Paid Homeless Services Emergency Accommodation Coordinator Organisation Cope Galway Hours Full-time Location Galway

Job title: Paid Homeless Services Emergency Accommodation Coordinator Organisation Cope Galway Hours Full-time Location Galway

Company: Cope Galway


Job description: Cope Galway wishes to recruit a Homeless Services Emergency Accommodation Coordinator in Galway CityJob Title: Emergency Accommodation CoordinatorReporting to: Family Services Manager (direct line manager) and Day Centre ManagerDate of Issue: March 2025The RoleThere is a reliance on private emergency accommodation (PEA) including B&B’s, Hotels, Tourist Hostels, Holiday apartments etc. to meet the emergency accommodation needs of families and individuals who are homeless in Galway. COPE Galway Family Services and the COPE Galway Day Centre organise and facilitate placements on behalf of Galway City Council and Galway County Council in such accommodation with bookings ranging in duration from as little as one night to a number of weeks and months at a time.The overall purpose of this role is to source suitable private emergency accommodation and to co-ordinate and support engagement with accommodation providers in conducting assessment of this accommodation against required standards. The role will involve visiting PEA emergency accommodation on a regular basis including in advance of placements and on foot of complaints and feedback for the purposes of ensuring that required standards are being met and resolveg accommodation related issues with families and individuals (in conjunction with another staff member when required). The role was also involve liaising with accommodation providers on behalf of clients, COPE Galway and the local authorities adopting a solutions focused approach. The role will have direct interactions with people in Homeless Services. It is a challenging and also rewarding position focused on finding the best emergency accommodation placements possible for individuals and families despite resource challenges/accommodation shortages, working to ensure that the accommodation is maintained at the required standards and striving to support placement sustainment for people experiencing homelessness.The team member will manage relationships with accommodation providers and support the PEA Administrator to deal with the administration tasks associated with these placements. The role includes ensuring that booking forms are accurate and up to date at the point and time of placement and reviewing any changes/adjustments to the bookings. This requires working in close cooperation with the PEA, Family Services and Day Centre teams.Our Values, Our Work, Our PeopleOur Vision is a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life. We work to achieve this by providing essential supports for people at challenging times in their lives, and by advocating for systemic change to remove the root causes of inequity and disadvantage that constrain the wellbeing and development of individuals, families and communities.Our Mission is to make a difference by empowering people, creating change and strengthening communities. We understand, respect and respond to the needs of our clients who are always at the forefront of our work.COPE Galway is committed to becoming a Trauma Informed Organisation through an implementation plan that includes training for all team members across all roles and departments. Trauma Informed Practice (TIP)aims to support us to recognise trauma and to react and respond to it in ways that minimise triggering and retraumatising people, so that we continue to provide the best possible services to those who need us most. TIP also encourages us to focus on our organisational culture and how we each interact with one another to create psychologically safe environments for clients, volunteers and staff. It encourages us to reflect on our own triggers and responses and considers personal and organisational responses to staff wellbeing to ensure that our people are supported to deliver the best services they possibly can to those who need them most.Everything we do is guided by the COPE Galway Approach to help us achieve our vision of a community where every person is valued, cared for and supported at every stage of life.This assets-based and person-centred approach recognises that each person has attributes and strengths that can make positive differences in their own lives. We achieve results for the people we work with because of our Approach.The COPE Galway Approach is built on:

• Understanding – Deep listening, storytelling, learning, developing, openness, connections.
• Respect – Valuing the whole person, empowering, trusting, believing in the potential of others, drawing on strengths and abilities.
• Response – Quality, professionalism, making an impact, challenging ourselves, continuous improvement.

Strong human relationships form the basis for the COPE Galway Approach. These relationships are established on how we understand and respect those we work with and how we respond so that we positively impact people’s lives.Our Team is supported by regular support and supervision, and access to our Employee Assistance Programme. Our people receive a wide variety of on-the-job training, with core training including Trauma Informed Practice, First Aid Responder, MAPA (Management of Actual and Potential Aggression), Overdose Response and Naloxone Administration and additional trainings including Values Workshops, Diversity Workshops and Harm Reduction Workshops.Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe Emergency Accommodation Coordinator is responsible to the Family Services and Day Centre managers and is directly line managed and supported by the Family Services Manager. Their (not exhaustive) key duties are:Accommodation Sourcing and Coordination

