit and benefits supporting access to employment, training and education / A, I
2.3 A clear, in depth understanding of safeguarding and related issues / I
2.4 Good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook / A, T
2.5 Understanding of national and local priorities in relation to youth and young people / A, I
2.6 Understanding of issues affecting socially excluded young people, refugees, ex offenders and homeless people / A, T
3 Skills & Abilities / 3.1 Strong organisational skills, including problem solving, time management, planning and prioritising / A, T
3.2 Ability to work quickly but with a high degree of accuracy / T
3.3 Ability to maintain and write accurate and timely records, forms, claims and statistics / A, T
3.4 Ability to demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, presentation and communication skills including the ability to relate to and engage young people effectively / I, T
3.5 Ability to work unsupervised and make decisions / I
3.6 Ability to work effectively with a diverse customer base / I, T
3.7 Excellent numeracy and literacy skills / A, T
4Other work related requirements / 4.1 Ability to support the Christian core values of the Association / A,I
4.2Willingness to undergo a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and to register with the DBS Update Service / D
4.3 Understanding of the needs of people from diverse cultural, social and racial backgrounds / A,I
4.4 Ability to travel between a range of accommodation sites and attend meetings, training events etc / A, I

*When Assessed – (A) on Application form, (I) At Interview, (T) During Test,

(D) From Documentary evidence e.g. references, qualifications (proof of relevant qualifications will be required at interview), driving license etc

Nottinghamshire YMCA is committed to promoting diversity and practicing equality of opportunity

Nottinghamshire YMCA is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults

Nottinghamshire YMCA Page 1 of 4October 2014

Job Description/Person Specification