Working at a Housing Service Centre (HSC)
Staff who work at a Housing Service Centre deliver frontline services to Queenslanders in housing need.
Through Housing Service Centres across Queensland, HSC staff are our main contact points with customers. They connect them to information, options and support services to meet their housing needs.
HSC staff work with customers to develop a plan that empowers them to improve their whole-of-life wellbeing and achieve safe, secure and sustainable housing.
Our work aims to reduce the barriers many Queenslanders face to access safe, secure and affordable housing and helps create pathways for them to achieve housing independence.
We're recruiting!
We’re growing our teams to support more Queenslanders with housing. Find out about the jobs available on SmartJobs.
Watch this video to hear from staff who work at Housing Service Centres.
Show transcript
Angus: We definitely do have that feeling of making a difference in people's lives. Getting to watch people move into a property, sort of make it their own home.
They might have been homeless for however long or never really had a place that they're able to call them their own, and getting to assist them along the way, it’s a very good feeling.
Sarah: I’m a RentConnect officer. I generally deal with private housing products, and that's a number of different products we have to help people.
The feeling I get coming into work and knowing I'm having that positive difference to people's lives has been fantastic. It makes me feel like I'm doing a lot more.
Josias: Working for the Department of Housing, you get a lot of opportunities. If you work for one role, you don't just work for that for the entire time. There's always an opportunity for you to grow.
Angus: Never a dull day, always busy. It's that initial point for customers to come in, get access to all our services, whether that's our RentConnect services or want to apply for government social housing.
Josias: Working as a Housing Officer, there is always a lot of challenges, but there's always a support.
Sarah: So, there's a real proactive approach in the office and I like that, it's a real sense of working together.
Angus: I think the work is challenging. There's plenty of people I know I could go debrief with after a tough interaction or a tough situation.
Sarah: It's a great environment, we get customers from all walks of life, so you'll meet very interesting people. It's really good to hear their stories, their history, their background, what they've been through
and then be able to get a really great outcome for them.
Josias: I love helping people, and working for the department and this role, that's what I love most.
Being an Occupational Therapist (OT) in Housing
For an Occupational Therapist, Housing is a great place to work.
OTs in housing support customers with a disability, long-term health condition or who are ageing, to access and sustain suitable housing. Customers are supported to remain independent and safe in their homes.
OTs are based in most Housing Service Centres in Queensland. Whether it’s working with colleagues to find out more about a customer's situation, visiting the home of a tenant to understand their needs or working with local tradespeople to oversee home modifications, every day is different.
As an OT in housing, you can:
- organise your own schedule
- receive professional supervision and development from Senior OTs
- be part of a state-wide OT network
- work with tenants who really appreciate what you do for them
- have flexibility and variety in your day
- be creative and problem solve!
Read about our OTs in Housing:
- Rosh supports people with complex needs in Logan
- Jasmine helps social housing tenants in Maroochydore
- Hollie travels by small plane, helicopter or boat to help tenants in the Torres Strait Islands
Watch OT Jasmine at work in Maroochydore.
Show transcript
[Jenneclair, Simon’s sister, speaking]
Simon's been here now for 15 days and in those 15 days, I've seen a huge change.
He's up at the crack of dawn. He’s up, he’s moving, he gets himself ready, comes out, makes a cuppa, feeds Tom, looks after Tom.
Those things were things he wasn't doing easily in the old house at all.
[Simon speaking through iPad]
I love that I can get in and out of my house easily. It is all on the flat.
I have access to all areas of my home easily.
[Jenneclair]
Our father had passed away a couple of years ago and Simon wanted to stay living in the family home. He'd been there for 47 years, didn't want to move.
He also then got his power chair, which increased his independence. And we discovered that the house wasn't suitable with that, with the power chair and he made the decision that he would be prepared to move.
[Simon speaking through iPad]
I love the wide hallway and open plan design.
I love that I can get into my kitchen and up to my sink. I'm looking forward to doing lots of cooking in my new kitchen.
[Jenneclair]
You can put your things in the sink quite easily now, too, can’t you?
[Simon speaking]
Yeah. Yep.
[Jenneclair]
He wanted a home that was going to be easily accessible, one that he could get, you know, get into the laundry and do his own laundry. He wanted to do that but couldn't.
[Simon speaking through iPad]
I love the path to the washing line. So, now doing my own laundry will be so much easier for me.
[Jenneclair]
Housing were excellent in being able to listen to Simon's needs and what Simon was wanting.
[Simon speaking through iPad]
I love the location. I'm close to the shops and will be able to go and get things I need on my own. I don't need to ask others to go and get things for me.
[Jenneclair]
He's got a new lease, definitely got a new lease on life. Really!
[Simon speaking through iPad]
I love that I can be independent.
I can do it.