Advocate jobs

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?  

Do you have experience of working or volunteering in welfare, support or health and social care and are looking for a new challenge? 

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard? 

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility. 

Due to the success of our delivery we are looking for Advocates to join our team in the North Ayrshire area. We are seeking applicants who have transferable skills, a willingness to learn and a desire to help those in need of support.

About us 

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations. 

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website. 

About the role 

This is an exciting opportunity for Advocates to join and shape this service covering North Ayrshire area. Your role will require you to travel to locations such as clients’ homes and within community settings across the area to meet with clients and professionals. You will be home based for administration; therefore, access to your own transportation and a suitable home internet connection is essential.

About you 

Desirably you will have some experience of working in advocacy, or providing welfare, supporting, or caring for Adults who have support needs, ideally for those with a variety of communication needs, mental ill health, physical health issues, or barriers to accessing support. 

You should have worked or volunteered in health, social care, welfare, support services, education or young person’s services, or advice and guidance.

How will you make a difference? 

You will be responsible for ensuring the individual’s wishes, feelings, beliefs, needs, and values are met to create positive outcomes for the people you support. 

You will support people to speak up for themselves and grow in confidence, equip them to understand and exercise their rights and options, and will assist them in the decision-making process relating to their care, treatment, and support. 

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively with the individuals you support.You’ll be creative in your approach to empower our clients by ensuring you meaningfully explain people’s options and rights to them.You’ll support individuals to fully participate in decisions affecting them and will make sure they have their voices heard.  

Benefits  

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service  

5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution  

Salary sacrifices pension scheme  

Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)  

Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc  

24/7 Employee Assistance programme  

Access to remote counselling service  

Paid Disability Leave  

Paid compassionate Leave  

Home Working Allowance   

Flexible working 

   

   

How are staff supported to work remotely?  

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.  

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).   

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach.  

Equality and Diversity 

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential. 

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. If you need to apply in a different way, please contact HR for further options. 

How to apply 

To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account by clicking the apply button on this page. Follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form.  

Important Dates: 

Closing date for applications; Midnight on 14 May 2026, however, VoiceAbility reserve the right to withdraw this vacancy before this date. 

Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification. 

Hint: you can use work, personal and/or voluntary experiences, and examples to tell us why you should be our next Advocate. 

Senior Specialist Advocate

Supporting parents with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent needs
London (with travel across London and surrounding boroughs)
15–35 hours per week (flexible, subject to service need)
£31,044 pro rata | Permanent

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with The Elfrida Society to recruit a Senior Specialist Advocate to join their dedicated advocacy team. This is a rare opportunity to play a senior, practice-focused role within a respected, user-led charity with over 100 years of history supporting adults, parents and families with learning disabilities and neurodivergent needs.

About The Elfrida Society
The Elfrida Society is a values-driven organisation committed to rights, inclusion and social justice. Their independent advocacy services ensure that people who face systemic barriers are heard, respected and supported to influence decisions that affect their lives - particularly within social care, health, education and legal systems.

About the role
This is a senior advocacy role focused on supporting parents with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent needs. You will lead complex and sensitive cases, work confidently across multi-agency environments, and help shape high-quality advocacy practice within the service.
You'll balance direct advocacy with contributing to service development, reflective practice and informal support for colleagues, helping to strengthen an already well-respected service.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading complex advocacy cases, including safeguarding, care planning, housing, health and legal processes
• Providing independent, person-centred advocacy using accessible communication and supported decision-making
• Preparing for and attending multi-agency meetings, case conferences and reviews
• Maintaining high-quality, accurate case records and working within safeguarding frameworks
• Contributing to quality improvement and best practice across the advocacy service

About you
You'll be an experienced advocate who is confident working autonomously, values reflective practice, and is deeply committed to empowerment and anti-oppressive approaches.

You will bring:

• A Level 4 Qualification in Advocacy (or equivalent)
• Experience supporting people with learning disabilities and neurodivergent needs
• Good knowledge of the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, Equality Act and safeguarding frameworks
• Strong communication skills, including making information accessible
• The ability to manage complex caseloads independently

Experience working with parents, safeguarding cases or mentoring colleagues is welcomed but not essential.

What's on offer
The Elfrida Society places real value on staff wellbeing and professional support. Benefits include:

• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• Occupational sick pay
• Regular clinical supervision and reflective practice
• Ongoing training and development
• Flexible working where possible
• Travel expenses reimbursed (outside of to and from work)
• A supportive, collaborative and values-led culture

How to apply
Applications from people with lived experience of disability, neurodiversity and social disadvantage are warmly encouraged. Please contact Abi with a copy of your CV.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Job Title: Advocate

Service: Warrington

Reporting to: Children’s Rights Manager

Salary: £12,239.50 (£24,479 FTE)

Location: Home based and work within the communities (Candidates must reside within a reasonable distance of the service area).

