A week in the life of… a social enterprise housing caseworker

I have a few quiet hours in the afternoon, when I reach out to as many estate agents, landlords and developers as possible, trying to see if any of them have available properties that might be suitable for Beam’s beneficiaries. I get a few warm leads, and schedule some more viewings for our beneficiaries.

Later on, I get a phone call from Michael – the landlord has agreed to let his property to him! We’ve got two days to sort out paperwork, as he needs to move in by Friday. It’s going to be a busy rest of the week.

Wednesday

Bright and early, I get cracking with Michael’s tenancy paperwork. Thankfully the agency has already sent me everything I need from their side, so I just need to get a few of our own documents ready for signing. I also need to order a moving van and make sure Michael’s deposit and first month’s rent are paid as soon as a tenancy agreement is signed.

In the afternoon I have a one-to-one with my manager, and we discuss our current challenges and brainstorm solutions together. We also catch up on what’s been happening in other parts of the business.

I’m part of the ‘Beam lettings’ team, which is focused on helping our beneficiaries into homes. My colleagues on the ‘Beam recruit’ side are focused on helping our beneficiaries into employment. I always love to hear the progress everyone’s been making.

I finish the day by updating our numbers. Since April 2020, we have housed 26 homeless families in private rented properties. Many of them were living in temporary accommodation beforehand, often travelling two hours just to get their kids to school. It feels amazing helping someone move into a place that feels like home and seeing them flourish once they are in a good environment.

Thursday

Today I have a meeting with our volunteers. We have a fantastic team of volunteers who help me acquire properties. We want to provide a tailored experience for all our beneficiaries, so our volunteers hunt for flats that fit the needs of each respective family.

Based on our conversation, it seems like lead generation is going well, as fewer people are moving house during the lockdown and so more properties are available.

I make sure everything is set for Michael’s tenancy and speak to him one last time before the move. Deposit and first month’s rent are paid, a moving van has been ordered and all paperwork is complete. This tenancy has had an incredibly fast turnaround.

Friday

It’s moving day! Michael has moved into his beautiful studio flat and I help him update his Universal Credit account to make sure his next payment comes in accurately. We also set up his council tax and bills together.

Michael tells me he wants to update his Beam supporters and thank them for their donations, which helped us pay for his deposit and first month’s rent. He says he’s still in shock and can’t express how grateful he is. I help him write an update and publish it on his Beam crowdfunding page. Ten people have already responded, congratulating him and wishing him a happy 2021 in his new home. This is the most rewarding part of helping people move into a home.

I wrap up my Friday with my favourite team meeting: feel-good Friday. The Beam team shares one thing that went well in their week, and we go through a round of shout-outs to teammates who we feel grateful for.

Visit Beam’s website here.