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About the Role

We are looking for a passionate and motivated Housing Outreach Officer to join our Rough Sleeping Initiative Team. (RSI)

As a Housing Outreach Officer, you will provide flexible, trauma-informed support to individuals experiencing homelessness, with a clear focus on ending rough sleeping. You will engage directly with people sleeping rough across the borough, building trusting relationships, assessing needs and developing tailored support plans to help individuals access accommodation and move away from the streets.

This is a full time position working 34 hours per week on a permanent contract. The role is predominantly community-based and will involve regular outreach across the borough, including early morning, evening working to engage with individuals who are sleeping rough.

About Swale Borough Council

Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent involving urban, rural, and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we’re committed to attracting and retaining the very best. In recent times we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly flexible hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week, recognising that staff wellbeing and work life balance is high on our agenda.

Our Offer

A range of benefits including:

• 34 hour full time working week with the offices closing at 1:30pm on Friday
• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most role
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
• Free parking
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You

You will have experience of working with people who may have mental health support needs, have experienced trauma, substance misuse, or face other complex challenges.

You will be passionate about helping people achieve positive and sustainable outcomes and able to build trusting relationships with those who have experienced homelessness, social exclusion, or multiple disadvantage.

You will have a good understanding of the issues affecting people who are sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping, and the barriers they face in accessing accommodation, services, and opportunities to improve their circumstances.

You will be resilient, adaptable, and confident working independently in the community, engaging with people in a variety of settings and providing person-centred, trauma-informed support that promotes wellbeing, independence, and a move away from rough sleeping.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential due to the nature of the role and the requirement to travel across the Borough.

Selection Process

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

Swale Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Council considers that the successful applicant will have access to young people and/or vulnerable adults and it is a requirement under The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 that you hold an enhanced disclosure and barring scheme check. Upon successful appointment, you will be required to provide evidence of an enhanced DBS check if you subscribe to the DBS Update Service or complete the process to obtain a DBS check.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact, Sue Davis, Rough Sleeper & Prevention Manager on 01795 417621 or 07768 535924

Interview Date: 27th August 2026