Resilience Service

JOB DESCRIPTION

Role: / Resilience Officer (Full time)
Hours: / 37.5 hours p.w. (1.0 FTE)
Location: / All Bucks Offices. (Aylesbury, Wycombe, Chesham)
Salary: / £18,044 – £21,812 Salary Scale points 19-25.
Contract Duration: / Permanent
Annual Leave / 30 days plus Bank Holidays per annum
Accountable to: / Team Manager
Line Management Responsibility for: / None

Background:

A consortium consisting of Aylesbury Vale District Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council Wycombe District Council and Bucks County Council has been successful in a bid for funding for a new Resilience Service from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Connection Support successfully tendered for this contract which is initially funded until 31st March 2019 and will be delivering the Resilience Service across Buckinghamshire.

The Resilience Service is a homeless prevention (early identification & intervention) service, covering all of Buckinghamshire. By working with people who may be at risk of homelessness earlier, Connection Support can achieve significant positive outcomes and prevent homelessness. The Homeless Reduction Bill currently going through parliament will increase the responsibility on local authorities to prevent homelessness earlier, rather than waiting for crisis point.

The aims of the service will be to:

Identify people who are at an early stage of being at Risk of Homelessness.
Prevent Homelessness
Build on service users’ resilience to prevent the risk of homelessness arising again.

The team will consist of a Team Manager, 2 (FTE) Senior Resilience Officer, 4 (FTE) Resilience Officers and a range of volunteers delivering the service across Buckinghamshire.

The team will be supported by an Administrator, Volunteer Coordinator and Fundraiser.

This vacancy will be mainly covering the AVDC area though ongoing flexibility will be required.

Salary Increments

The payment of increments, cost of living and pension contribution, are subject to sufficient funding being available.

For extra increment(s) to be offered at appointment there must be evidence of significant transferable experience and skills and/or training relevant to the Resilience Officer’s job description.

Pension

Connection Support will enrol you in the NEST auto-enrolment pension scheme, if you qualify, in accordance with legal requirements. Connection will contribute 1% of your salary from the first full month of employment, rising to 3% after 6 months, and for the first 6 months you will also need to contribute 1%. Full details will be sent on commencement.

Places and Hours of Work

The places of work are all the Connection Support offices in Bucks. Although the team will generally be allocated to work in either the north or the south of the county, ongoing flexibility will be needed.

There will be some travelling as part of the job. It will be the post holder’s responsibility in their own time and at their own expense to arrange to travel to and from the Bucks offices at the start and end of each day.

Resilience Officers will usually work their hours between 8.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday. Occasionally it may be necessary to start at 08.00 or work until 20.00 hrs. This is rare, but workers are expected to accommodate this operational requirement in order to meet the needs of service users.

Part time staff will be required to work either a Monday or a Friday as part of their normal working hours.

Purpose and Accountability

The Resilience Officer is responsible for providing planned support for up to approximately 22 people (pro-rata for part-time posts) with a wide variety of support needs who are at risk of homelessness, to help them retain their accommodation and build up an appropriate network of support in their local community. We work with a wide range of people who are at risk of homelessness including: families, single people, people with mental health issues and autism, offenders, people with disabilities, gypsies and travellers, and some with substance misuse issues.

Some clients have complex needs and may present a risk to themselves and those around them. In these cases Senior Resilience Workers will provide a significant level of support with the work to the Resilience Officers, helping clients to resolve their existing concerns (e.g. threat of eviction) and to work with them to devise long-term strategies that will prevent similar issues arising in future.

In addition, the Resilience Worker will have a key part in ensuring that volunteers are used effectively in the service and supported with the work they undertake.

Duties

In relation to service users/clients

1. / To undertake a Strengths Based Assessments of potential clients' housing support needs.
2. / Introduce people to other agencies if they are not eligible for support from Connection Support.
3. / To work with colleagues in other agencies including Mental Health services and the Housing Associations to ensure the smooth running of the project.
4. / To draw up, implement and regularly review appropriate client support plans, initially with support from your line manager and/or more experienced colleagues.
5. / To work with clients to meet their support needs, including:

Developing and sustaining a working relationship with clients.
Working with clients for a period of time and regularity based on mutual agreement, at times and locations that meet clients' needs.
Providing information, advice and advocacy on welfare rights, housing options, tenancy rights and responsibilities, with a focus on helping clients develop skills and knowledge in these areas.
Assisting clients to identify and apply for alternative accommodation.
Providing information and assistance to clients to enable them to make choices about the development of their social network and participation in their local community, including employment, education and training opportunities.
Helping clients learn, or improve, their practical life skills (e.g. budgeting, paying bills and planning meals) needed for their survival in independent housing.

Identifying support needs which can be met by other agencies, to make referrals to specialist agencies, and develop appropriate casework links with such agencies in relation to clients' support plans.

6. / Delivering a service which is sensitive to the different needs of black & minority ethnic clients, women, lesbians and gay men and clients with disabilities, and which does not discriminate directly or indirectly on grounds of disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex and sexual orientation, age, HIV status or offending background.
7. / Supporting clients in taking part in, and/or setting up, local groups or networks which are relevant to meeting their support needs, and to be responsive to different ways of delivering support (e.g. in groups), as identified by clients.
8. / To take full part in any rotas as required including covering drop-ins.
9. / To take a lead on particular projects with support from your line manager and/or more experienced colleagues.
10. / To promote the use of volunteers when appropriate to work with service users and ensure ongoing support.
In relation to the team:
1. / To attend and participate in regular team meetings and other Connection Support meetings in Buckinghamshire, and occasional meetings in Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes.
2. / To provide cover on an occasional basis for absent colleagues.
3. / To participate in regular support & supervision sessions.
4. / To operate agreed health & safety and security procedures.
5. / To share responsibility for security of office premises.
6. / To attend appropriate training courses, and participate in skill sharing sessions within the team.
7. / To assist with Induction Training of staff under the direction of the Team Manager / SRO.
In relation to other agencies:
1. / To represent Connection Support at relevant external meetings and inter-agency forums, with the agreement of the Team Manager.
2. / To engage with promotional activities to publicise the Resilience Service.
3. / To liaise with voluntary and statutory agencies to develop good working relationships and promote co working strategies where appropriate.
4. / To be aware of legislation and national policies as they affect clients, particularly in the areas of housing, welfare rights, mental health, drug use and community care.
In relation to policy and administration:
1. / To carry out all necessary administration in relation to the casework, induction and mentoring tasks.
2. / To keep accurate casework records so that Connection Support can monitor and assess its efficiency and effectiveness.
3. / To further the aims of Connection Support and its activities by working within all agreed policies, including the Equal Opportunities Policy.
4. / To carry out, within reason, any other duties necessary to the smooth running of the project.

June 2017