Housing Options Officer
Oxford
I am recruiting for a local authority who is looking for someone to be part of wider housing options team with a specialism for working with asylum seekers and refugees migrants. The successful candidate will work as part of a team providing the first point of access for those seeking asylum and at risk of homelessness, triaging customers' needs, making proactive interventions, giving targeted early homelessness prevention advice and ensuring that households are able to find suitable accommodation.
Role purpose
To deliver a first-class customer orientated service to prevent homelessness which provides the customer with a suitable solution regarding their homelessness and housing issues.
Acting as a first point of contact for asylum seekers, refugees or migrants who living or recently moved from asylum dispersal accommodation, you will be aware of the barriers and challenges and have a positive attitude to problem solve and overcome them to support customers.
To take ownership in ensuring all housing options and upstream housing advice are explored in all cases to establish and maximise opportunities for preventing homelessness.
Provide a range of advice and assistance to customers, undertaking visits to take homeless applications and offer early intervention housing advice including translation services where appropriate, working closely with voluntary and community organisations to offer a joined up service to customers.
Key Responsibilities
To pro-actively provide to customers in housing need, a range of advice and assistance on housing and related areas, working with or signposting them to other service areas or agencies where appropriate, demonstrating strong empathy and listening skills in a calm manner to help to resolve their housing issues.
Lead and manage a personal caseload which would include a number of homelessness and prevention applications and maintain an accurate and detailed casework records in line with Council policies, procedures, code of guidance and homelessness legislation.
Assess all applications and determine the extent of the council statutory duties to homeless household and decide on the appropriate action to take in line with Housing Act 1996 part 7 (as amended), Homelessness Act 2002, Localism Act 2011, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (and any other relevant legislations) , Council Policies and Procedures.
Candidate is able to work from home or office.
Candidate is expected to come into the office for initial induction training and to collect equipment