Hours: 17.5 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About Coram Voice

Coram Voice is a national independent children’s charity, established in 1975, and one of the UK’s leading organisations championing the rights of children and young people in care. We ensure their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon, and we work every day to improve the lives and outcomes of those who rely on the support of the state.

We are excited to offer an opportunity for an Advocate to join ourdedicated team supporting children and young people in Warrington.

About the role

As an Advocate, you will:

• Deliver high-quality advocacy for children and young people in line with organisational guidelines, legislation and contract requirements.
• Provide direct advocacy support face-to-face and virtually
• Ensure children and young people understand their rights and options and are supported to agree outcomes/action plans.
• Represent and amplify young people’s views in decision-making about their lives
• Maintain accurate case records and contribute to data/reporting,
• Promote best practice, equality and safeguarding values: challenge discrimination, maintain confidentiality (GDPR), follow health & safety, and contribute to CPD/training and wider organisational learning.

If you are passionate about, young people’s rights, and meaningful, lasting change, this role could be perfect for you.

What We Offer

Coram Voice is committed to recognising and rewarding the vital work of our staff. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Competitive salary
• Matched pension contributions (up to 5%)
• 25 days’ annual leave plus 3 additional paid days between Christmas and New Year
• Supportive, flexible working culture
• Family friendly policies and a focus on staff wellbeing

You will have the opportunity to make a genuine difference—every single day.

Recruitment Process

Shortlisting:
Conducted by Emma Keen, Children’s Rights Manager, and Sarah Gabriel, Children’s Rights Manager.

How to Apply:
Applications must be submitted through our portal.
Please complete the full application form and address every point in the person specification.
We cannot accept CVs.
Internal applicants may submit a supporting statement addressing the person specification.

Interview Process:

• Written exercise
• Panel interview
• A further one‑to‑one interview (Warner compliant)

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 1st June 2026, 9am

Interview Date: Thursday 4th June 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

Healthwatch

Healthwatch was set up in 2013 to champion the rights of health and social care users and hold the health and social care system to account for how well it engages with the public. Its remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.

Healthwatch’s remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.

The Advocacy Project delivers Healthwatch services in Kensington & Chelsea, Brent and Westminster – three of 152 local Healthwatch organisations. We’re building on the important work that’s been done to date, while bringing new insights from the voices of seldom heard and radicalised communities.

Future of Healthwatch

There are plans to abolish the local Healthwatch network with the implementation of the new NHS 10-year plan and NHS Bill. However, we are committed to delivering the best service for residents until that time and build a strong, lasting legacy.

About the role

The role is to lead the work of Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea, working with a small skilled staff team and a range of volunteers and other community stakeholders. In particular, you will share our commitment to embed user engagement and community development at the heart of the Healthwatch service model, empowering user voices and improving access to health services.  We are looking for someone who can bring a thorough understanding of the health system and project management with the ability to deliver results quickly including  leading on the planning and delivery of targeted projects, supporting a diverse and varied engagement programme, and building relationships with a range of strategic partners. The Healthwatch Manager (Kensington & Chelsea) also takes the lead on managing our local Advisory Board.  You will work closely with the Healthwatch teams in Westminster and Brent.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea’s work conforms to all required principles, objectives and statutory obligations, and meets all contractual requirements between The Advocacy Project and RBKC Council. 
• Manage and motivate a small staff team to deliver an effective and vibrant local Healthwatch.
• Provide leadership to make sure the patient and public voice is heard across health, social care, children’s and other sectors in a continuously changing external environment. 
• Support the effective working of the Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea Advisory Board.
• Ensure local communities are able to participate fully in our work, particularly those that are least likely to have had their voices listened to. Support these communities in influencing local and national policy. 
• Represent Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea at strategic governance and external meetings with key stakeholders, liaising with nominated Board leads regularly.
• Develop the service to respond to emerging trends and needs, keeping abreast of Healthwatch England best practice to continually enhance the quality of the service.
• Monitor the service to make sure it delivers to time, budget and quality; provide reports evidencing this to key stakeholders, including local commissioners, Healthwatch Advisory Board, the Bi-borough Health and Wellbeing Board and Healthwatch England.
• Develop effective partnerships with key staff in health and social care services.
• Work with the communications and engagement lead to make sure all relevant internal and external stakeholders receive relevant, timely and up-to-date communication about all Healthwatch projects.
• Work with the Healthwatch Service Manager and Head of Business Development to identify opportunities for funding additional work which will add value to our Healthwatch services.

