Women’s Housing Project Worker

Women’s Housing Project Worker Hours of work: Full-Time, 37.5 per week (5 days per week) Contract: 2-year 9-months Fixed Term Salary: £28,000 per annum Location: Overstream House, Cambridge CB4 or at other locations within Cambridge About Us Wintercomfort works with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or with a history of homelessness. We provide services to aid every stage of recovery - from immediate basic welfare needs to long term help in identifying and dealing with the problems which are undermining their stability, and enabling them to engage with education, employment and specialist health services.  National statistics rank the numbers of rough sleepers in Cambridge within the highest 20 UK local authorities. Wintercomfort is the only day-time service in the city, providing year-round advice and support for homeless or vulnerably housed people. Over the past three decades Wintercomfort has continued to grow and adapt to meet the needs of the homeless community. Our specialist Housing Team provides expert advice and support to help people successfully navigate the search for housing and crucially, support them to sustain life away from the street. The Women’s Project at Wintercomfort is dedicated to empowering vulnerable women from diverse backgrounds who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Our objective is to provide comprehensive support across various critical areas, including assistance with domestic and sexual abuse, housing, benefits, debt management, and employment. About you and the Role An experienced Women’s Housing Project Worker dedicated to delivering outreach-led, trauma-informed support for women who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, experiencing domestic abuse or facing multiple disadvantage. The role will focus on building safe and trusting relationships in community settings, with additional support delivered within the centre where appropriate, helping women access services, address housing-related barriers and work towards safe accommodation, tenancy sustainment, wellbeing and independence. The post provides practical housing-related support, signposting, liaison with partner agencies and sustained casework. Key Responsibilities Outreach-Led Engagement – Prioritise proactive community outreach to identify and engage women who may be hidden, isolated, at risk, reluctant to approach services or unable to safely disclose their situation. Build safe, trusting and professional relationships through consistent contact in community settings, with additional support available within Overstream House where appropriate. Practical Housing-Related Support – Provide practical housing-related support to women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including support to gather information, complete forms, understand correspondence, prepare for appointments and access appropriate statutory, voluntary or legal services where specialist advice is required. Casework and Action Planning – Manage a caseload of women with varied and often complex needs, agreeing clear action plans, reviewing progress and providing sustained follow-up after initial contact. Support women to work towards safe accommodation, tenancy sustainment, improved wellbeing, increased confidence and greater independence. Safeguarding and Trauma-Informed Practice – Deliver trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred support that promotes safety, choice and empowerment. Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse, mental health needs and other risks, working within professional boundaries and organisational procedures. Women-Only Group Sessions and Independence Support – Deliver women-only group sessions and workshops, either directly or through partner organisations, that promote independent living, tenancy sustainment, financial capability and confidence. Support and signpost women to access education, training, volunteering and employment opportunities where these contribute to long-term housing stability and independence. Partnership Working and Referrals – Develop effective working relationships with domestic abuse services, local authority housing teams, landlords, housing providers, education and training providers, health and wellbeing services, legal services and voluntary sector partners. Support coordinated responses, make timely referrals and build strong partner relationships that extend beyond attendance at drop-in sessions Records, Monitoring and Service Development – Maintain accurate case records, outreach records, risk information and outcome data on Inform in line with organisational procedures and funder requirements. Contribute to monitoring, reporting and service learning, using evidence from outreach and casework to improve outcomes for women experiencing homelessness, domestic abuse or housing insecurity and deliver impactful case studies for funder reports. One of our core values at Wintercomfort is to recognise and reward our staff as