Working with individuals who have experienced homelessness: Stresses and successes

Abstract

Purpose Staff who work with vulnerable people with multiple needs are known to experience high levels of stress and burnout, as well as high levels of job satisfaction. This paper aims to explore the experiences of staff working in a project with individuals experiencing long-term homelessness in Lincolnshire. Design/methodology/approach An evaluation of a project working with individuals experiencing long-term homelessness included a focus group set up to explore the experiences and well-being of front line staff and managers. One-to-one interviews with staff were also held to provide more in-depth data about the experiences of individual staff members. Findings Six key themes were identified from the discussions with participants. Decision latitude and the ability to follow service users on person-centred journeys over long periods were positive aspects of the work which were highly valued and seemed to contribute to high levels of job satisfaction. Things which also made a positive contribution were elements of support provided by the employer and a number of personal coping strategies. Themes identified which had a negative impact on well-being related to high workloads and to the multiple and competing demands from service users and other agencies. Originality/value Few studies of any kind have explored the experiences and well-being of staff working in the frontline of homelessness services. This small-scale qualitative study provides a number of suggestions for further research with this population. Findings cannot be generalised but match those of other recent studies which suggest high levels of stress but little evidence of burnout, and that carefully developed workplace support mechanisms play a key role in maintaining commitment to the role and preventing burnout.

Social impact bonds in the UK homeless sector: perspectives of front-line link workers

“…In a separate paper the authors have shown how, despite performing a stressful and demanding role, link workers in this project report high levels of job satisfaction, and compared to sector averages, very few workers withdrew from the project (Rogers et al , 2020). Individuals largely attributed the satisfaction to the degree of autonomy and decision latitude which they were afforded in their role and to the ability to work long-term and intensively with a selected group of service users.…”

“…Individuals largely attributed the satisfaction to the degree of autonomy and decision latitude which they were afforded in their role and to the ability to work long-term and intensively with a selected group of service users. It was the particular way the project was set up that enabled this, and the link workers recognised that it was, to a significant degree, the SIB that afforded and enabled this project to happen (Rogers et al , 2020). These findings support existing literature about staff wellbeing and retaining a skilled and flexible workforce (Cream et al , 2020, p. 43).…”

“…The overall aim of the research project was to investigate front-line link workers’ views about the process and outcomes of the innovative Lincolnshire SIB, through a series of one-to-one interviews and a focus group. A recent publication described and assessed the general experiences and perceptions of staff in relation to this project, based on the same data (Rogers et al , 2020). This paper will focus specifically on their perceptions of the SIB funding mechanism.…”