Are you committed to providing excellent customer service? Do you have a genuine interest in helping homeless people? If so, an exciting opportunity has arisen within the Homeless Prevention Team for a Homeless Prevention Assistant.
About Us
North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.
The Role
The Homeless Prevention Team provides help and advice to North Somerset households who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Working in partnership with other organisations we ensure that vulnerable people and families are provided with appropriate advice, accommodation and support.
The team is looking for an enthusiastic, dedicated, and robust individual, ideally with experience of homelessness prevention or related work e.g., advice/welfare benefits, and a proven track record of providing excellent customer service.
Key responsibilities include:
Triaging all new homeless approaches
Making initial enquiries to establish homelessness
Updating records on the Council’s housing ICT system
Recording accurate case notes
Checking tenancy agreements and Section 21 notice validity (training can be provided)
Booking appointments for Homeless Prevention Officers
Making referrals and signposting to other support services
Giving general information and advice about housing options
This is a fixed-term contract covering maternity leave for up to one year or until the post holder returns, whichever comes first.
About you
You will need to have strong communication skills and the ability to work closely with colleagues, other departments, and statutory and voluntary agencies to provide an effective prevention focused service for homeless applicants, many of whom have multiple vulnerabilities and support needs.
You must be able to work under pressure as the role can be very demanding. You will also need to have proficient IT skills in Microsoft office packages, with an ability to learn additional software as required by the service.
Our new system of agile working encourage flexibility. There will be a requirement to work from the Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare, but there will also be an opportunity to work from home for some of the week when fully trained.
What We Offer
At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.
We offer:
Competitive salary and benefits
Flexible working arrangements
Local Government Pension
Opportunities for professional development
Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes
Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.
How to Apply
If you share our vision and values and are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.
Contact Information
For further information about the role, please contact Lynn Trigg, Homeless Prevention Manager, on 01934 426150.
Important Information
As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.
Interview date: To be confirmed.
Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK.
Equal Opportunities
At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to
Disability Confident.