General responsibilities

• Participate in team meetings, training and organisational development.
• Contribute to monitoring reports.
• Keep to our policies, including health & safety, safeguarding and risk regulations.
• Work to our mission, vision, and values.
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, in line with the changing local and national landscape and carry out other projects and tasks as needed.

Person specification

Essential

• Excellent knowledge of and experience of working with the health and social care system and the voluntary and community sector. 
• Thorough understanding of user engagement, community development, user involvement and co-production principles and practice.
• Experience of working with diverse communities and tackling discrimination and inequality.
• Understanding of the public health challenges in Kensington & Chelsea.
• Experience of managing team members.
• Experience of contract management and compliance.
• Excellent communications (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Effective in working with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from trustees, commissioners, partners, colleagues and local residents.
• Able to interpret complex information and deal effectively with competing interests and challenging situations.
• Excellent organisational skills who can work on their own initiative and plan and prioritise your own workload.
• Experience of working with a budget.
• Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project and Healthwatch code of conduct, equality and safeguarding policies.
• Willingness to attend further training as appropriate and to adopt new procedures.
• Willingness to promote Healthwatch and The Advocacy Project in line with our mission, vision and values.

Desirable

• Evidence of ongoing personal development and training. 
• Experience of working with senior managers in public sector bodies.
• Experience of developing ideas for new areas of work. 
• Experience of working directly with volunteers

Position: Community Voice Officer

Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Hours: 25 hours to be taken between Mon – Fri, one day working from home, other days expected to be in the community or office

Salary: £30,000 pro rata; 5% pension contribution, 33 days of annual leave entitlement (inclusive of bank holidays) pro rata

 Reportable to: Healthwatch Manager

Direct reports: None

Job Purpose

Healthwatch Barnsley (hosted by Barnsley CVS), is going through an exciting redesign to enable community voices to have even greater impact on the current strategies and developments in Barnsley.  The Community Engagement Officer role is an impactful and rewarding opportunity to join the Healthwatch Barnsley Team as we navigate upcoming changes introduced through the new NHS 10 Year Plan and the forthcoming Health Bill.  This role will ensure that the voices of Barnsley residents remain central as we work towards building a health and social care system that is fit for the future.

You will use your excellent interpersonal skills and creativity to gather feedback on Barnsley priorities, ensuring residents’ views shape local projects and developments contributing to Barnsley’s vision as the “Place of Possibilities”.

Working with Barnsley CVS and other established third-sector organisations you will identify new ways to reach under-represented or seldom-heard communities and strengthen how their voices inform local decision-making. You will collaborate with the wider Healthwatch team to support a strong, credible and independent voice within Barnsley’s strategic boards, helping to create a genuinely “Listening Borough”.

By capturing residents’ experiences and feeding them back to services you will contribute to a continuous feedback loop that empowers communities, builds trust and encourages ongoing participation in future engagement activities.

Key focus areas you could be working on include topics such as system-wide shifts

· Hospital to Community

· Analogue to Digital

· Sickness to Prevention

· Health on the high street

· The Barnsley 2040 vision

As part of the redesign, you will work as a team to design new ways to create dynamic feedback loops to the public using tools such as magazine creation, blogs or vlogs, podcasts, social media.  Your work will ensure that the communities in Barnsley know that their voice can have a genuine impact on the shaping of their town.

Employee benefits

- 33 days of annual leave (including bank holiday) which increases with longevity

- all staff given time off between Christmas and New Year without it impacting your leave entitlement

- enhanced sick pay during probation and increased entitlement with longevity

- 5% pension contribution

- discounts at local gym

- Enhanced maternity pay

Mind in Haringey is an independent charity organisation providing vital mental health services to our community in Haringey since 1989.

We have a broad and exciting range of services and projects running in a dynamic, evolving environment. We are constantly striving to develop and improve our services through listening to our community, peers, and staff team to evaluate and deliver the best possible projects for our community.

Working with Mind in Haringey will give you the opportunity to join a small, creative team with many opportunities for learning and progression. We are a diverse and passionate team, who welcome experiences and perspectives from all backgrounds. 

We particularly encourage applications from those with lived experience of mental health, from racialised communities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and residents of Haringey who are passionate about changing things for the better in the borough. 

Haringey is a melting pot of culture, history, and resilience. Though there is much that needs to be improved, we are proud to work as part of a community that has displayed great strength in hardship both in the past and in more recent years. Interested in joining us in this work? We look forward to receiving your application for the role.

The Haringey Wellbeing Network shall be working in partnership with the Haringey GP Federation, focusing on improving physical health outcomes for those living with Severe and Enduring Mental Illness (SMI) within the BAME community.

