Advisor Caseworker Jobs in London, Greater London
About us:
The Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London (RAMFEL) is one of the largest immigration and asylum advice charities in the UK, supporting refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants to access justice. An OISC level 3 accredited organisation, we represent clients at all stages of the immigration and asylum process, up to and including the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
We also actively campaign for a fairer and more humane immigration system. RAMFEL caseworkers therefore have the opportunity to work on systemic and strategic challenges and support broader advocacy work.
We particularly welcome and encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals, and those who are migrants or refugees, and who have lived experience of the impact of UK immigration policy and/or of rough sleeping.
Purpose of the role:
The purpose of the role is to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The focus of the legal work is on non-legal aid funded matters, supporting people who otherwise have no access to legal advice and support. There will be particular focus on working with people who are facing a crisis, providing legal representation and support that will take them out of destitution.
This is a vacant position being filled as a replacement. The role gives an opportunity to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The focus of the role is on supporting people who otherwise have no access to legal advice and support.
We will primarily consider applications with relevant legal experience. Qualifications needed are OISC level 2/3 or Solicitor with IAAS accreditation.
Relationships: This post will report to the Rough Sleeping Casework Manager
Contract duration: Fixed term until 31 March 2025
Hours of work: The role is primarily a full-time position, requiring 37.5 hours per week. However, for the right candidate, we may consider accommodating part-time working hours. Given the nature of RAMFEL’s work, there may be instances where the Supervisor will need to exceed the standard hours. In such cases, compensatory time off can be arranged with the line manager
Specific Responsibilities
Case management
- Manage own caseload, working to advance the best interests of the client
- Adhere to standards set out by OISC/SRA and AQS to deliver high-quality advice
- Provide representation and advice up to OISC level 2/3.
- Engage with the Line Manager to create and follow a training plan to ensure compliance with OISC CPD, keeping up to date with changes in law, policy and guidance to ensure clients receive accurate and high-quality advice
- Liaise directly with the UKVI and related governmental agencies
- Complete forms, letters and immigration applications
- Liaise with and refer clients to Legal Aid Solicitors or other advisers, as appropriate
- Manage clients’ expectations by discussing deadlines, outcomes and timing
- Deliver legal advice outreach surgeries/drop in as and when required
- Progress cases in a timely manner in line with regulatory requirements.
- Implement organisational priorities into day-to-day casework.
Person Specification
Education/qualifications
- Ideally candidates must be Solicitors with IAAS Level 2 with at least 1-year immigration experience or OISC level 2/3 qualified
- If OISC level 1, the candidate will be expected to initially work under supervision completing level 2 work and qualifying at level 2 within 6 months. (Training is provided and study leave is accommodated.) Upon obtaining a higher level of accreditation, the candidate’s salary will increase in line with RAMFEL pay scales.
- IAAS level 2 caseworkers (non-solicitor) will be considered but if appointed must be prepared to work under supervision and qualify at level 1 within 6 months. (Training is provided and study leave is accommodated) Upon obtaining a higher level of accreditation, the candidate’s salary will increase in line with RAMFEL pay scales.
Experience/knowledge
- Experience in providing high-quality advice and representation to clients
- A good understanding of law and policy as it relates to immigration and asylum
- Experience in professional, independent, and impartial service delivery to the public
- Experience in maintaining a caseload of cases in line with OISC requirements in relation to the conduct of cases, file management and supervision
- Knowledge of and empathy with the backgrounds and experiences of asylum seekers, rough sleepers and vulnerable migrants
- Experience in using client databases
- Experience working with interpreters supporting clients with complex matters
Application process
We will only be shortlisting candidates who have submitted a CV and a cover letter explaining why they are applying for the role.
The interview consists of an interview, followed by a written exercise (45 min).
Interviews will take place during the week beginning 3rd June 2024.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Hours: Full time, Mon to Fri, (37.5 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Based at CAML offices in Mitcham and Morden and outreach locations. The post-holder may be required to work anywhere in South London
Salary: £29,930 - £33,256 dependent on experience
Annual Leave: 25 days, Charity Day, plus public holidays
Pension: The charity operates a pension scheme
The charity offers an employee assistance programme
Deadline: 6pm, Sunday 2nd June 2024
Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) is the leading advice charity supporting individuals and families primarily across the London boroughs of Lambeth and Merton but also wider London. We provide a range of information, support and advice services. We also work to raise awareness and understanding of the challenging issues affecting our clients and communities.
We are looking for an experienced Adviser/Caseworker or Supervisor to join our team in this new role. If you are passionate about supporting individuals and families in need, relish supporting valued team members to reach their potential, have minimum of one year Citizens Advice Adviser (post certification) experience, are a natural team leader, enjoy delivering training and are interested in joining a dedicated professional team we would love to hear from you.
This role will support people with mental health difficulties referred by South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) as part of their Community Transformation Programme. The service will support adults aged 18 years and over living in Merton who are experiencing mental health challenges and the carers of those individuals.
