Housing Project Worker

Job title: Housing Project Worker (LinkLiving PSL Outreach and Advice Service)

Location: This post is based at LinkLiving’s Edinburgh office.

Hours of Work: 37.5 per week (Monday to Friday)

Are you passionate about helping people to live a better life? Do you want to work for a charity where your health and wellbeing matter just as much as the people you support? Do you want to be part of a trauma-informed team where you will be supported to develop creative and flexible ways of working?

At LinkLiving, our values and people are at the heart of everything we do including how we recruit our staff. It is important for us to find people who share our values, which are:

• Empathy (listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances)
• Respect (treat others the way they wish to be treated)
• Integrity (be honest and have strong moral principles)
• Caring (show kindness and concern for others)

LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people to manage or overcome the effects of negative life experiences (including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty and inequality) so that they can build on their strengths and aspirations in order to live their best possible lives. We support people through a range of models including: 

• Personal development and employability programmes 
• Self-help coaching
• Supported accommodation
• Care at home
• Housing support
• Befriending
• Social cafes

The Service

Our Outreach and Advice Service provides short-term advice and support to C~urb Private Sector Leasing (PSL) tenants.

LinkLiving Project Workers provide outcome-focused support to help tenants maintain their tenancies. The level and content of the support provided will be tailored to meet the needs of each person, both in terms of frequency and content.

The Job

The purpose of the job is to support people with complex needs living in temporary accommodation through the provision of opportunities to enhance their independent living skills, and support tenancy sustainment and employability. You will offer advice and guidance in relation to benefits as well as supporting tenants who have no recourse to public funds referring to appropriate organisations as required. Provide information in relation to employment and training that would benefit the tenants you work with, making referrals where appropriate. You will work closely with the PSL team as well as your LinkLiving colleagues to provide a service that meets the needs of the tenants.

You will be responsible for supporting PSL tenants by providing high quality one to one support creating a plan with achievable goals. The level and content of the support you will provide will be tailored to meet the needs of each individual, both in terms of frequency and content. You will be expected to work with minimum supervision.

About You

The ideal candidate for this position will have a solid educational background and a strong understanding of working with individuals who have complex needs. They should have experience supporting clients facing complex issues and possess a comprehensive knowledge of housing options, and a deep knowledge of the services available in Edinburgh. They should have experience supporting clients with employability issues, accessing employment or volunteering opportunities and training / education.

Effective communication skills, including excellent written, oral, and IT proficiency, are essential for this role. The candidate should also have a familiarity with the benefits systems to support tenants throughout the application and appeals processes.

The candidate should demonstrate a non-judgmental attitude and a willingness to embrace diversity. adaptability, honesty, and collaboration within a team setting are essential qualities. Strong prioritisation and planning skills, as well as proficiency in using ICT equipment and client management systems, are necessary. The candidate should also have the ability to build relationships and partnerships with other voluntary and statutory agencies.

If you also have the ability to drive and travel between services and a passion for supporting individuals with complex needs, we encourage you to apply for this role.

For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information Pack above.

What’s in it for you?

The benefits of being a LinkLiving employee (subject to the policies and benefit terms and conditions) include:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and discretionary non-consolidated pay awards, subject to terms of the scheme
• 35 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus additional 3 days pro rata after 3 years’ service
• opportunity to buy and sell holiday
• enhanced company sick and family friendly pay
• access to paid SVQ qualifications and a wide range of learning and development opportunities
• funded Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council memberships
• defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions plus salary exchange and additional voluntary contribution options
• access to an Electric vehicle leasing scheme, subject to the terms of the scheme
• life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits to named beneficiaries
• healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus discounts on shopping, restaurants, and other services
• employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being
• annual flu vaccination
• access to a savings and borrowing scheme
• cycle to work scheme
• monthly bus pass scheme
• season/travel ticket loan and much more!

For a full list of benefits available to employees, please see the following link - https://www.linkliving.org.uk/work-with-us

This post is subject to Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme registration. Link will meet the cost of any new PVG scheme membership or scheme record update.

Further Information

Interested? If you have any questions about the role, please email jobs@linkhaltd.co.uk and we can arrange for someone from the service to call you for an informal chat.

To find out more about what LinkLiving do and to view the generous pay and benefits package, please visit our website at https://www.linkliving.org.uk

If you’re thinking about working in adult social care, download the Guide to adult social care jobs in Scotland for in-depth information on everything you need to know to get started. In addition, you can enrol on a free, online 6 week part-time tutor-supported ‘Introduction to a Career in Social Care’ course. The course introduces the area of social care and can be a stepping-stone to employment or further training.

Closing Date: midnight on Sunday 04 August 2024

Interview Date: Interviews are being held on Monday 12 August 2024 at our office in Edinburgh

How to Apply

To complete an application form, please click on the “Apply online” button below. Instructions on how to complete the form are at the top of the page.

We can offer suitable alternative methods to apply if requested including although not exclusively; hard copy, Braille and audio. You can request these by emailing our Resourcing Team at jobs@linkhaltd.co.uk and detailing which format you would require.

Please note should an internal applicant be successful in applying for this position on either a seconded or permanent basis, they will move to the terms and conditions associated with the role for the duration of the time they are in post. The terms and conditions are outlined in the job information pack.

We aim at all times to recruit the person who is most suited to the job and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. Our offices are fully accessible to wheelchair users and, as a Disability Confident Leader, we will interview all disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria.