Housing And Welfare Benefits Advisor Jobs in Hounslow, Greater London
Drive Partnership Programme Manager
37.5 hours per week with flexible working hours and provision of an out-of-hours response as needed
£49,299 - £52,387
Fixed Term for 2 years
Home based with some travel to pilot sites when the role requires it
The Role
In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent. The Act introduces a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN) to provide immediate protection following a domestic abuse incident, and a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) to provide flexible, longer-term protection for victims. DAPOs can impose both prohibitions and positive requirements on perpetrators. We were commissioned by the Home Office to design a triage model that will assess individuals for the suitability of these interventions; this triage model will be rolled out in the pilot sites which are going live in May 2024 and will be tested and evaluated in order to prepare for national roll out in 2026.The Programme Manager will oversee the roll out and delivery of the DAPO pilot Triage Model.
Benefits:
- 34 days’ holiday per year, including public holidays
- Flexible Working (e.g. compressed hours)
- Cycle-to-work Scheme
- Eye Care Vouchers
- Pension Scheme with 4% employer contribution
- Childcare Vouchers
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Clinical Supervision
- Holiday Purchase Scheme to buy up to an additional 5 days
- Enhanced Family Leave Policies
- Enhanced Sick Pay
- Professional Development Fund
- Individual learning budget
- Restorative Practice Training
- Time Off In Lieu
If this challenge sounds as exciting to you as it does to us and you believe you have the qualities we have described, please take a look over the job description and submit a 500-word cover letter and CV.
Closing date: 16th May 2024
SafeLives is a committed provider of equal opportunities for all, please see our job description for full details.
No agencies please.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Citizens Advice Hertsmere is a great place to work, with a friendly and supportive team. We are looking to take on a Debt Caseworker to join our small debt advice team. You will be providing advice to clients supporting them through the debt advice process, including dealing with emergencies, income maximisation, budgeting advice and ultimately helping with a debt strategy.
You will need to:
- Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies
- Negotiate with third parties in writing and on the telephone
- Act for clients where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning
- Be numerate and able to analyse data and draw conclusions
- Have good communication and IT skills
Role purpose
To deliver an excellent quality debt advice service to clients, with due regard to the aims, policies and procedures of the organisation and service, working within a client focussed and responsive team.
About Us
Citizens Advice Hertsmere (CAH) is an independent local charity and a member of the national Citizens Advice network. We deliver high-quality advice across Hertsmere and campaign on issues that matter to residents. Our primary office is in Elstree with outreach locations in Bushey and Potters Bar.
Our staff and volunteers supported clients with a wide range of issues including benefits, debt, employment, housing, relationship, and consumer issues. We provide our advice face to face, telephone, and email.
We are a forward-thinking organisation, committed to continually improving, expanding, and developing our services to better serve our local community.
We are a friendly, supportive team, and we are looking for another person to strengthen our debt team. There are opportunities for progression within our service and we encourage and support our staff to achieve their potential. We believe that what we do matters.
Please submit the application form as your cover letter
You will provide support to our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic Consultant to co-ordinate the efficient service delivery of our busy Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics, used by clients who need assistance to make successful applications for: welfare benefits; social housing; lower utility and broadband tariffs; and crisis and general grants. You will work with a wide range of people internally and externally, providing support and supervision to volunteer advisers and helping clients.
You will be a confident communicator who will have the right blend and balance of strong administration skills with excellent interpersonal and customer-facing skills and legal knowledge, working for a charity supporting and enhancing the lives of people in the local community.
This role is central to Westway Trust’s commitment to deliver activities and events to the benefit of the North Kensington community. You will also work from and help to co-ordinate the delivery of our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic at our outreach site, St Luke’s Community Centre, EC1V.