You will deliver a service providing advice for people that are referred from the Trust’s Single Point of Access (SPA) and other teams. You will manage an active caseload of people, providing a comprehensive advice and casework service to people experiencing mental health issues on issues such as benefits, income maximisation, debt and housing.
The service will also support people to access a range of opportunities in their community including services that support their social and emotional well-being, employment and volunteering opportunities and money and debt advice if needed.
The role will work in partnership with a team of health professionals and peer support workers, part of the role will be in supporting these professionals to identify where referrals are appropriate through feedback. Initial training will also be provided to all professionals on what outcomes we can achieve for service users.
Principal Responsibilities
Advice and casework
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Offer one off advice and casework (as applicable) to all clients referred via face to face appointments, online or telephone
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Ensure all clients are aware of the purpose and where to attend their appointment
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Ensure that all casework conforms to the Citizens Advice quality standards.
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Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
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Ensure that all work conforms to our systems and procedures.
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Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities.
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Being sensitive to clients’ needs and limitations to access support.
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Ensure income maximisation through the appropriate take up of income and application for discounts, including those relating to utilities, benefits, tax and housing.
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Provide full budgeting advice and where necessary refer for specialist debt advice and casework
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Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions. Act for the client where necessary using appropriate communication skills and channels.
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Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other adviser/s (for example DRO intermediary) or specialist agencies as appropriate.
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Ensure that all work conforms to Financial Conduct Authority standards, the Advice Quality Standard and the requirements of the funder.
Project Management, co-ordination and partnerships
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Attend health management meetings (e.g. the Daily Integrated Allocations Meeting (DIAM) for referral discussions)
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Establish and manage an effective referral process from the SPA team and other SWLSTG teams/roles (e.g. Older Peoples Mental Health Team OPMH
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Keep in touch with local issues, developments and changes in procedures of other agencies including SWLSTG, other health service and the local authority.
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Build relationships with peer support workers on the project
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Work to achievable targets in line with the criteria set by the funder.
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Refer clients to other advice services CAML offers and/or other local services for other associated issues e.g immigration advice
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Gather statistics and feedback in order to monitor and evaluate the service, ensuring that appropriate monitoring and data collection mechanisms are in place to demonstrate impact, outputs and outcomes and providing reports as required to the steering group, funders, and partners.
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Work with Head of Advice Services to produce reports and monitoring information about the service for the funder.
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Ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
Capacity Building and Training
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Deliver information sessions for peer support workers and NHS mental health teams to share knowledge about mental health and advice
Research & Campaigns
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Have responsibility for tracking and reporting on research and campaign issues. Assist with policy work by providing information about clients' circumstances.
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Gather and provide as necessary information about clients circumstances, case studies and statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases where is an issue.
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Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group.
Professional Development
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Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training
Other duties and responsibilities
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Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
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Ensure wider Citizens Advice Merton & Lambeth colleagues/partners aware of this service.
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Demonstrate commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service.
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Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
Person Specification
Essential
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Experience of supporting people with mental health issues and the ability to empathise, and to deliver advice in a kind and compassionate way.
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A minimum of a year’s post certificate experience in delivering advice at a local Citizens Advice or similar.
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Understanding of the link between mental health and other protected characteristics particularly in the context of Merton demographics
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Ability to act on clients behalf and negotiate with external services where necessary in writing and on the telephone
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Knowledge, experience of, and demonstrable ability to provide good quality advice and casework and write ups that meet Advice Quality Standards (AQS)
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Ability to prioritise own work, meet deadlines and manage caseload.
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Good interpersonal and communication skills, verbally and in writing.
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Proven ability to build relationships with partners.
Desirable
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Experience working in partnership with the Health Sector
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Ability to deliver training
This job description and personal specification does not form part of any contract.
Professional Development
The successful applicant will receive comprehensive induction to the charity and our work. We support team members in their professional development to ensure we’re up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to benefits and debt and undertake appropriate training as agreed with your line manager.
If you’re interested in the role and joining us, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please follow the link to our website for more information and to find out how to apply. The deadline for applications is 6pm, Sunday 2nd June 2024. If you do not hear from us, we are afraid your application was unsuccessful.
We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and will process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Please refer to our online Privacy Policy for more information on how your personal data will be processed and stored.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Salary: £51,100 – 58,000 gross per annum at 1.0 FTE, or pro rata equivalent if part-time.
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Working pattern: 1.0 FTE (37.5 hrs per week), or 0.9 or 0.8 FTE. Flexible working requests will be considered.
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Contract: permanent with a 6 month probationary period
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Team: UK Legal Team
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Location: This role can be hybrid, or office based with the ability to attend ad hoc events and away days in person.
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Reporting to: CEO
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Management responsibilities: Currently 6 Immigration Lawyers/Immigration Casework Supervisors
Safe Passage International (SPI) is recruiting a Head of UK Legal Team to lead our ground-breaking legal work in the UK. The UK Legal team works to ensure that safe routes exist for all people seeking asylum. The team specialises in providing free legal advice and representation to unaccompanied children and families seeking asylum in the UK.
