Emergency Accommodation Coordinator

Job Title: Emergency Accommodation CoordinatorReporting to: Family Services Manager (direct line manager) and Day Centre ManagerDate of Issue: March 2025 The 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 CoordinationForward planning on an ongoing basis regarding the type and level of placements requiredActively seeking and securing suitable placements, proactively and daily as requiredProactively seeking out new accommodation providers and options across Galway City and CountyEndeavouring 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 standardsAttending 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 possibleSupporting clients through engaging with accommodation providers in relation to accommodation related complaints, health and safety concerns and feedback from clients, staff and other professionalsMonitoring attendance in accommodation and provide attendance reports to the teamAdministrationEstablishing and maintaining administration and filing systemsOperating existing and further developing systems for booking and administering placements and updating bookings as circumstances changeWorking in conjunction with the PEA Administrator to ensure all PEA related paperwork tasks are attended toLiaising with private emergency accommodation providers in respect of bookings and invoicing etc.Liaising with other COPE Galway services in respect of Out of Hours placementsWriting up reports and collating statistics, generating reports regularly as requiredCarrying out regular checks to ensure the recording of statistics is accurate and timelyManaging the bookings of families onto the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS)Undertaking other administration tasks as required within the serviceGeneralBeing vigilant with regard to confidentiality and the need for discretionBeing courteous, non-judgmental and respectful at all times in all interactions with clients, visitors and staffHaving clear boundaries regarding the role in interactions with both staff and clientsSupporting clients to have their voices heard in relation to accommodation related complaintsWorking from a Trauma Informed ApproachFlagging concerns regarding clients’ wellbeing with keyworkersReporting child protection concerns to the Family Services Manager and relevant keyworkerActively working to prevent placement breakdowns and sustain placements where possibleAttending and contributing to team meetings, supervision and other meetings as requiredHaving a flexible calm approach which contributes to a positive working environment with staff and clientsResponding to difficult or problematic situations in a sensitive manner and within the framework of the Organisation’s policies and proceduresEnsuring that health and safety standards are maintained and adhering to COPE Galway Safety Statement and related policies and procedures at all timesWorking positively and effectively as a member of a team and the wider OrganisationContinuing to learn and develop professionally through participating in training and workshopsCarrying out any other reasonable duties as requestedPerson 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 centreEssential 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 fieldAn understanding of the nature of homelessness and the needs of people experiencing homelessnessAn ability to treat clients in a non-judgmental and respectful wayStrong Interpersonal and teamwork skillsA receptiveness to feedback from clients and colleaguesGood conflict resolution skillsA practical common-sense approachAn ability to prevent and respond appropriately to behaviours that challenge with the support of the teamA minimum of two years’ experience of working in a challenging fast paced environment where strong people skills are essentialStrong administrative, project management and organisational skillsSignificant experience of working with Microsoft ExcelA strong interest in working in the non-profit sectorFull clean driving license and use of own vehicleSkills/Abilities include:Ability to foster and maintain positive relations with accommodation providers, staff and clientsAbility to project manage and planExcellent organisation and time management skillsProficient in the use of Microsoft Office to include Word and Excel with the ability to produce tables, graphs, reports etcExcellent communication skills and the ability to work with a range of different stakeholdersFluency in English and a high standard of report writingExcellent attention to detail and ability to produce accurate typed and written workAbility to work on own initiative and follow through with tasksA heightened awareness of the importance of confidentialityAbility to work in a stressful and fast paced environment and to cope well under pressureBe cognisant of shared workspaces and the need to be flexible with sameAbility to be reflective and self-aware with regard to behaviour and work practiceKey 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 rata