What will you learn?
The qualification aims to provide knowledge and skills to manage and deliver person-centred and trauma-informed services that enable successful outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
It also develops understanding of the causes and context of homelessness, including related policy and legislation and how this relates to service provision, working in partnerships, managing and improving services, team management, coproduction, and professionalism, including reflective practice and CPD.
The qualification covers key aspects of homelessness service management through five compulsory units:
- Context of homelessness and homelessness services
- Managing and delivering trauma-informed homelessness services
- Partnership working in homelessness services
- Managing and improving homelessness services
- Professionalism in homelessness services
Who is it for?
This qualification is ideal if you’re currently working in a management or team leader role within homelessness services and want to build your confidence, knowledge, and skills. It’s also suitable for people working in homelessness services or related sectors who are aspiring to move into a team leader or management role in a homelessness service.
Some typical job titles this level 4 qualification aims to support entry and progression within are:
- Homelessness Service Manager/Team leader
- Outreach/Rough Sleeping Services Manager/Team leader
- Hostel/Supported Accommodation Manager/Team leader
- Housing Options Manager/Team leader
- Foodbank Manager/Team leader
- Day Centre/Drop-in Manager/Team leader
Why choose this course?
How will it benefit you?
Completing this qualification is a great way to establish yourself as a confident and effective manager, ensuring you have the knowledge, skills, and understanding to perform your role at the highest level.
With over 20 years’ experience delivering training for the homelessness sector, we have worked closely with our members, sector experts, and people with lived experience to ensure this qualification is relevant, current, and grounded in real practice. It will equip you with the understanding you need to support people experiencing homelessness and to lead teams effectively.
This qualification can help you to:
- Develop a strong understanding of the causes and consequences of homelessness, alongside the relevant policy and legal frameworks
- Gain the knowledge and skills to deliver psychologically informed, trauma‑informed, and person‑centred services
- Build confidence in managing and supporting teams, including leading change within homelessness services
- Strengthen your understanding of effective partnership working, safeguarding, and data sharing across services
- Develop your ability to manage risk and contribute to the development of organisational policies
- Apply co‑production principles, involving people with lived experience in the design and improvement of services
- Reflect on and analyse your own professional practice against recognised professional standards
- Build confidence in your practice and leadership
- Support your career development and open up opportunities for further study
How will it benefit your organisation?
This brand‑new qualification recognises the vital role of service managers and supports organisations to upskill managers to work in a strengths‑based, person‑centred way.
It can help your organisation to:
- Ensure greater consistency of standards and practice across services
- Broaden and strengthen the organisation’s knowledge base
- Demonstrate your commitment to investing in and valuing your staff
- Support staff retention, progression, and long‑term career development
This qualification also meets the new requirements of the Competence and Conduct Standard for housing managers, which comes into effect in October 2026 under the Social Housing Regulation Act.
Entry requirements
To apply for this qualification, you should:
- Be working within a housing or homelessness service in a management or team leader role, or be aspiring to move into a management role.
AND
Have completed:
- a Level 3 qualification in homelessness or housing, or
- a Level 3 qualification in a related area.
We understand that not everyone will have these prior qualifications or access to copies of achievement. If this is the case, you can complete and assessment question within the application form to demonstrate your ability to work at Level 4.
Please note that, to help us widen the impact of the funded places, we can accept one applicant per organisation.
FAQs
What information do you need for the application form?
- Why are you applying for this course? (250 words)
In your answer to this question, please explain how this course will benefit your current role and career. Given the significant time commitment, we want to understand your personal motivation to ensure your success. Demand for this course can be high so this statement is used to evaluate applications. - Your current job role and career history
To be accepted onto this course, you need at least six months of experience working in the homelessness sector in a management or team leader role. This information helps us determine whether you have the relevant work experience. - Your educational qualifications
You will need to provide evidence of a Level 3 qualification or, if you don't have this, complete a short assessment question, as outlined in the entry requirements section above. - Reasonable adjustments
We aim to make the course accessible to everyone, so we’ll ask if you need any adjustments, such as subtitles for sessions or more time to submit assignments. - Manager's details
Finally, we require confirmation that your manager approves your application and that you will receive the necessary support during the course.
How much time do I need to commit to this qualification?
It is recommended that a commitment is made between learners and their managers for a minimum of 1 hour of protected study time a day, during working hours, for the duration of the qualification.
You should allow around 6–7 hours per week for self-study, alongside attending all sessions and support sessions.
What support do I need from my organisation?
We require sign‑off from your manager to take part in the course, including agreement to provide protected study time. We also recommend that your manager checks in on your progress throughout the qualification to help ensure you receive the support you need.
Are sessions online or in-person?
All sessions will take place online.
You will need access to a laptop or PC and access to the internet to attend the training sessions and complete assignments.
When are the sessions for the July cohort?
- Induction session: Tuesday 21 July, 1.00pm–2.00pm
- Unit 1 Session 1: Wednesday 22 July, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Unit 1 Session 2: Wednesday 29 July, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Learning support session 1: Monday 3 August, 10.00am–12.00pm
- Unit 2 Session 1: Wednesday 2 September, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Unit 2 Session 2: Thursday 10 September, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Learning support session 2: Monday 14 September, 10.00am–12.00pm
- Unit 3 Session 1: Wednesday 7 October, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Unit 3 Session 2: Tuesday 13 October, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Learning support session 3: Monday 19 October, 10.00am–12.00pm
- Unit 4 Session 1: Wednesday 4 November, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Unit 4 Session 2: Tuesday 10 November, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Learning support session 4: Friday 20 November, 10.00am–12.00pm
- Unit 5 Session 1: Monday 30 November, 9.30am–4.30pm
- Learning support session 5: Wednesday 9 December, 10.00am–12.00pm
- Professional discussion sessions: 6–7 January 2027
All sessions, including the induction and support sessions, must to be attended.
I can attend every session except for the induction session, is the induction session important?
Attending the induction session is essential for your success on this course.
In the session, you will learn how to navigate your learner account and key information related to the course assignments.
Can I apply for a later cohort?
We will also be running further fully funded cohorts later this year, each with a similarly limited class size. And we intend to offer additional cohorts beyond these, although the funding arrangements for these may vary.
If you have any questions, please contact Homeless Link's Senior Qualifications Manager, Will Vaughan - call on 07949 892 368 or email qualifications@homelesslink.org.uk.
I'm from a large organisation, can several people from my organisation apply?
For this cohort, we’re accepting one applicant per organisation so we can share the fully funded places as widely as possible.
If your organisation has multiple interested staff, they are very welcome to apply for future cohorts later in the year.
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