Homeless Services, Regional Outreach Coordinator

at  COPE Galway

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Regional Outreach Coordinator
Reporting to: Day Centre Manager
Date of Issue: August 2024

THE ROLE

The Regional Outreach Coordinator, has overall responsibility for the leadership and operation of COPE Galway’s Pilot Regional Outreach service for people who are rough sleeping in Counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, aligning it to the Organisation’s existing City Outreach Service and ensuring the smooth operation of both. The Coordinator carries a client caseload and oversees the work of a Regional Outreach Project Worker as well as members of the Day Centre Team in relation to Street Outreach and a team of volunteers. They place a particular focus on the health needs of the client group and ensures that the team works in a culturally sensitive manner with marginalised communities, including Roma people. They focus on ensuring the provision of a high quality service in line with NQSF (National Quality Standards Framework for Homeless Services) and leading and supporting their team to work to their fullest potential. They have a role in mentoring and supporting their colleagues with an aim of collaboratively embedding the values of COPE Galway and a trauma informed approach within the service.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Regional Outreach Coordinator is responsible to the Day Centre Manager. Their (not exhaustive) key duties are:

Leadership and management

• To lead Street Outreach and to build capacity within the staff and volunteer team
• To participate in the recruitment and induction of staff and volunteers as appropriate
• To line manage, develop and provide support and supervision to Outreach staff
• To support Outreach volunteers
• To support the rollout of Trauma Informed Practice in the service
• To model leadership behaviours and embed a positive values-led culture
• To contribute to the development of reflective practice in the service
• To develop and imbed a proactive approach on the part of the service to working with people at risk of homelessness or homelessness and to continue to promote and imbed this proactive approach when people move into tenancies.
• To identify gaps in service provision and work to reduce these through service development
• To deputise for the Day Centre Manager when required

Service Management

• To ensure the day-to-day operations of the service run smoothly and by the policies and procedures of COPE Galway
• To carry out administrative and financial procedures by organisation policies
• To ensure that administration and recording systems are developed in place and appropriately operated
• To oversee the use of the database systems in place including PASS (Pathway Accommodation & Support System)
• To ensure that all incidents, emergencies, events and handovers are recorded using the recording systems in place
• To deal with maintenance issues and to ensure the upkeep of the facility
• To ensure that clients are consulted and involved in the operation of the project to the greatest practical extent
• To work in line with NQSF (National Quality Standards Framework for Homeless Services)
• To process and deal with complaints in line with policy and procedure
• To provide regular reports on performance and other issues, as required
• To work in partnership with key management team members in coordinating Severe Weather Responses

Client Services

• To ensure a safe, welcoming and friendly service is established and maintained
• To develop and imbed a proactive and flexible approach to client engagement
• To ensure that assessments are carried out in a professional, sensitive and appropriate manner
• To oversee the referral process to the service
• To map routes out of street homelessness for and with clients in conjunction with the relevant local authorities
• To support the team in helping clients with behaviours that challenge in line with the principles of Trauma Informed Practice
• To support the key working process ensuring it supports clients to access local services such as housing, welfare, medical, education and training and employment services
• To be proactive in addressing difficult or problematic situations as they arise sensitively and directly within the framework of the organisational policies and procedures
• To ensure that appropriate and effective procedures are in place for communication and consultation with clients including supporting the Organisation’s policy of encouraging client involvement in a wide variety of ways
• To map the regional needs of people who are rough sleeping and to support the development of the service into the future during and beyond the pilot
• To identify gaps in service provision and report on these to the Day Centre Manager and Head of Homeless Services

Interagency

• To work effectively and in collaboration with the HSE about health needs and with the local authorities about housing needs
• To communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues and clients
• To develop and maintain positive and mutually beneficial relationships with relevant external agencies
• To contribute to the fostering of positive relations with the local community and in particular by responding to enquiries made to the project
• To report on work and activities to funders as appropriate

Health and Safety

• To ensure that health and safety standards are maintained and adhered to, including COPE Galway’s Safety Statement and related policies and procedures
• To ensure safe practices in service delivery
• To foster a Health and Safety culture in the service

General

• To work positively and effectively as a member of a team and the wider Organisation
• To attend and contribute to Homeless Services Leads team meetings and other meetings as required
• To participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal and assist in job-related training needs
• To continue to learn and develop professionally through participating in training and workshops
• To ensure adherence within the service at all times to the COPE Galway Child Protection and Welfare Policy & Procedure and the Children First Guidelines
• To ensure that confidentiality is maintained in accordance with the COPE Galway Data Protection Policies and Procedures and agreed information sharing protocols
• To adhere to all of COPE Galway’s policies and procedures
• To participate in on-call management duties
• To carry out any other reasonable duties as requested

This job description will be subject to review to take account of any changes necessary in response to changing needs and development of the services over time.