Key responsibilities of the role include but not limited to:
General Duties
- Being the initial point of contact; receiving calls and emails from clients and referring agencies, , and booking client appointments in an efficient and timely manner
- Setting up and clearing away after Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic sessions, (currently, Tuesdays, at St Luke’s Community Centre, 90 Central Street, Islington, EC1, and Wednesdays at Westway Trust, 1 Thorpe Close, Ladbroke Grove, W10). Sessions start at 9.00am and finish around 1.00pm
- Meeting, greeting and orienting (showing where the facilities are and H&S guidance) clients and volunteers
- Triaging clients on to our database and referring clients who are out of scope to other relevant organisations
- Assisting clients to complete online and paper forms both face-to-face and remotely
- Liaising in a positive manner with our stakeholders, eg. clients, other teams within Westway Trust, our funder, a City Law firm, and our hosts, Westway Trust and St Luke’s Community Centre
- Responsibility for monitoring our work, completing simple reports, writing case studies, making sure volunteers complete their data entry after advising clients, and running case management statistics using AdvicePro, our case management system) (training on AdvicePro will be provided)
- Recruiting, inducting, training and supervising volunteers both corporate (from the City) and lay (students and local residents)
- Casework; writing up case notes about clients helped
- Attending relevant meetings and training and keeping resources up-to-date
- General administration including: photocopying, scanning and record keeping, and coordinating the general day-to-day activities of the Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics
- Effectively contributing to make our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics high performing in line with the values of Westway Trust
Appeals & Representation Duties
Responsibility for our legal appeals representation service, including:
- Triaging clients, including reading appellant’s hearing bundles to assess the merits of their case
- Case management of appellants’' appeal cases, (ie, smooth management of appellants' cases from inception to post-hearing)
- Attending hearings
- Guiding and case managing lawyers/law students on applications for leave to appeal/set aside to the Upper Tribunal/Judiciary, (from the Lower Tribunal). Full training will be given
Qualifications: You will have or be working towards a law degree or equivalent.
Knowledge and Experience:
- A good understanding of the law in any jurisdiction
- Experience of providing an efficient, customer focused service, with a personable and collaborative approach and ability to provide, develop and maintaining friendly positive relationships with customers, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders
- Good time management and organisational skills
- Excellent administrative skills
- High level of IT skills. Experience of using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and database software (we use AdvicePro)
Personal Skills:
- Good people management/awareness skills
- Good communication and presentation skills, orally and in writing.
- Ability to work independently and on own initiative with minimum supervision
- Ability to work as part of a team in a multi-cultural and diverse environment
- An inquisitive mind and good problem solver
- Interest in civil law
- Good memory and research skills
- Demonstrable understanding and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
Connections to/understanding of North Kensington or the surrounding area is highly desirable
We exist to work together with the local community to enable North Kensington to thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Hours: 30 hours/week (0.8 FTE), Part time or Job share applications welcomed
About Us
Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell is a local charity that provides advice and information for anyone that lives, works or studies in Epsom and Ewell.
We deliver our service through as many different channels as we can, to make sure we are accessible to everyone. This includes face to face, phone, video conferencing, and email. The role is based in our Epsom office.
About the Role
We are looking for a self-motivated individual with proven ability of managing and supervising a team. You will have recent relevant experience of working in a local Citizens Advice or similar advice organisation, and be able to demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the issues facing local communities.
This role involves the supervision of advice sessions, providing guidance and assistance to those working in our Epsom office as well as to staff working from home or in outreach locations.
The post is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the day to day service and the implementation of consistent processes to maintain quality standards. In addition you will manage volunteer advice staff and work closely with the Training team to support their training and development.
This is a great opportunity for someone looking to make a difference in people’s lives, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society and helping them to find a way forward.
About You
- Highly motivated with proven ability of managing and supervising others including the ability to develop and motivate staff as well as give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively.
- Recent relevant experience of working in a local Citizens Advice or similar advice setting.
- Ability to plan and manage your own work and the work of others in a pressured environment, including: setting priorities; meeting deadlines; and monitoring performance
- Flexibility and willingness to work as part of a team including advice work if required.
- Ability to identify ongoing training needs and deliver appropriate support to ensure high quality of service.
- Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Proficient in the use of IT systems, including office, case management and benefit calculation systems.
- Commitment to work within the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service, demonstrating an understanding of issues affecting society and the implications on our clients and service.
We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, as they are currently under-represented in our workforce.
Closing date: 20th May 2024
Interview Dates: 23rd May 2024