Job Title:Client Engagement Officer

Team:Assessment and Client Engagement

Reports To:Manager of Assessment and Client Engagement

Key Relationships:Assessment Team

Learning, Development and Employment Team

Housing and Residential Services Team

Cardinal Basil Hume founded the Centre in 1986; a diverse range of services for homeless young people, badly housed families, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants are offered on one site in Westminster. The Centre believes in working with each person on a one to one basis, respecting that individual’s dignity and encouraging personal responsibility and a sense of self-worth. The Centre’s overall aim is to help each of its clients to get into employment as the route out of homelessness, poverty and exclusion. There are 40 staff and a varying number of long-term volunteers, with an annual income in the region of £2 million.

We have three teams of front line staff dedicated to helping each client on their personal journey of development: Assessment and Engagement, Learning and Development and Employment, and Housing and Residential Services. We have active partnerships with a range of organisations and agencies, which support and complement our internally delivered services. We provide residential services as well as day centre activities, alongside English, IT and literacy classes, and family services. Finally there is a fully-fledged Medical Surgery on site.

Key Purpose:

To work effectively as a member of the Centre team in order:

To ensure clients are able to access appropriate services both internally and externally to address their short and medium term needs.
To provide outcome planning and review processes for every client on a case-by-case basis.
To assess ongoing risk in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all clients and staff, sharing risk information where appropriate in line with both Centre policy and the legal framework; and to record risk data accurately on the client database.
To complete the above in line with the Centre’s agreed values and aims and in accordance with policies and procedures.

Key Tasks:

To develop Individual Outcome Plans (IOPS), which are realistic and achievable and to work with clients to help them achieve their agreed IOPs either through one-to-one coaching or through group work.
To work closely with the Assessment Officers to agree client allocation.
To work in partnership with clients to assist them in problem solving and in engaging them in a process, which helps them make informed choices about their future direction.
To organise and manage client case conferences and to actively participate in these conferences in order to review the IOPs and to look at emerging needs; to adjust existing plans and to set future plans, actively involving the client at all stages of this process.
To conduct regular, systematic reviews with clients, actively working with them to adjust IOPs to accommodate their changing needs.
To undertake this work within a five week rolling service cover plan that includes some late nights and weekend work.
To provide support services that aim to stabilise crisis situations.
To input information on the client database in order to enable clients to gain timely access to external treatment and support services.
To analyse outcomes against agreed standards and produce statistical information for management purposes.
To promote a safe working environment for fellow workers, clients and visitors in line with the HASAW Act, and our Health and Safety policy, by reporting any safety hazards, concerns or ideas for improvement.

Person Specification:

Experience of face-to-face work with people who have experienced homelessness and/or social exclusion.
Experience of working withindifferent models of support planning.
Excellent understanding of the welfare benefits system, including in-work benefits and housing law.
Experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and challenging inappropriate behaviour.
Proven ability to plan and prioritise own workload together with excellent administrative and organisational skills, especially with regard to accurate computer-based record keeping.
Ability to set boundaries, challenge appropriately, and to manage conflict positively and constructively.
Ability to be approachable at all times, whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
Experience of evaluating client risk information and the ability to remain calm and to defuse potentially difficult situations.

Experience of motivating clients and taking a proactive approach to problem- solving.
Ability to communicate verbally and in writing, in a manner appropriate to the situation and audience.
Willingness to take part in a five week rolling service cover plan that includes some late nights and weekend work.

Desirable

A basic understanding of either/or Arabic, Spanish and French

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Starting salary: £29,128

Holidays: 24 days, 26 after one year’s service, 28 after two years service

Notice Period: one month

Pension: the Centre provides a stakeholder pension scheme and will match employee contributions up to a maximum of 6%.

Probation Period: 6 months

Season Ticket Loan is available.

The Centre is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
The Centre requires its staff to recognize the valuable role that volunteers play in the work of the Centre and to welcome and support volunteers with whom they work
The Centre requires its staff and volunteers to undertake an enhanced CRB police check.

Our Vision

We strive towards a society where every individual has a safe place to live and the right to access the support and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

Our Mission

Our enduring purpose is to work with homeless young people, badly housed families, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants helping them to obtain employment and to break out of the cycle of homelessness and social exclusion.

Our Values

With integrity, we strive to be true to our founding ethos and to live out our vision and mission; we are honest, and we are accountable to our stakeholders.
With respect, we seek to be non-judgemental, to listen, and acknowledge each other's worth and to put people at the centre of our work.
Through compassion, we will demonstrate our care for each individual who comes to the Centre in the quality and consistency of the services we offer to them.
To promote inclusiveness, we reject social exclusion and welcome diversity; we offer our services regardless of racial origin, of religion or politics; we will not discriminate on the grounds of gender or sexual orientation.
To encourage empowerment, we will provide holistic support to our clients in helping them to identify their needs and in making informed choices about their lives.

June 2nd 2009