Advice and advocacy coordinator jobs in Birmingham
How's your job search on our site?
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Virtual Casework Coordinator to join the Casework and Community Engagement Team at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.
About the role
You will be responsible for the efficient daily operations of the Virtual Casework Office. You will be working collaboratively with SSAFA colleagues and volunteers across all Regional Offices to ensure SSAFA beneficiaries receive a consistent, timely, and high-quality service.
You will be responsible for providing specialist administrative support, working closely with SSAFA Regional Offices, this will include supporting the volunteer network including our highly trained caseworkers, particularly with completion of cases.
This role will be key in supporting regions transitioning to our new digital platform, stepping in where extra help is needed.
About the team
The team operates within a "virtual" office and will assist in the rollout of the Network Delivery Project (NDP) across all regions. The successful candidate will join a support team that includes two virtual casework coordinators, under the guidance of the Virtual Casework Manager.
All team members are homebased.
About you
To carry out this role successfully you will have a track record of providing welfare advice in key areas such as, housing benefits, debt, disability, mobility or immigration issues. You will have knowledge of safeguarding and GDPR and experience in dealing with sensitive information and people in vulnerable situations. You will be able to provide excellent customer service by telephone, e-mail and face to face. You will have used Microsoft Office 365 to a high standard. It is important that you have experience of planning and managing your own workload, with minimal supervision.
It would be advantageous if you have an understanding of the way of life for today’s Armed Forces, veterans and their families and if you have experience of recruiting and supporting volunteers. An understanding of the voluntary sector and preferably the military charity sector would be valuable.
About SSAFA
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for the Armed Forces community in their time of need. In 2023 our trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 53,000 people, including veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves) and their families.
SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person and their family, any time they need us and in any way they need us.
Diversity and Inclusion at SSAFA
SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.
SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.
Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 22 March 2025. SSAFA reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Interviews: TBC
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
Hours: A minimum of three days per week up to full time
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home-based with occasional travel to our office in Vauxhall, London (approximately four times per year), occasional travel to visit projects and approximately two overnight stays per year
Reports to: Head of Marketing, Communications and Fundraising.
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice brings together communities and finds solutions to homelessness by building personal connections, a sense of belonging, and creating justice in the housing system. We train and support volunteers to offer various accommodation options while building a network of local support. This includes providing personalised assistance to help individuals access relevant local services and address their other needs. Through compassionate, courageous, and collaborative action, we implement innovative solutions to tackle housing injustice, enhance the quality of housing, and elevate the voices and experiences of groups affected by housing injustice to both local and national governments. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognise the value of lived experience of homelessness.
About your role
This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled Fundraising Co-ordinator to join the Marketing, Communications and Fundraising team at Housing Justice.As Fundraising Co-ordinator, you will identify both statutory and grant funding opportunities to fund our projects, and craft compelling bids and proposals that clearly articulate our vision, services, and value to commissioners and funders. You will also be responsible for applying for relevant accreditations to support your applications and will have experience of building corporate partnerships.
Please note that we do not accept CVs or applications that are not submitted using our standard application form..
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are looking for someone experienced, proactive, organised and confident in delivering on tasks. Someone who values collaboration, co-production and working in a culture rooted in trust, flexibility and compassion.
This is an opportunity to provide trauma-informed, gender-sensitive casework support with women impacted by their own or someone else’s gambling who are experiencing complex and intersecting challenges including mental health difficulties, debt, homelessness, relationship breakdown, neurodiversity, coercive control, isolation and safeguarding risks.
The role provides longer-term, structured support and advocacy, primarily online and by telephone, helping women stabilise, rebuild safety, access services and strengthen resilience.
This role requires high emotional literacy, strong boundaries, and safe risk management within a multi-agency framework.
Key Responsibilities
Intensive Casework Support
- Provide structured 1:1 support to women with complex needs.
- Develop collaborative support plans with clear goals and review points.
- Provide safety planning where risk is identified.