The aim of this work is to create a seamless and integrated physical health check service, which improves outcome targets and builds better rates of engagement within the BAME community.

The purpose of the BAME Community Advocate is to support the work of the Haringey GP Federation, which is commissioned to focused on improving the uptake of Physical Health Checks with people living with a SMI. The Community Advocate will enable a joined-up approach in identifying and coordinating patient care with local community groups and secondary care services. In addition, the community advocate is expected to manage the SMI registers for the Haringey Wellbeing Network and report to the Federation.

At KCLSU, our vision is to create a future where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Together with our members, we are a union of students where individuals love their university experience, are involved in shaping the future, and have the power to make change and connect to each other. We work to achieve this in a way that is aligned to our values - Inclusive, Collaborative, Open and Brave. These values guide how we behave, and how we go about our work.

We are currently looking for a Student Voice Department Manager. You will lead the team and shape the strategic development and delivery of KCLSU’s student voice work, and your responsibilities will include:

• Working with Associate Director of Community Engagement, supporting the strategic development and lead the operational implementation of the KCLSU and KCL Student Voice Partnership Agreement.

• Leading the Student Voice team to deliver proactive and responsive student voice engagement, ensuring an effective annual cycle of activity and the agility to respond to emerging issues across KCLSU, King’s College London and the wider student movement. 

• Overseeing day-to-day engagement with Student Officers and Representatives, ensuring they can identify, prioritise and engage with both long-standing and emerging issues affecting student communities throughout the year.

• Providing day-to-day operational management for 4 direct reports.

To apply for this role, please complete an application form, including a personal statement detailing how your skills and experience meet the person specification. 

To be eligible for this role, you must:

• Be eligible to work in the UK, and provide proof of this (i.e. a passport or visa) when asked by KCLSU. Please note that KCLSU is unable to offer visa sponsorship. 
• Have a National Insurance number, or be in the process of applying for one. 
• Not be a trustee of King's College London Students' Union.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with experience working in a policy role focused on food or related issues (climate, nutrition, health or education). You will have knowledge of the political landscape in the UK and experience working with or in government departments, academia and NGOs on a range of policy issues.

It is an exciting time in food policy, and in this role you’ll have opportunities to work across our national policy portfolio, whether its exploring the link between climate change and food prices, developing our proposition for a Good Food Bill, improving the Healthy Start scheme, or strengthening public sector procurement.

The postholder will manage a variety of high impact activities and outputs that are used to drive forward change across our national policy areas and will work will colleagues across the organisation working in national policy, local policy, communications, events and food business transformation to do this.

Due to the evolving policy landscape, there will be a chance to tailor the role to the interests and experience of the successful candidate.

Across these workstreams, you’ll get a chance to:

• contribute to the refinement of policy asks and comms messaging,
• undertake desk research to inform policy,
• coordinate activities with different stakeholders and partners working across different policy areas
• support Ambassadors on advocacy related to dietary inequalities
• support communications and campaign work related to this work

Job Description:

Management and Strategy

• Support the policy portfolio of campaigns and projects across our national policy areas, including on food prices and food inflation, our Good Food Bill campaign, Healthy Start and early years.
• Work closely with the Policy and Advocacy Manager to develop and implement project plans and deliverables across these areas
• Maintain a careful record of our policy impact according to our agreed metrics within our Monitoring Evaluation and Learning framework.
• Policy and research
• Synthesize evidence for and play a significant part in the development of position statements/briefings/reports, working closely with the wider policy team and our designer.
• Support the Public Affairs lead to develop policy products for use in parliamentary engagement.
• Working closely with our Research Lead, identify evidence gaps and policy research questions which are relevant to our policy work to support new positions and generate new ideas for research or evidence collection which help achieve our policy goals.
• Work where needed with external contractors in the delivery of specific pieces of work, setting clear expectations and holding them accountable for delivery.
• Stakeholder engagement
• Develop and maintain a strong civil society network of stakeholders, working to broaden the support base for specific policies.
• Participate in coalitions of organisations who are campaigning together on specific areas of policy change.
• Develop and maintain relationships with junior civil servants in key departments across all policy areas.
• Work with the Citizens Engagement Manager to identify opportunities to bring Adult and Young Food Ambassadors into policy activities and research.
• Represent the Food Foundation and present our work in external events and meetings with relevant audiences and the media.
• Budgets and fundraising
• Administer grants which support our projects and ensure that funders are kept well informed, receive timely reports and that budgets are kept on track.
• Maintain good relationships with funders according to their requirements and provide input to proposals and funding bids.

