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A week in the life of… a tenancy support manager
Jackie Bird, tenancy support manager at Community Gateway Association, manages a team of five who deal with all aspects of welfare benefit advice and assistance, financial assessments and tenancy terminations. She shares a week in her working life
Monday
With our benefit advisor on leave and the other two benefit officers still training, I need to support the team with benefit checks and advice.
The tenant home contents insurance renewal is coming up and I’ve prepared the paperwork, so I chase one of the directors to sign it off. I work on a utilities text campaign next. The words have been written, but I need to train a team member on the system to send it out. Today I received 26 emails, sent 15, have done five benefit checks and dealt with 12 phone calls.
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Tuesday
As I enter reception, a delivery of household products has arrived. I need these to make up toiletry hampers as prizes for our consultation event this evening. I call a couple of colleagues to help get these boxes unpacked.
At 10.30 I have a home visit with a customer who I’ve just managed to get disability benefits for and now need to sort out her pension credit claim and housing benefit.
Back in the office I receive a phone call from The Salvation Army with a desperate request for help. An older homeless couple are in urgent need of a home. One of them has cancer and cannot start treatment until they have a permanent address. I speak to our allocations manager and supported housing team. After a couple of calls, we may have found something suitable.
Wednesday
No appointments are booked in today, so it’s the perfect time to catch up on paperwork. I focus on three customers to resolve their housing and benefit issues. Then I look at the team stats to see if we are on track.
I receive 64 emails, including requests to call customers needing food parcels and electricity vouchers, benefit checks and help with applications. Then a colleague reaches out for support. I’ve been attending meetings to let everyone at Community Gateway Association (CGA) know that we’re here to support them as well as customers.
Thursday
Some good news: arrangements have been made for the older couple to come to see us. A property has been found and they could move in as quickly as next week. We just need to find out what help they need with benefits, furniture etc.
Friday
I remember I’ve not sorted the utilities text campaign, so that’s my first job. Then I submit a funding application for the Purple Pantry, CGA’s social supermarket. Next are housing benefit overpayment invoices, but it’s the weekend – they can wait until next week.
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