Job zone - east midlands
The social housing jobs market remains very active it being a traditionally quieter time of year, says Phil Jackson
There is a decent level of recruitment activity involving temporary housing officers, income recovery officers, projects workers, support workers, tenant liaison officers and relief project workers in the east Midlands despite it being a traditionally quiet time of year.
Drivers for temporary recruitment are fairly typical - long-term sickness cover, work on short-term specific projects or to provide cover while new permanent recruits are vetted and checked.
Supported housing remains an active area for recruitment. The government’s supporting people programme, which offers vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their quality of life by providing a stable environment which enables greater independence, continues to drive the need for supported housing staff in the east midlands.
Particular hotspots for recruitment focus on specialist roles. Those who have experience or a background in areas such as mental health, homelessness, or drugs and alcohol abuse or who have worked with older people or those with learning disabilities, are especially sought after.
Salaries within these roles have remained stable and tend to range from £14,000 to £17,000, depending on the company and the intensity of work and shifts.
Across the UK, the creation of the Tenant Services Authority’s regulatory framework is set to have a huge impact on the social housing sector and it is no different for employers in the east midlands.
Following the launch of the TSA’s framework on 1 April, employers now have just six months to develop and instigate their response to meet the newly created national standards by October 2010.
The TSA’s six national standards include tenant involvement and empowerment, value for money and financial viability. Housing providers will need to deploy professionals with the right skills to manage and implement these standards.
Far-sighted providers are restructuring and have already started to up-skill staff in tenant-facing roles. The TSA’s new regulatory framework is fuelling demand for front-line housing, tenant engagement and community safety professionals.
Phil Jackson is regional manager at Hays Social Housing
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