Communications and campaigns

• Develop a comprehensive approach to dissemination of our policy outputs so they reach our intended audiences.
• Act as a local/regional media spokesperson, brief journalists, and respond to media queries.
• Contribute policy and evidence expertise to support campaign delivery.
• Contribute policy expertise to press releases, newsletters, web copy, podcasts and blogs.
• Support the maintenance of website pages related to project areas.
• Draft social media posts and newsletters.

Personal Profile

Technical skills:

• Knowledge and understanding of the food system, food and nutrition and/or health policy and policy levers for change.
• Strong knowledge of the mechanics of the UK policy-making landscape, including the workings of Westminster and Whitehall.
• Proven experience in synthesising evidence and using evidence to make a case for change.
• Proven experience in writing reports and briefings for different audiences, with the ability to explain complex and highly nuanced subject matter in plain English.
• Previous experience working in a policy role, refining policy asks and communicating these with different stakeholders
• Excellent analytic skills and close attention to detail.

Personal skills:

• Proven experience in budget management, project management and reporting to funders.
• Proven experience in managing multiple projects concurrently to tight deadlines and prioritising workload.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Strong presentation skills and confidence in speaking to external audiences.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to problem-solve and manage risk.
• Ability to work independently and manage own time effectively.
• Ability to build strong relationships with all members of the team.
• Open to giving and receiving challenging viewpoints.
• Resilience and tenacity whilst recognising the need for self-awareness and the impact of actions on others and the organisation.
• Willingness to travel for project meetings and dissemination events.
• A confident networker who enjoys building connections and relationships with new people.

This job description is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of activity only. The Food Foundation is a small charity and as such all staff are expected to vary their duties as necessary to meet the needs of the organisation.

Please see the full job pack on our website 

Job Title:                     Case Worker – CAPSA Services (Culturally Appropriate Peer Support and Advocacy)  

Reports to:                  CAPSA Team Manager

Geographic focus: Lambeth

Salary:£30,500

Hours of Work: 37.5 per week (flexible working available)

Duration:                    2 Year Contract (with a potential to extend)

Benefits:26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, pension contribution, Employees' Assistance Programme.

Purpose of the role

The CAPSA (Culturally Appropriate Peer Support and Advocacy) Worker role has been specifically designed to support Black people using the secondary mental health system. As a CAPSA Worker, you will provide both Generic Mental Health Advocacy and Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) to eligible individuals, including people detained under the Mental Health Act(MHA) 1983/2007, conditionally discharged restricted patients, those under Guardianship, and those on Community Treatment orders, as well as individuals considered for section 57 treatments.

You will play a key role in ensuring that the perspectives of Black service users are recognised and respected, addressing their unique and multiple needs, and promoting access to advocacy for all eligible individuals. You will raise awareness of advocacy, rights under the MHA, and the CAPSA service among professionals, individuals, and agencies.

In addition to direct advocacy, you will contribute to service development by supporting an effective administration system and helping evaluate the impact of advocacy for both service users and commissioners.

As part of CAPSA’s race-led approach to systems change, you will also help challenge systemic racism in mental health services, embed culturally competent practice, and promote equitable care within South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM).

Job summary

Black Thrive Lambeth has developed a co-designed, culturally appropriate peer support and advocacy service (CAPSA) on behalf of the Living Well Network Alliance (LWNA). CAPSA provides support to Black community members with mental health needs through peer support and advocacy, led by individuals with lived experience or lived understanding of mental health challenges. The service creates a space where experiences are respected, accepted, and valued equally.

The role involves building positive relationships with Black service users; offering one-to-one and group advocacy; supporting self-advocacy; gathering and sharing information to inform decision-making; and preparing monitoring reports and feedback. Advocates ensure that the views, wishes, and needs of Black service users are heard and acknowledged, addressing the impact of racism within traditional mental health services.

Duties and responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Advocacy & Support for Black Service Users

• Work with individual Black service users to provide culturally informed advocacy, support, and representation to assist them in decision-making related to their care, treatment, and legal status.
• You will manage a caseload of up to 10 clients.
• This will consist of weekly meetings with clients and supporting them around their care in the mental health system, this will be both within inpatient services and CMHTs (Community Mental Health Teams) as well as in the community.
• Support Black service users in developing and maintaining their cultural identity by identifying strengths and advocating for culturally relevant mental health interventions.
• Develop trusting relationships with Black service users within appropriate boundaries to help them express their mental health needs.
• Assist service users in preparing for meetings, attend appointments with them if required, and advocate on their behalf where needed.
• Provide information and updates on the progress of advocacy issues and ensure clients understand proceedings.

