Why join Launch Housing

Launch Housing is an independent Melbourne based community organisation passionately committed to ending homelessness. From providing high quality housing and an innovative range of support, education and employment services, we bring solutions to homelessness under one roof for thousands at risk of, or experiencing the crisis and trauma of homelessness. With over 400 staff working across 16 locations in metropolitan Melbourne, we combine direct action with advocacy, research and innovation to drive widespread change.

Our people are the backbone of our organisation and supporting their wellbeing and professional development is critical to our ability to help our clients and the community. We value lived experience and diversity in our staff, and provide high-quality training & supervision, wellbeing days, access to an Employee Assistance Program and much much more to ensure your career with us is fulfilling.

Don’t just walk past homelessness. Join the solution.

Our permanent and fixed-term employee benefits include:

• Contributing to useful and rewarding work and giving something back to the community
• Wellbeing days, ceremonial leave, carers leave and study leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Purchased leave
• 17.5% leave loading
• 8 weeks’ gender neutral paid parental leave after 12 months of service for both the primary and secondary carer
• Training and career growth opportunities across Launch Housing
• A portion of your income can be tax-free by salary packaging your personal expenses
• Additional tax-free salary packaging on dining and accommodation expenses
• Positive, supportive and progressive work environment

About the opportunity

The Initial Assessment and Planning (IAP) program is the main access point for clients experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, throughout Victoria. The IAP program helps people prevent and end homelessness by providing assessment, planning, prioritisation, accommodation assistance, advice and referrals for additional support.

The IAP program is part of the Launch Housing Homelessness Solutions & Impact portfolio, and consists of three designated Entry Points services at Collingwood, St Kilda and Cheltenham and a small number of Outposted locations.

The IAP Worker works as part of a team consisting of Coordinators, Senior Workers, other IAP and Housing Support & Allocation Workers. The position primarily undertakes initial assessments with people who are experiencing housing crisis, homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. These assessments are used to then inform planning with the individual or household, which may include referral to emergency accommodation for those in crisis, provision of financial assistance, information, prioritisation, referral, and the completion of housing applications. This will involve working with clients, through both telephone, email and direct face-to-face contact. The position requires a high level of emotional resilience and demonstrated skills in working with people who are marginalised and disenfranchised.

IAP operates as one team across all Entry Point locations and IAP workers may be required to work from time to time from any one of these sites. After successful completion of a probationary period, workers may also be provided the opportunity to work at IAP Outposts, which may include, but not be limited to Thorne Harbour and the Medically Supervised Injecting Room.

This is a full-time, maximum- term opportunity until March 2026, based in Collingwood and working across Launch Housing's 3 entry points, Collingwood, Cheltenham and St Kilda.

What you'll be doing

• Providing client-centred services to persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including crisis intervention, assessment, prioritisation, assistance to secure crisis accommodation, assistance to secure or maintain long term accommodation, distribution of financial assistance and linkages to appropriate support services.
• Initiating and maintaining rapport with vulnerable clients using flexible engagement strategies.
• Advocating on behalf of clients with other agencies to ensure access and delivery of services.
• Utilising assessment tools to a high level of fidelity in the identification and prioritisation of people in the most urgent need of program resources
• Advocating to ensure that services are relevant, flexible and accessible to people experiencing homelessness.
• Identifying service gaps and work with other agencies to develop service and housing options.

What we're looking for (key selection criteria)

• A tertiary qualification in human services, social work or other relevant discipline, or direct experience in the delivery of services to clients with complex needs relating to homelessness.
• Demonstrated understanding of housing and homelessness policy, context and systems.
• Demonstrated ability in working collaboratively with others towards effective client solutions.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Demonstrated skills and aptitude in working with people with complex needs, and experience in working with people who are marginalised and disenfranchised.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships and communicate with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
• Well-developed organisational and time management skills with demonstrated capacity to work flexibly and have the ability to manage competing demands.
• Competence in using PC-based office applications and internet.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of Launch Housing and our mission to end homelessness.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Heather Shearer on [email protected] or Amie Blyth on [email protected] using the subject line: Intake Assessment & Planning Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.

How to Apply

To apply for this opportunity, please click on "Apply Now" button. Please submit a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and your CV.

Launch Housing offers a wide range of career opportunities and employs a diverse range of talent. We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons to apply! We acknowledge, respect and celebrate Aboriginal cultures, languages, connections to Country and heritage, customs and practices. We're committed to support Aboriginal peoples to obtain genuine and fulfilling career with us!

Launch Housing is a dog-friendly organisation, which allows dog owners to bring them in some of our sites, please contact the relevant Hiring Manager if you have any questions or concerns prior to your interview.

If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know at [email protected].

Launch Housing is committed to being a child safe organisation and has zero tolerance to child abuse. Our hiring process involves rigorous screening of applicants. All of our people including students, contractors and volunteers must hold a valid Working with Children Check and satisfactory criminal history record check.

Launch Housing is an Equal Opportunity employer and supports accessible working arrangements for all. This includes people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people, young people, older people, women, and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse, intersex or queer. We acknowledge Lived Experience as a unique expertise and encourage people with a Lived Experience of Homelessness to apply. All applicants must have the right to work in Australia.

Launch Housing is working to become more trauma informed and as a leading employer in the homelessness sector, it is important to let you know that you will hear stories of distress, hardship, trauma, or violence when working with us. We encourage you to reflect on how this may impact you when considering applying for the role.

A position description is attached.