Vacancy – Homeshare Development and Delivery Officer (Clarion Housing Pilot) – Closing Date September 10th

Salary Scale: £20,496 pro rata 3 days (£34,471 FTE)
Accountable to: HSUK National Homeshare Manager
Hours: 22 Hours per week
Contract: Initial 12-month contract with extension subject to securing further funding.
Location: Home-based with travel around the UK.

Background

Shared Lives Plus is the UK membership charity for more than 6,000 Shared Lives carers, 150 Shared Lives schemes and a growing network of over 25 local Homeshare organisations. Our vision is a kinder, stronger society built on sharing our lives and our homes. We help build communities where everyone lives a full life, regardless of the support they need. We do this by turning Shared Lives and Homeshare into thriving, mainstream options, with all the right structures in place to support and guide who want to share their lives and homes.

Clarion is the UK’s largest housing association, owning and managing 125,000 homes and providing housing for over 350,000 people. The Clarion Homeshare pilot has been conceptualised by Clarion55, the national strategic voice network for older residents who identified Homeshare as an innovation that could tackle the increasing social isolation and loneliness faced by Clarion residents, a challenge heightened by the implications of the pandemic.

Shared Lives Plus and Clarion Housing Group have secured funding to work together to explore the first social housing led Homeshare pilot programme. This project aims to establish a viable Homeshare programme for Clarion residents, test the approach and share the learning with our network of providers across the UK.

Job Objectives

This key overarching objectives of this role are:

Set up a Homeshare programme for Clarion Housing residents across the UK
Deliver the day-to-day activities of the pilot programme recruiting, matching, and supporting up to 8 Homeshare matches over the first year growing to 25 Homeshare matches by year 3
Promote the Homeshare model to Clarion residents and wider stakeholder groups
Support an increase in take-up Homeshare by people in social housing
Use learning from the project to create new guidance for the wider network

Main duties and responsibilities

1. To develop and establish the infrastructure for a Homeshare programme supporting Clarion Housing residents

a. Develop project policy for the delivery of Homeshare within a Social Housing context.
b. Working within the Homeshare UK, Quality Assurance Framework and Good practice develop appropriate processes and paperwork for the delivery of the Homeshare programme.
c. Develop appropriate monitoring tools to capture information about participants of the pilot.
d. Work with Clarion staff to develop referral routes for Clarion Residents into the Homeshare programme

2. Day to day management of the Homeshare programme

a. Support recruitment of potential Householders (Clarion Residents) to the Homeshare programme
b. Recruit potential Homesharers to the Homeshare programme
c. Assess the suitability of applicants and work with them to understand their needs, expectations, and suitability for participation.
d. Assess the suitability of the property to be shared.
e. Take the lead on safeguarding checks for Householders and Homesharers, including references and DBS
f. Make appropriate Homeshare matches and negotiate the terms of the Homeshare agreement between participants
g. Provide ongoing monitoring and support to Homeshare participants.
h. Liaise with any third-party stakeholders involved in the Homeshare as appropriate e.g., Health care professionals, domiciliary care providers, family members

3. Help raise awareness of the Homeshare model, Homeshare UK and the Clarion Homeshare pilot

a. Actively promote the Homeshare pilot through our existing social media channels and by providing regular content for the Homeshare UK website
b. Support the work of the Clarion, Fusion 21 and Shared Lives Plus Communications Team by helping coordinate effective and timely engagement between the Homeshare participants, media, and PR opportunities.
c. Attend any conferences, seminars and meetings representing Homeshare UK and promoting the pilot project through delivery of talks, briefings, and round table discussion at both local and national level

4. Help raise awareness of the Homeshare model, Homeshare UK and the Clarion Homeshare pilot

a. Take the lead on actively supporting the promotion of the Homeshare Sector and Homeshare UK through social media channels
b. Support the work of the Clarion, Fusion 21 and Shared Lives Plus Communications Team by helping coordinate effective and timely engagement between the Homeshare participants, media, and PR opportunities.
c. Attend any conferences, seminars and meetings representing Homeshare UK and promoting the pilot project through delivery of talks, briefings, and round table discussion at both local and national level

5. General

a. Working with the HSUK Team help Identify need and scope for new sector resources including learning materials, guidance updates, and training that will be beneficial to the wider Homeshare sector
b. Actively support the collection of data, case studies and provide content for the annual Homeshare Sector Reports
c. Actively engage with the Homeshare UK network attending monthly practice meetings, training events and annual conference
d. Work in accordance with Shared Lives Plus aims, objectives, policies, and procedures and promote a positive image of the organisations and its members
e. Engage in continuous self-development and training
f. Promote diversity, equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice and Human Rights
g. Undertake such other duties as may reasonably be required, commensurate with the level of the post.

Person specification:


Qualification	Have significant relevant experience and transferable skills that you can demonstrate
Experience and skills	Set up, delivery and management of a project Working with older people and/or younger people Supporting scale up and expansion of service provision including expanding services to support people from diverse backgrounds and communities Maintaining accurate records, report writing and data analysis Ability to develop and maintain good relationships and partnerships Conflict resolution. Crisis management Developing key relationships with strategic partners Making presentations and contributing to round table discussion to a variety of audiences and stakeholders Developing social media and website content Writing press articles and supporting engagement with media opportunities Ability to manage a diverse workload Able to utilise a wide range of IT programmes Able to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders effectively
Knowledge	Understanding of the Homeshare model and the philosophy underpinning the sector Knowledge of good practice relating to working with vulnerable adults Understanding of quality assurance and safeguarding practice in relevant fields Knowledge and understanding of relevant government policies and regulations A basic understanding of the social care and/or housing landscape in the UK Knowledge of the challenges and barriers for Homeshare participants Understanding the critical success factors for partnership working Knowledge and understanding of co-production and stakeholder engagement
Values and Behaviours	Authenticity Integrity Sense of Purpose Zest and Energy
Attitudes	Commitment to empowering people who use services and their families Demonstrable commitment to working in ways which promote equality of opportunity and diversity Value the principles of co-production, and partnership working You will be an energetic, tenacious and friendly person who enjoys meeting new people and building relationships Confident, positive, and innovative A true team member – willing to help and support colleagues in a small team
Practical	Ability to work the hours dictated by the needs and demands of the job (occasionally including evenings) Able to travel as and when required by the job, including some overnight stays across the UK

To apply

Please submit your CV along with a supporting statement considering (based on all the details in the job description and person specification) why you feel you’re the person for us directly to recruitment@sharedlivesplus.org.uk

The closing date is Friday 10th September 2021

Short pre-interviews will be on Wednesday 15th September 2021 with interviews taking place on Monday 20th September 2021

Shared Lives Plus is an Equal Opportunities Employer and we are committed to ensuring that all staff are motivated, skilled, and rewarded by their work. We welcome applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, and other protected status as required by law. We promote and protect human rights; they are the foundation of what we do.

We want to be an inclusive place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and contribute their unique strengths and perspectives. We are focused on equality and believe that all the fascinating characteristics that make us different, make us more able to deliver our life-changing work with passion and creativity.

You can find out more about what it means to work at Shared Lives Plus via this link Working for Shared Lives Plus – Shared Lives Plus.

More information about Homeshare UK and our network of providers can be found on the HSUK website – www.homeshareuk.org.

You can find out more about Clarion at www.clarionhg.com.