Context
YMCA London City and North (YLCAN) is an independent charity that is affiliated to the YMCA movement. We work across some of London's most deprived boroughs in Islington, Harringay, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barnet and Hackney as well as the City of London. Over 600,000 young people call our area of London home.
Young people are at the centre of all we do. Our vision is for a society where they are equipped to create a future of their choosing. We collaborate with them so that they make informed choices through access to accommodation, youth services and community engagement.
Over 150 years we have helped tens of thousands of young people. Today, at any one time we accommodate over 400 young people who are experiencing homelessness and we positively impact the lives of thousands.
Our core values include mutual respect for individuals with different cultures, beliefs, and perspectives; encompassing diversity and inclusion; equality of opportunities and accessibility.
Our services for young people and communities in London also include Youth Hubs, Community Outreach and Childcare. Our Crouch End and London Marathon Fitness Centres provide a strongly community orientated, inclusive gym environment, where people support each other to achieve their fitness goals. Our Harringay Club provides a gymnastics and dance facility for children and the Tarling Road Community Hub is an estate-based resource for all members of the community.
The housing project currently provides short term temporary accommodation for single homeless vulnerable young people aged 18 to 35 from a variety of backgrounds including: offending, mental health, domestic violence and alcohol & drug abuse. The accommodation project is open 24/7 – 365 days a year.
Safeguarding Statement: YMCA London City and North is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. We expect all staff to share this commitment, to work in line with our safeguarding policies and procedures at all times, and to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. This role involves regular contact with vulnerable young people and safer recruitment checks will apply.
Job Purpose:
The purpose of this post is to support the housing team to provide a safe, welcoming and high-quality front desk and resident support service, acting as a main point of contact for residents, visitors and partner agencies. The postholder will help to meet the needs of residents through professional communication, accurate administration, appropriate signposting and practical support, while contributing to safeguarding, welfare, professional boundaries and a psychologically informed environment.
Duties and Responsibilities
Resident Engagement
· To support the facilitation of the Residents involvement plan, in conjunction with the ETE Worker, and working with them to supervise, develop and implement a holistic programme of activities and encourage and promote resident participation.
· To support the ETE activities worker, volunteers and residents to deliver high quality learning and development programmes.
· Provide and update a calendar of events to ensure residents are fully aware of planned activities and to promote engagement and participation.
· Supervise the use of ETE facilities and resources, and ensure activities such as the HUB, training room, garden area and other available spaces are used appropriately.
· Support the development and delivery learning programmes with external bodies who have relevant expertise and opportunities.
· Be aware of opportunities to involve residents and signpost to them relevant activities for engagement and to evaluate the success of the resulting involvement activity. This would be achieved by actively promoting the opportunities available to residents to become involved with both internal and external activities in line with the ETE engagement strategy.
Housing Tasks
- Ensure all incidents and complaints are reported and dealt with in line with organisations processes.
· To recognise, respond to and report safeguarding concerns, welfare concerns and incidents in line with YMCA London City and North safeguarding procedures, escalating promptly where required.
- To assist Housing Team with benefit information, advice and guidance to residents.
- To support Housing Needs Workers with 1-2-1 key working sessions
- To support Housing Team in making referrals to external agencies to ensure young people’s support and housing needs are addressed.
- To assist with investigations of incidents of anti-social behaviour and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure effective resolution including legal remedies where necessary. This includes viewing CCTV footage to bring incidents to a swift resolution.
- To assist Housing Team with carrying out pre-void inspections, arrange re-letting works, assess applications and complete new licence agreements
- To ensure the timely processing of new residents as directed in order to achieve void turnaround target
- Working closely and cooperatively with the maintenance team, ensure that repairs are reported in a timely manner
- To be responsible for a small caseload as a secondary keyworker
· To build positive and professional relationships with residents while maintaining clear professional boundaries at all times.
- As directed, to correctly and promptly, administer all paperwork and computerised necessary (including updating database systems (Inform), filing and maintaining current, ex-residents and referrals files) for the effective and efficient functioning of the housing team.
Reception Tasks
- You will act as the main point of contact for all YLCAN stakeholders, always creating a positive and professional impression and fulfilling residents, catering and conference users, contractor and visitor’s needs.
- Greet all customers and assist them accordingly and in a professional manner.
- Answer telephones promptly and professionally making sure that the caller receives correct information. Handle queries and complaints appropriately.
· To manage any admin duties including reporting of any maintenance concerns and gym memberships.
- Carry out all bookings, sales and administration procedures accurately.
· Ensure the front desk area is always kept clear and tidy.
- Ensure access control is adhered to at all times.
· Remain alert to safeguarding, welfare and security concerns arising at reception, taking appropriate action and reporting concerns without delay in line with procedure.
- Implement the YLCAN cash handling procedures to ensure an effective, efficient and well monitored operation.
- Maintain a thorough knowledge of all YLCAN activities, facilities and services provided.