Culturally Informed Peer Support & Recovery

• Use lived experience and cultural understanding to promote positive self-esteem and recovery through a culturally informed peer support model.
• Provide practical guidance to Black service users, and where appropriate, their carers, on self-care, resilience strategies, and managing mental health within a race equality framework.
• Promote service user involvement by empowering individuals to communicate their culturally lived experiences and mental health needs to professionals.
• Challenge peer support models, stigma, and discriminatory practices that fail to recognise the cultural needs of Black service users.

Community Engagement & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders and community members to develop a culturally informed advocacy and peer support model.
• Establish regular advocacy ‘drop-ins’ on wards and in the community, ensuring accessibility for Black service users.
• Signpost service users to culturally relevant community, inpatient, and online resources, as well as mainstream and specialist services.
• Liaise with, and when necessary, challenge NHS professionals, care teams, and local authorities to ensure due process and cultural competence in service delivery.
• To maintain a level of professionalism in all spaces always.

Role Expectations

• Maintain confidentiality, respect service users’ right to privacy, and ensure their dignity is always upheld.
• Keep accurate and timely records of advocacy and peer support work, providing regular verbal and written reports to the line manager.
• Attend team meetings, participate in one-to-one supervision, group supervision sessions, and complete mandatory training in peer support and other job-related areas.
• Raise safeguarding concerns following organisational policies and procedures.

GENERAL

• To attend and participate in meetings held by the CAPSA team and other bodies as required.
• To maintain records of hours worked and to complete accurate expense returns.
• To foster and develop an equality and diversity approach within the role, in line with Black Thrive’
• To promote the service through the distribution of publicity materials, liaising with statutory and voluntary services, and, where appropriate, through the media and presentations to local groups within the agreed company policies.
• To promote the role of advocates both within the Living Well Network Alliance (LWNA) and externally.
• To work well as part of the team in a way that promotes inclusivity and respect in a supportive environment.
• The above is not an exhaustive list of duties, and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation.

Qualities Required

Each quality is marked as either E (Essential) or D (Desirable).

Experience (E/D)

1. Understanding and/or experience of mental health legislation and the Mental Health journey process in numerous settings – E
2. Lived experience of racism or discrimination in wider society and in the provision of mental health services – E
3. Experience of identifying and meeting the needs of individual people – E
4. Experience and ability to develop and maintain relationships with various stakeholders – E
5. A commitment to working in an anti-racist and anti-oppressive way – E
6. Confidence in challenging stigma and discrimination within structural settings – E
7. Experience of working in an advocacy or healthcare setting – D

Knowledge and Skills (E/D)

1. Understanding and knowledge of assessment of needs – E
2. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences – E
3. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including via telephone, in person, over video link, and through presentations, demonstrating confidence and assertiveness – E
4. Emotional resilience and the ability to cope with sometimes challenging people and environments – E
5. Ability to work flexibly to meet varying demands on the service – E
6. Good organisational skills, including timekeeping and ability to travel to different locations – E
7. Excellent computer literacy and a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office – E
8. An understanding and awareness of The Equality Act 2010 – E
9. Ability to act calmly and respond professionally to distress, disturbance, and unpredictability – E
10. Ability to work independently on own initiative and prioritise workload while working as part of a team – E
11. Commitment to learning through work-based learning and mandatory training – E
12. Knowledge of mental health legislation such as MHA 1983/2007, MCA 2017 – D
13. Understanding of the specific role, purpose, and responsibilities of an Independent Mental Health Advocate – D
14. Knowledge and/or awareness of safeguarding issues – D
15. An additional language (e.g., Portuguese, French, etc.) – D
16. Qualifications in Peer Support / Advocacy – D

We welcome applications specifically from Black people of African and Caribbean heritage, as the statutory requirement of the Equality Act 2010, Advance Equality in Mental Health 2020 and Parent Carer Race Equality Framework 2020, in order to address the importance of Black employee safety. These posts are therefore restricted to Black applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9 and Part 1.

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. Still, we will treat applicants with a criminal record fairly and not unreasonably discriminate because of a conviction or other information revealed.

 

 

Make a real difference to children and young people in care

We are looking to recruit an Advocate to work 25 hours per week to provide independent, confidential advocacy to children and young people in Local Authority care across Durham.

In this role, you will empower children and young people to express their wishes and feelings, ensuring their voices are heard and respected in decisions that affect their lives. You will support them to understand their rights, explore their options, and make informed choices while ensuring they are treated fairly throughout the process.

