Overview

Cornwall Council's Housing Options Service provides homelessness and housing register services to thousands of households each year. We offer a range of roles—from upstream prevention support to helping families move from emergency accommodation into settled homes, and tailored specialist homelessness assistance for targeted vulnerable cohorts. This role is a Specialist Resettlement Homelessness Prevention Officer to support refugees and newly granted asylum seekers across Cornwall. The role ensures vulnerable individuals and families at risk of homelessness have access to safe, secure, and sustainable housing as they rebuild their lives in our communities.

You will assess individuals' needs and provide flexible, tailored support, building therapeutic relationships based on trust, collaboration, equality, and cultural sensitivity. You will work with statutory, community and independent sector partners in a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach to prevent homelessness and promote inclusion and reducing intolerance and hate crime.

This is a public/customer-facing role; the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies. The position is subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.

Key Responsibilities

• Make robust statutory decisions and maintain case records to a high standard as part of managing a busy caseload of homelessness applications from refugee households from first contact to conclusion.
• Provide tailored housing advice and support to refugees at risk of homelessness.
• Work closely with local services, partner agencies, housing providers, and refugee support organisations.
• Develop and implement personalised housing plans.
• Advocate for clients' rights and entitlements within the housing system.
• Monitor and report on outcomes to improve service delivery.
• Collaborate with the Cornwall Resettlement Service to ensure a coordinated approach to refugee homelessness prevention support.
• Conduct outreach and, where appropriate, home visits to assess housing needs and risks.

Working Pattern

This post is fixed-term for 1 year from point of recruitment, working 37 hours per week through typical office hours, Monday to Friday in accordance with the Council's flexitime scheme. Flexible working options can be considered, such as compressed hours, term-time only, hybrid work arrangements, and other alternatives subject to service needs.

What you’ll need to succeed

• Experience working with vulnerable groups, particularly refugees or asylum seekers.
• Strong knowledge of housing legislation and homelessness prevention strategies.
• Excellent communication, advocacy, and case management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multi-agency partners.
• Cultural sensitivity and a trauma-informed approach.
• Understanding of the challenges faced by resettled individuals and families in Cornwall.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise workload using own initiative.
• Flexible team player with a willingness to adapt to changing service demands.
• IT literacy across MS Office applications; knowledge of the Jigsaw homelessness system is preferred.
• Good working knowledge of Pt VII Housing Act 1996 (as amended), the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and homelessness eligibility criteria for refugees and Homes for Ukraine scheme customers.
• Organised, calm, confident, and influential communicator; able to work on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency team.

Please read the full role profile attached in the advert for detailed information.

Additional Information

• Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.
• Some content includes guidance on how to complete your application and contact details for queries.
• Existing employees must apply using their Cornwall Council email address through the Opportunity Marketplace on Oracle.
• About Us and our commitment to flexibility, fairness, and inclusion are integral to our recruitment.

Why Join Cornwall Council?

• Be part of a dedicated and compassionate team within the Cornwall Resettlement Service and Housing Options Service.
• Make a tangible impact on the lives of refugees and asylum seekers.
• Access to training, development, and wellbeing support.
• Opportunities to shape and improve refugee housing pathways in Cornwall.
• Work in a supportive environment that values diversity and inclusion.
• The opportunity to work from home when appropriate, with site visits and office attendance as required.

What you’ll get in return

Our staff have the opportunity to work from home when appropriate as an alternative to regular office attendance. This role is challenging and rewarding, with resilience supported by working alongside passionate, supportive colleagues dedicated to helping our most vulnerable residents.

Cornwall Council is committed to being an employer of choice and offers a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and retain employees. Core benefits include:

• A competitive salary
• A defined benefit pension scheme (with optional extra contributions)
• Generous annual leave entitlement with the option to purchase additional leave
• A national award-winning employee health and wellbeing programme
• Employee benefits scheme with discounts on a wide range of goods and services