We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.
In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up.
We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own.
Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable.
We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.
About the Specialist Housing First Worker role:
For someone who has spent years moving between the streets, temporary accommodation and services that have not worked for them, having a home of their own can be life changing. But getting the keys is only the beginning. As our Specialist Housing First Worker in Redbridge, you’ll provide the intensive, persistent and highly personalised support people need to make that home feel safe, sustainable and genuinely theirs.
Housing First does things differently. You’ll work alongside people who have experienced repeated homelessness and multiple disadvantage, including people who may be mistrustful of services or have found traditional approaches difficult to engage with. Rather than expecting people to change before they can access housing, you’ll start from the belief that everyone has a right to a home. You’ll build relationships over time, work creatively around barriers and use active engagement and harm reduction approaches to support people towards the goals that matter to them.
Your work will stretch across housing, health, benefits, safeguarding and wider support. You’ll help people prepare for and settle into their accommodation, navigate rent and benefits, manage risks and build greater independence within their community. Just as importantly, you’ll bring together the professionals around each person, advocate firmly when systems get in the way and keep looking for another route when the obvious one has failed. This is a role that calls for sound judgement, patience and real tenacity: knowing when to challenge, when to adapt and how to remain alongside someone through setbacks as well as progress.
You’ll be joining a team committed to delivering Housing First with integrity and giving practitioners the flexibility to respond to people as individuals. You’ll have opportunities to deepen your specialist knowledge, strengthen your partnership working and advocacy skills, and develop your practice through supervision, reflective learning and training.
About you:
You have experience supporting people who have faced homelessness and multiple disadvantage, and understand how trauma, exclusion and repeated contact with services can affect trust and engagement.
You understand the principles of Housing First and can translate them into flexible, strengths based and genuinely person led support.
You’re persistent, creative and solutions focused, able to stay alongside people through setbacks and find different ways forward when traditional approaches have not worked.
You can assess and manage risk confidently, respond calmly to difficult or rapidly changing situations and use sound professional judgement while keeping safeguarding central.
You’re a strong advocate and relationship-builder, able to negotiate, challenge appropriately and bring housing providers, statutory services and community partners together around the person you’re supporting.
Our attractive benefits package includes:
A salary increase after successfully completing six month's probationary period
A 37.5 hour working week including flexible working hours (core hours are 10am – 4pm) in non-accommodation services
25 days annual leave, increasing annually to the maximum 30 days (plus paid Bank Holidays),
A contributory pension scheme: Single Homeless Project will contribute the equivalent of 5% of your annual salary
Staff Health Cash Plan and discounts scheme
Comprehensive and integrated training programme designed specifically to develop the skills and knowledge involved in our work
Closing Date: Tuesday 29th September at midnight
Interview date: Thursday 8th October online via Microsoft Teams
Please note shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a short psychometric test before being confirmed for interview.
Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications with insufficient/without current right to work or requiring sponsorship will not be accepted for this role.
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to join the Single Homeless Project team – please click ‘apply’ now to become our Specialist Housing First Worker - we'd like to hear from you!
This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.
Single Homeless Project is actively committed to equal opportunities and the promotion of diversity and inclusion, in all of our services and workplaces. We are also Disability Confident Committed and are IIP Silver accredited
Salary description
£32034.00 - £35081.00 per year