What you will do

You will work directly with children and young people to ensure their voice is central in decision-making. This will include:

• Attending meetings with young people and ensuring their views, wishes, and feelings are clearly represented
• Providing impartial, accessible information to help them understand their rights and options
• Supporting young people to raise concerns or make formal complaints
• Asking questions of professionals on their behalf when needed
• Signposting to relevant services and additional support
• Promoting understanding of outcomes and helping young people make informed decisions

About you

We are looking for someone who is passionate about supporting children and young people and committed to ensuring their voices are heard.

You will ideally have experience working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults in a relevant setting, and be confident communicating with both service users and professionals.

You will be:

• A strong communicator and active listener
• Able to remain impartial and professional at all times
• Confident working independently and managing your own caseload
• Committed to safeguarding, equality, and promoting rights

You do not need previous advocacy experience. Full training will be provided, and you will be supported to achieve an Advocacy qualification through NYAS.

Location requirement

This role requires you to work across Durham, therefore you must live within the local geographical area to meet the requirements of the role.

What we offer

We offer a supportive working environment with a strong focus on wellbeing, development, and work-life balance:

• 26 days annual leave, rising to 30 days, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time)
• Occupational sick pay (subject to qualifying period)
• Enhanced pay for family-friendly leave
• Group stakeholder pension scheme
• Access to BHSF health cash plan
• Employee Assistance Programme (confidential support service)
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free parking at some offices
• Structured support and supervision from your line manager
• Learning and development opportunities, including support to gain an Advocacy qualification

Safeguarding & recruitment

NYAS is committed to safeguarding children, young people, and adults at risk. All successful applicants will be subject to:

• Enhanced DBS check
• Reference checks
• Digital risk assessment

In accordance with UK immigration law, candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

About NYAS

NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is a leading rights-based charity ensuring that children, young people, and adults are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced individuals who often rely on statutory services and may be impacted by gaps in provision. Our advocacy and legal services help ensure their voices are heard and acted upon.

We are an inclusive employer committed to equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of background. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteeing interviews to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please visit our website and complete the online application form.

Please ensure you refer to the person specification within the job description and clearly demonstrate how you meet the required criteria in your application.

The job description and person specification are available on the vacancy page of our website.

If you are passionate about advocating for children and young people and want to help ensure their voices are heard, we would encourage you to apply.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Independent Victim Advocate to join the team in Gloucestershire, working 37.5 hours a week. This role is offered as hybrid working from home and at least one day per week from our office in Gloucester. Regular travel will also be required throughout the area.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we'd love to hear from you…

What we offer:

At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday & options to buy or sell annual leave
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced sick pay allowances, maternity & paternity payments
• High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment & leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
• Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
• Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes
• Cycle to work scheme & season ticket loans
• Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression

About the role-

As an Independent Victim Advocate you will:

• deliver excellent services to adult victims of crime through the direct provision of information, practical and emotional help from the point of crime and where appropriate, onwards throughout the criminal justice process.
• help people cope and recover from the effects of crime.
• act as a single point of contact, undertaking effective need and risk assessments.
• coordinate the overall delivery of the cope and recovery plan and recovery journey, working closely with other service providers to meet the needs of victims.

You will need:

• Previous experience delivering a service and working directly with service users in a statutory, voluntary or community work setting
• Previous experience of working with vulnerable adults and/or families
• To be able to work without direct supervision, prioritising work and managing competing demands
• The ability to complete needs and risk assessments
• To demonstrate empathy

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

About Us:

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?   

  

Do you have experience of working or volunteering in welfare, support or health and social care and are looking for a new challenge?  

  

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard?  

  

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility.  

We have an exciting opportunity for an Advocate to join our team in Coventry and warwickshire. Your role will require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes across the area to meet with clients and professionals and be home based for administration; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential.

About us  

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations.  

  

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.  

About you 

Desirably you will have some experience of working as an Advocate, providing welfare, supporting, or caring for Adults or young people who have support needs, ideally for those with a variety of communication needs, mental ill health, physical health issues, or barriers to accessing education and support. 

You should have worked or volunteered in health, social care, welfare, support services, education or young person’s services, or advice and guidance. 

How will you make a difference? 

You will be responsible for ensuring the individual’s wishes, feelings, beliefs, needs, and values are met to create positive outcomes for the people you support. 

You will support people to speak up for themselves and grow in confidence, equip them to understand and exercise their rights and options, and will assist them in the decision-making process relating to their care, treatment, and support. 

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively with the individuals you support.You’ll be creative in your approach to empower our clients by ensuring you meaningfully explain people’s options and rights to them.You’ll support individuals to fully participate in decisions affecting them and will make sure they have their voices heard.  

Professional Development? 

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional abilities and you will make a real difference every day. Advocates are expected to be willing to gain, or to already hold, the Level 3 Award in Independent Advocacy Practice with disciplines suitable for the role they work in. 

