Job Summary: Salary range: £37,575 - £41,286 per annum Work location: London Hours per week: 36 Contract type: Temporary up to 12 months Vetting requirements: Enhanced DBS Check Closing date: 4th September 2024 Interview date: Week Commencing 16th September 2024 About Us: Housing and Grenfell This department is responsible for housing, communities and improving the lives of local residents. This includes landlord services and estate management, planning, refurbishment, and advice and support to help maintain healthy and safe homes. A significant part of our work is focused on creating stronger communities, by working together with local residents on recovery following the Grenfell tragedy. In response to London’s affordable homes crisis, we are committed to building more social housing to help people on lower incomes to live, work, and raise their families in the borough. Our housing team also work closely with affordable housing providers and other agencies to manage homelessness, and give support to older residents to live independently. The Role: This role will have a particular focus on assisting with the employment and income support for newly granted refugees and those on resettlement schemes from Ukraine and Afghanistan. In addition, to advocate for refugees and signpost to other services for support and where necessary. To provide an employment and training, welfare benefits, grants, debt, and budgeting support service specifically to former asylum seekers and refugees, as well as other residents in the borough. Identify, contact and support residents who are facing financial difficulty or seeking employment to identify and understand their options and help them to pursue the options that best meet their needs. Work with internal departments, external partners, and agencies to develop options for residents including to advocate and assist residents to access additional assistance, such as housing or health, ensuring they are able to make appropriate decisions based on their individual circumstances. Deliver one-to-one support and Information, Advice and Guidance to explore what is possible for residents, and to help them access any necessary additional support with local agencies to improve their financial resilience and/or progress into work. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be undertaken on the successful person before an appointment is confirmed. Please refer to the Job Description for more information. About You: This is an exciting opportunity to join the Housing, Employment, NRPF and Refugee Service in RBKC, who support our RBKC residents or those placed in Temporary Accommodation outside of the borough with employment, training, welfare benefits and income maximisation. As well as work with our asylum seekers and refugees to identify and support individual adults, children and their families, to provide early intervention and to avoid, where possible, referral into our statutory response services. We assess need and risk and provide a range of support, including supporting refugees to live independently. This service area is continuously developing within the Housing Needs directorate, and you will play an integral part in shaping its future. This role will have a particular focus on assisting with the employment and income support for newly granted refugees and those on resettlement schemes from Ukraine and Afghanistan. In this role you will provide 1:1 support for refugees in progressing into employment, accessing further education courses including ESOL courses and supporting to improve their financial resilience. You will also advocate for refugees and signpost to other services for support and where necessary. You will be an integral part of the growing support network for refugees, providing a new point of support by assisting them to better understand their options for income and employment and support them to pursue opportunities that best meet their needs. This is key to a person’s resettlement journey, so you will have a very real and tangible impact on the lives of those you work with. You’ll have a wide range of responsibilities, including the development of individual action plans, personal budget plans that assist refugees and asylum seekers to access jobs and maximise income, as well as the maintenance of positive working relationships and liaison with our internal and external partners and stakeholders. You will work with compassion and embody the RBKC values. You will be ready to provide best practice services that improve outcomes and give refugees the best start to their lives in the U.K. You will have knowledge of the issues and barriers to employment affecting diverse communities and types of support available, alongside knowledge of the welfare benefits provision and income maximisation including support residents with applications for benefits and grants. You will be able to demonstrate experience of managing a caseload of clients and providing practice and personalised Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and support, and have the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with residents and agencies. The ability to assess skills needs and barriers and to identify options that best meet individual circumstances is key to this role. Excellent verbal and written communication skills is a must, along with a high level of IT skills and experience of accurate record keeping on databases. Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. CV’s will not be considered for this role. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Application process Please do not upload any documents, including CVs/Covering Letters or supporting statements, as these documents will not be reviewed and could result in your application not being shortlisted. You should describe how you meet the person specification requirements for the position you are applying for in Section G of the application form. Additional information: The council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. We make sure all our staff are vetted to a high standard by conducting pre-employment checks to assess and assure the trustworthiness, integrity, and ability of prospective employees. This includes validating identity, right to work in the UK, qualifications (where applicable), work history (including the investigation of gaps) and referencing. They may also involve criminal record checks (UK and overseas). We promote equality, welcome diverse applicants, and ensure inclusivity in our recruitment and selection process. This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. Information about the safeguarding of children and support for families: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/children-and-education/safeguarding-children Information about protecting and safeguarding yourself and others from abuse and neglect: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/safeguarding-adults We do not accept speculative CVs. If you have any queries, please contact: [email protected]