• Forward planning on an ongoing basis regarding the type and level of placements required
• Actively seeking and securing suitable placements, proactively and daily as required
• Proactively seeking out new accommodation providers and options across Galway City and County
• Endeavouring to ensure that accommodation sourced and used adheres to required standards, coordinating and supporting engagement with accommodation providers in conducting assessment of this accommodation against required standards
• Attending accommodation settings on a regular basis to ensure appropriate standards are maintained
• Engagement, liaison and relationship building with accommodation providers, including trouble shooting in so far as possible
• Supporting clients through engaging with accommodation providers in relation to accommodation related complaints, health and safety concerns and feedback from clients, staff and other professionals
• Monitoring attendance in accommodation and provide attendance reports to the team

Administration

• Establishing and maintaining administration and filing systems
• Operating existing and further developing systems for booking and administering placements and updating bookings as circumstances change
• Working in conjunction with the PEA Administrator to ensure all PEA related paperwork tasks are attended to
• Liaising with private emergency accommodation providers in respect of bookings and invoicing etc.
• Liaising with other COPE Galway services in respect of Out of Hours placements
• Writing up reports and collating statistics, generating reports regularly as required
• Carrying out regular checks to ensure the recording of statistics is accurate and timely
• Managing the bookings of families onto the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS)
• Undertaking other administration tasks as required within the service

General

• Being vigilant with regard to confidentiality and the need for discretion
• Being courteous, non-judgmental and respectful at all times in all interactions with clients, visitors and staff
• Having clear boundaries regarding the role in interactions with both staff and clients
• Supporting clients to have their voices heard in relation to accommodation related complaints
• Working from a Trauma Informed Approach
• Flagging concerns regarding clients’ wellbeing with keyworkers
• Reporting child protection concerns to the Family Services Manager and relevant keyworker
• Actively working to prevent placement breakdowns and sustain placements where possible
• Attending and contributing to team meetings, supervision and other meetings as required
• Having a flexible calm approach which contributes to a positive working environment with staff and clients
• Responding to difficult or problematic situations in a sensitive manner and within the framework of the Organisation’s policies and procedures
• Ensuring that health and safety standards are maintained and adhering to COPE Galway Safety Statement and related policies and procedures at all times
• Working positively and effectively as a member of a team and the wider Organisation
• Continuing to learn and develop professionally through participating in training and workshops
• Carrying out any other reasonable duties as requested

Person SpecificationThe ideal candidate will have a strong capacity to develop and maintain relationships, will be self motivated, with a “Can Do” attitude and excellent communication skills. They will also have an organised approach, and excellent computer skills. They will have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and will work in line with the values of COPE Galway, always placing the client front and centre.Essential RequirementsExperience:

• One year’s experience of working with homeless people and/or other vulnerable or marginalised groups or a recognised third level qualification in social care or a related field
• An understanding of the nature of homelessness and the needs of people experiencing homelessness
• An ability to treat clients in a non-judgmental and respectful way
• Strong Interpersonal and teamwork skills
• A receptiveness to feedback from clients and colleagues
• Good conflict resolution skills
• A practical common-sense approach
• An ability to prevent and respond appropriately to behaviours that challenge with the support of the team
• A minimum of two years’ experience of working in a challenging fast paced environment where strong people skills are essential
• Strong administrative, project management and organisational skills
• Significant experience of working with Microsoft Excel
• A strong interest in working in the non-profit sector
• Full clean driving license and use of own vehicle

Skills/Abilities include:

• Ability to foster and maintain positive relations with accommodation providers, staff and clients
• Ability to project manage and plan
• Excellent organisation and time management skills
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office to include Word and Excel with the ability to produce tables, graphs, reports etc
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work with a range of different stakeholders
• Fluency in English and a high standard of report writing
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to produce accurate typed and written work
• Ability to work on own initiative and follow through with tasks
• A heightened awareness of the importance of confidentiality
• Ability to work in a stressful and fast paced environment and to cope well under pressure
• Be cognisant of shared workspaces and the need to be flexible with same
• Ability to be reflective and self-aware with regard to behaviour and work practice

Application DetailsKey Terms and conditions:Hours of Work: 37 hours per week Monday to Friday office hours ordinarily. Occasional out of hours work may be requiredContract: PermanentPay: €31,990 – €41,229Annual Leave: 24 days pro rataPlease click the link below for further details:

Expected salary: €31990 – 41229 per year

Location: Galway

Job date: Sun, 30 Mar 2025 08:54:18 GMT

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