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service

5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution

Salary sacrifices pension scheme

Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)

Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc

24/7 Employee Assistance programme

Access to remote counselling service

Paid Disability Leave

Paid compassionate Leave

Home Working Allowance 

Support with continuous professional development

Personal Development Plans

How are staff supported to work remotely?

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs). 

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach. 

Equality and Diversity 

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential. 

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.

How to apply 

To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account by clicking the apply button on this page. Follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form.  

Important Dates: 

Closing date for applications; Midnight 4th May 2026

Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

NB: If you don't already hold the Independent Advocacy Practice qualification, and you are successful in your application, it is a requirement that you complete the core element within 12 months of commencing the training.  VoiceAbility will fund this training.  

About the role

The UK’s international trade policy is at a crossroads: beginning to move on from the relentless focus on Free Trade Agreements which primarily exist to serve corporate interests, but yet to embrace a vision for trade which prioritises equality, environmental sustainability and human rights. 

The Advocacy Manager’s role is to build political support for the Trade Justice Movement’s policy priorities. They will represent TJM in high-level settings including parliamentary meetings, party conferences and on government stakeholder groups. They will build strong relationships with parliamentarians, advisors, committee staff and civil servants. They will also play a key role in researching and agreeing policy positions in collaboration with civil society allies. 

TJM is a small team and the Advocacy Manager will have a flexible and collaborative approach, responding to political events, seizing opportunities to influence and pitching in with broader organisational priorities. 

The Advocacy Manager will be responsible for setting TJM’s political influencing strategy, with support from the Director, and will be able to plan and deliver their work independently. 

About the organisation

TJM is a UK-based coalition of 45 charities, trade unions and faith groups working for a fairer, greener world by supporting international trade policies which prioritise people and planet. 

TJM is composed of four staff members (Director, Advocacy Manager, Research Manager, Senior Communications Adviser), all of whom work closely with allies both within and outside our membership. 

Criteria for a successful applicant

A successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following essential criteria:

• Excellent communication skills, including written communication and interpersonal networking, relationship-building and influencing skills

• Experience of producing high-quality briefings and developing policy positions for political audiences

• Experience working with political stakeholders such as MPs, parliamentary committees, or other parliamentary actors to build support for a progressive agenda

• Deep understanding of policy-making processes in the UK, both within parliament and central government departments

• Demonstrable ability to build strong expertise in complex policy areas

• Excellent analytical skills and political awareness 

• Experience of organising and running political or civil society events

• Strong ability to work independently, with minimal supervision, managing own work, prioritising and meeting deadlines

A successful candidate may be able to demonstrate the following desirable criteria:

• Experience of working within a network organisation and/or in collaboration with civil society groups

• Knowledge of trade justice issues, international development, climate and environmental policy or another similar policy area

• Experience working on fundraising bids to charitable trusts and foundations 

• Digital communications skills

This role builds on work that we have been doing for decades to support and empower LGBT people who have experienced hate crime. Your work will enable LGBT people who live outside of London and in rural areas to feel supported, heard and empowered in the face of abuse and violence, and pave the way to a safer future for our community.
 
You will work directly with LGBT victims/survivors, offering them a space to talk and think through options, helping them plan what they want to do, and offering assistance in getting what they need from services. Your work will focus on needs specifically related experiences of hate crime including issues such as wellbeing, support with the criminal and civil justice process, safety and access to other services to enable survivors to cope and recover. You will be empathetic and thoughtful in your approach to understanding your clients’ needs, while remaining boundaried and mindful of self-care.
 
You will sit alongside our other advocates supporting LGBT people facing abuse or violence but be part of the Hate Crime team. You will work with mainstream services to ensure the voices and experiences of LGBT survivors are represented in order to make change for our community at a local and national level. You will also work closely with partner organisations in the CATCH partnership, our Pan-London Hate Crime service, by attending meetings and trainings and have the opportunity to take part in external work to ensure a joined-up approach among services working with LGBT people facing abuse and violence. 
 
For more information on this role please download the attached job description. 
 
Location
We will consider applicants based across the UK.

For remote applicants, this role will be home-based with occasional travel to our London office and across the UK. 

For London-based applicants, this role will be Hybrid, working from our London offices two days a week.
 
Hours
Full Time (35 hours per week)
 
Contract
Fixed-term until 31st March 2027
 
Reports to
Advocacy & Support Manager
 
Salary
London: £32,626.66 per year (Including London Weighting)
Outside of London: £28,330.41 per year
 
Closing Date 
Applications should be submitted by 10am on 12th May 2026.
Interviews will be held on 20th May 2026. 
 
REF-227 984