- Support women navigating debt, housing, legal and safeguarding systems.
- Facilitate access to specialist services (mental health, housing, domestic abuse, financial advice, substance misuse, etc.).
- Support women experiencing homelessness risk, including advocacy with local authorities and housing providers.
- Maintain ongoing contact over medium-to-longer term support journeys (as agreed in service model).
Risk Assessment & Safeguarding
- Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
- Conduct proportionate risk screening and escalate concerns to DSL.
- Work in accordance with safeguarding policy.
- Maintain awareness of suicide risk indicators and escalate appropriately.
- Record safeguarding actions accurately and promptly.
Advocacy & Systems Navigation
- Advocate on behalf of women with external agencies where appropriate.
- Support women in understanding rights and entitlements.
- Attend multi-agency meetings (online) where required.
- Work collaboratively with associate counsellors when women are accessing therapy.
Trauma-Informed & Gender-Sensitive Practice
- Deliver support grounded in trauma-informed principles.
- Recognise impact of shame, stigma and gender-based inequality.
- Understand intersection of gambling harm with coercive control, domestic abuse, and financial exploitation.
- Maintain non-judgemental, strengths-based approach.
- Respect women’s autonomy and lived experience.
Record Keeping & Data
- Maintain accurate case notes in our CRM system.
- Complete outcome measures as required.
- Contribute to monitoring and evaluation processes.
- Maintain confidentiality in line with GDPR and safeguarding frameworks.
Professional Boundaries
- Participate in supervision and reflective practice.
- Escalate complex clinical risk appropriately.
Working Relationships
Internal:
Service Manager
Peer Support Coordinators
Associate Counsellors
Operational Manager (for data compliance)
External:
Housing services
Debt advice agencies
Mental health services
Domestic abuse services
Local authorities
Primary Care and GP services
Voluntary sector partners
Person Specification
Essential Education & Qualifications
- Level 3 or Level 4 qualification in:
- Health & Social Care
- Counselling Skills
- Community Work
- Social Care
- Or equivalent relevant field
- Safeguarding Level 3 (or willingness to obtain)
- Understanding of trauma-informed practice
Desirable Qualifications
- Level 4 Diploma in Counselling
- Domestic Abuse awareness training
- Suicide prevention training (ASIST or equivalent)
- Debt, welfare or housing training
- Mental health awareness qualifications
- Neurodiversity
Essential Experience
- Minimum 2 years experience supporting women with complex needs.
- Experience working with individuals experiencing:
- Mental health challenges
- Financial hardship or debt
- Housing instability or homelessness risk
- Isolation or social exclusion
- Experience working remotely (online/phone support).
- Experience multi-agency working.
- Experience risk management and safeguarding escalation.
Desirable Experience
- working with gambling harm.
- supporting family members impacted by addiction.
- working within women-only services.
- working with domestic and financial abuse.
- experience of advocacy and case coordination roles.
- experience of supporting women who identify as neurodiverse
Skills & Competencies
- Strong relational skills.
- Ability to hold distress without rescuing.
- Clear professional boundaries.
- Excellent written case recording.
- Emotional resilience.
- Good digital literacy.
- Ability to work autonomously within structured supervision.
- Understanding of intersectionality and inequality.
Trauma-Informed & Gender-Sensitive Expectations
Postholder must:
- Understand the impact of shame and secrecy in gambling harm.
- Recognise coercive financial control.
- Be sensitive to caring roles and stigma.
- Work at pace appropriate to trauma recovery.
- Avoid deficit-based language.
- Recognise cultural and structural barriers affecting women.
Please note: This post is open to women only as a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Our current operational days are Tue-Thurs with potential evening work and appointments outside of these days. This is a remote role however applicants must be based within the UK.
Working with thrivin’ together
· Application deadline: Tuesday 31 March 12 noon 2026
· Provisional Interview date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
We stand alongside women impacted by their own or someone else’s gambling and create space for healing, connection and confidence.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.