· Ensuring the first aid box is accurately replenished
· Handing out hoovers/irons to residents
· Opening doors when residents lock themselves out
· Issuing fob keys to residents
· Support the team in embedding a psychological informed environment.
Customer Service
· Takes personal responsibility for exceptional customer service behaviour, ensures service delivery is in line with internal policies in a friendly manner.
- Use good listening skills to build rapport and establish credibility with colleagues, residents, contractors and external stakeholders
· Interacts well with people, shows commitment to working in partnership within a team and demonstrate a wiliness to go the extra mile.
· Shows commitment to working with external & internal partners, customers and service users to maintain good working relationships
· Seek to understand the need of the customer/client and works to promote a culture that values equality and diversity to deliver services with equal access.
· Works as part of a team, actively follows up on enquiries, requests and complaints
· Honest and straightforward and treats everyone with fairness, respect and professionalism
· Seeks to receive feedback on individual approach from customers and colleagues
· Ability to identify any difficulties and confident to provide recommendations for improvement
External Agencies
· To build and maintain good working relationships with external agencies to benefit the support needs of the residents (including referral, workshops, move-on, education, training and employment opportunities.
Licence Agreement
- To assist Housing Workers carrying out effective move-in induction programme for new residents ensuring accurate assessment and identified areas for ongoing license sustainment in line with the Housing Manager.
- To assist residents, maintain their license agreements by providing licence agreement sustainment guidance including, arrears, housing benefit, income support/job seekers allowance and anti-social behaviour.
- To help manage relations and negotiations with residents ensuring that issues are addressed promptly, fairly and constructively, and ensure they comply with their licence agreements.
Income Maximisation
- To work proactively with the residents to minimise rent arrears.
- To assist the Rent Coordinator in managing rental income and any arrears for residents.
- Inform the Rent Coordinator of any circumstances that may impact upon successful rent collection
Regulatory Standards and Compliance
- To assist residents to have the opportunity to shape and influence service delivery in relation to housing management in accordance with Homes and Community guidelines.
- To assist Housing Workers carrying out risk assessments and reception health and safety inspections, taking appropriate action to comply with legal and local authority regulations and standards.
GDPR and Data Protection
· Maintain the integrity of the personal data; protect personal data from breaches and maintain the confidentiality of personal data.
· Report any data breaches promptly to your line manager.
Other
- Follow the robust monitoring procedures as guided by the Housing Co-ordinator.
- To represent the organisations at various relevant external forums and meetings.
· Maintain a thorough knowledge of, and work at all times within, YMCA London City and North policies and procedures, including safeguarding, child protection, professional boundaries, code of conduct, data protection and health and safety requirements.
- Maintain a thorough knowledge of current housing legislation and welfare benefits.
- Undertake other duties commensurate with grade and status.
- Attend regular supervision and other personal development activities (training events and occasional overnight).
· Complete all mandatory safeguarding and safer recruitment related training, and apply this learning in practice.
- To provide cover at any YMCA London City and North site for holiday or sickness within the housing department.
Environment
Unsocial hours
The nature of post is such that a set shift system is in operation and unsocial hours are worked during weekday and weekends.
1. Scope and limits of authority
· Administration information systems (manual and computerised) and in particular Amis and referrals, current and ex-resident files.
· The processing of all monies received at reception.
Resident Pathways Officer - Person Specification
Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential / Desirable
Knowledge, understanding and awareness of the issues faced by vulnerable young people and adults at risk.
Essential
Knowledge of safeguarding, professional boundaries, confidentiality and appropriate information sharing in a support setting.
Essential
Knowledge of health and safety requirements in a residential or supported housing environment.
Desirable
Knowledge of housing, welfare benefits or support services relevant to young people.
Desirable
Relevant qualification in housing, youth work, advice and guidance, customer service or a related area, or willingness to work towards one.
Desirable
Experience
Experience of working in a client-facing, reception, housing, support or similar service environment.
Essential
Experience of working with young people, vulnerable adults or people with support needs.
Desirable
Experience of maintaining accurate records, handling sensitive information and following procedures.
Essential
Experience of recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding, welfare or risk concerns.
Desirable
Experience of working within a psychologically informed environment or trauma-informed setting.
Desirable
Abilities and Skills
Ability to build supportive and respectful relationships with residents while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
Essential
Ability to communicate clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing.
Essential
Ability to respond calmly and appropriately to challenging situations, incidents or distress.
Essential
Ability to work constructively as part of a team and with external agencies.
Essential
Ability to maintain accurate records and use IT systems appropriately.
Essential
Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding.
Essential
Willingness to work flexibly in response to service and organisational requirements.
Essential
Satisfactory pre-employment checks, including safer recruitment checks and a DBS check at the level required for the role.
Essential
Pay: £15.43 per hour
Experience:
- Client facing : 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (preferred)
Location:
- London N8 8SG (preferred)
Work Location: In person
