Housing First Navigator

Fixed term until March 2022

Closing date: 26th February 2020 at 11.30pm
Interviews: w/c 2nd March 2020

Do you have a good understanding of homelessness and housing legislation and an awareness of mental health, substance misuse and repeat offending? Then join Shelter as a Housing First Navigator and you could soon be playing a vital role within our newly formed Birmingham Housing First service which is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change — with individuals, in communities, across society – and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

About Housing First
Housing First is an internationally evidence-based approach, which uses independent, stable housing as a platform to enable individuals with multiple and complex needs to begin recovery and move away from homelessness.  It operates on the principle that if a person has a safe, secure home they are in the best position to address any other challenges they may have. Our aim in this innovative service is to ensure that people with complex needs are accommodated safely without the requirement to be ‘housing ready’. We will also link them with appropriate services, even where they may have been previously excluded.

About the Role

As a Housing First Navigator, you’ll be a key worker providing coaching, support and advice for a small group of Housing First customers who will be single people or childless couples who are rough sleeping, homeless or at imminent risk of rough sleeping. They may present as challenging and difficult and are likely to have multiple and complex needs, which makes finding, securing and maintaining accommodation impossible or extremely difficult. Your challenge will be to engage with customers who have a history of disengaging from services, using a variety of techniques and approaches to build a relationship and develop a support plan. Your overall aim will be to put customers’ needs first in helping them to reach their personalised goals, make informed decisions, and achieve a greater level of stability and independence. 

About you

Experience of working with vulnerable people and/or people with multiple and complex needs in a safeguarding environment is essential. Customer-focused, results-driven and trustworthy, you have lots of empathy and a genuine desire to help others. What's more, you enjoy working both independently and as part of a team and are not afraid to challenge the status quo and introduce new ideas where appropriate. Experience of using a range of IT applications, including case management systemsand the ability to type is desirable.

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter please visit our website. Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

At Shelter, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. We also encourage applications from people, who have been homeless or have been at risk of homelessness. We are facing diverse problems, so need diverse people to tackle them.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.