The Head of UK Legal Team will be a UK-based qualified solicitor or barrister or OISC Level 3 accredited caseworker or IAAS Supervising Senior caseworker with experience of working within the UK in a legal capacity, specifically in the area of asylum, immigration and refugee family reunion.
Reporting directly to the CEO, you will lead a high performing team of immigration lawyers, casework supervisors, and caseworkers. You will drive the development and delivery of our legal strategy in the UK; supervise all UK legal casework; lead our litigation strategy; develop good practices of line management and regulatory compliance within the team; and lead legal policy work by collaborating closely with colleagues within the UK, France and Greece to create a cohesive, powerful, cross-border legal response and framework.
You will also work closely with the Heads of SPI Greece and France, our International Safeguarding and Protection Manager, Experts by Experience Consultants, and Safe Passage Young Leaders to shape our legal function.
This is a vital role within the senior leadership team of a young and dynamic organisation. We are looking for an experienced leader with a strong strategic vision, an ambitious outlook for our legal work, and a creative and initiative-taking approach to leading and managing our UK legal team.Experience in a similar role would be welcome, but this could also be your first paid position in the charity sector, or you could be returning to work after time out.
We value equity and diversity in our organisation and are striving to build a workforce reflective of the communities we work with. We encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, working ages, genders, sex, sexual orientations, faiths (or non), marital status (or non) and pregnancy status. We also have full flexible working policies to support people with disabilities and caring responsibilities. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply.
As a refugee charity, we offer a guaranteed interview for people with lived experience of seeking asylum who meet most of the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification. If you have first-hand experience of applying for asylum in any country, please let us know in your application.
We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to.
If you are excited by this role and working at Safe Passage but do not have all the experience you think is needed, we would encourage you to apply anyway and contact us for an informal chat beforehand to discuss why you would like to apply for the role and what skills or experiences you think are relevant.
If you would like to arrange this, please visit the How to apply guide for more information on this.
How do I apply?
Please read the full Job Description & Person Specification and our ‘How to Apply Guide’ below.
The ‘How to Apply Guide’ asks candidates to submit a CV and Cover Letter answering five specific questions linked to the Person Specification. Applications can be submitted via email in written form or as digital audio or video files.
Closing date: Sunday 16th June 2024 at 11.59 pm.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Salary: £34,650 - £42,500 gross per annum at 1.0 FTE
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Working pattern: 1.0 FTE (37.5 hrs per week), or 0.9 or 0.8 FTE. Flexible working requests will be considered.
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Contract: 1 x permanent with a 6 months probationary period and 2 x fixed-term for 12 months
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Team: UK Legal Team
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Location: This role can be hybrid, or office based. At a minimum, candidates will be required to work from the London office at least 2 days a week, as well as be able to attend ad hoc events and away days in person.
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Reporting to: Head of UK Legal
Safe Passage International (SPI) is recruiting three Immigration Lawyers and/or Immigration Caseworker Supervisors (one permanent, two fixed-term) to join our UK Legal Team. We are looking for enthusiastic, experienced and motivated individuals to join the UK Legal and Arrivals Team in its invaluable and ground-breaking work to ensure that safe routes to sanctuary exist and are accessible for all people seeking asylum.
As an Immigration Lawyer/ Immigration Caseworker Supervisor in the UK Legal Team, you will run a caseload of complex family reunion entry clearance applications and appeals, you will also supervise cases of colleagues and pro bono solicitors and volunteers, if appropriate. You will be supported by colleagues in the UK Legal team and work in close collaboration with colleagues in SPI France and Greece as well as with professionals in relevant external organisations.
You will be determined and committed to delivery high quality legal casework supporting asylum seeking children to reunite with family members in the UK. You will be attentive to detail, flexible, efficient and able to work independently and under supervision as part of a small and dynamic team. You will be eager to contribute to the overall missions and values of Safe Passage International and to work collaboratively with other teams in this international and multi-disciplinary organisation.
We value equity and diversity in our organisation, and are striving to build a workforce reflective of the communities we work with. We encourage applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, faiths, disabilities, and marital or pregnancy status. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply.
We are looking for good immigration casework experience, as detailed in the Person Specification. Experience in a similar role is welcome, but this could also be your first paid position in the charity sector, or you could be returning to work after time out. This position will have a dedicated training budget and you will be supported to grow and develop within your role.
As a refugee charity, we offer a guaranteed interview for people with direct lived experience of seeking asylum who meet most of the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification. If you have first-hand experience of applying for asylum in any country, please let us know in your application.
We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to.
If you are excited by this role and working at Safe Passage but do not have all the experience you think is needed, please visit the job advert on our wesbite for contact details.
How do I apply?
For more information on how to apply, please visit our website to reqad the Job Description & Person Specification alongside the How to Apply Guide.
Closing date: Sunday 26th May at 11.59 pm.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.