Advocate jobs in teddington, greater london

Job Description

Brent Mencap has been passionate about a healthier and fairer Brent since 1979. We’ve developed and run successful housing, employment, health, advice, wellbeing and self-advocacy services. During austerity and Covid we diversified, successfully taking on NHS work with people with long-term health conditions. We provide social prescribing support and health and wellbeing coaching to patients for Brent GPs. In 2024-5 we helped over 18000 people. We’re a leading partner on the Brent Health Educators Programme. Recently we’ve focused on developing and retaining a much larger staff group, using our data better and improving our marketing.

Brent Mencap offers fantastic free creative and wellbeing activities for people with a learning disability, autism and long-term health conditions. These have flourished since Covid. People love yoga, poetry, singing, gardening, Breathe and Move, self-advocacy, campaigning, awareness raising, CREATE art activities for young people, external trips and parties. Small grants, donations and our reserves fund this while we get longer term funding. Our self-advocates want us to focus on paid employment, youth services and making Brent Council use accessible information properly. People with a learning disability, neurodiversity and their family carers are inclusively supported by social prescribers for advice and by health educators/coaches for health-related matters if needed.

Our current Executive Director, who has led Brent Mencap so well for 25 years wants to retire. The successful candidate will build on Brent Mencap’s history, current success and potential so our long-term passion for a healthier and fairer Brent can evolve and improve the lives of Brent People. Are you the amazing successor to lead and inspire our talented, committed team?

We are looking for someone who  

· Has the relevant voluntary sector experience, vision, determination and leadership skills

· Is committed to developing and supporting our diverse staff group

· Can see the bigger picture but also focuses on the important details

· Supports our ethos of person-centred service delivery and activities

· Can communicate well with users, partners, staff, trustees and funders

· Enjoys influencing and raising awareness

· Is entrepreneurial, savvy, confident and can maintain our current  financial stability and diversify our income streams

· Understands the lived experience of disability, long term health conditions and inequality  and wants to improve their lives

· Understands the importance of marketing and data to challenge inequality, promote positive change and attract new funds.

· Can prioritise reviewing and improving our data collection

· Can develop funding project plans that includes staffing for enhanced  wellbeing and creative activities, for  young people, employment  related support and other identified needs

In addition, they will have to:

· Work with the Board of Trustees and staff to develop our vision, implement strategic plans and  deliver agreed objectives

· Be able to ensure all aspects of our work are done safely, legally, in line with our articles/constitution  and able to assess risks and mitigate them

· Be responsible for staff development, management and all aspects of the administration of the organisation

· Be an ambassador for Brent Mencap, meeting and working with leaders with statutory and voluntary sector, Royal Mencap and local Mencaps

· Represent the lived experiences and voices of people with learning disabilities, neurodivergence, long term conditions and their families who inform our work and the work of others in Brent

· Work late occasionally, attend evening events, meetings and occasional weekends and undertake any other necessary tasks as required to ensure Brent Mencap functions safely.

In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is required and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. This job description will be subjected to review with the post holder, from time to time to ensure it accurately reflects the duties and range of the post.

This post is:

• subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure

• subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for a disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

• Please note: Our office base is on the first floor of a Victorian building with steep stairs.

To be shortlisted,

· Candidates must fully complete our application form, and show clearly how their previous experience and knowledge meets all aspects of the person specification with examples given of actual actions/experience relating to the person specification. Please go to our website to complete the application by 9.00am on 28th August. We do not accept CVs

· Be prepared to visit Brent Mencap so key staff and self-advocates can meet them informally before the interview day  or have a 60–90-minute Teams meeting with them. To arrange a face-to-face or Teams  meet up on a Wednesday only  please contact our office manager Simon via the website.

Interview details

· A 4-part Interview with senior staff, self-advocates, operational managers and trustees, will take place at Brent Mencap on Friday 5th or 12th September 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be given a paper-based scenario to complete and send to us on the Thursday before the interview

· We anticipate the full interviews will take 2.5 hours with a 30-minute break at some point.

About The Advocacy Project

We help people speak up and make decisions about their health, wellbeing and social care. We’re here to make sure people who are vulnerable because of their circumstance can understand their rights, make effective choices about their lives and voice their concerns.

Some of the ways we do this include:

· advocacy services that make sure people can express their wishes when decisions are being made about their care or wellbeing

· user involvement projects that help organisations improve what they offer by listening to people who use their services

· local Healthwatch services, which act as health and social care champions for the areas they serve and give people a direct channel to share their feedback

· innovative Personal Health Budget projects that allow people to access items and services to improve their wellbeing.

Our services are independent, confidential, and free to those receiving them. Together, our teams are standing up for essential rights and supporting people to have a say on the issues that matter to them.

About the role

The post-holder will provide independent advocacy in various settings, including in the community, people’s homes, and hospital settings including mental health wards. You’ll raise awareness of advocacy, including for people from minority ethnic communities. You’ll work as part of a team of independent advocates, reporting to the Advocacy Service Manager. 

You will work as part of the Ealing advocacy team. You may also need to carry out your role in other London boroughs.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the post holder will be required to visit CQC registered care homes and would be subject to government requirements.

Key responsibilities

î  Provide advocacy for eligible people under Mental Health Act 2007, the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and under the Care Act 2014.

î  Provide a one-to-one advocacy service for people and undertake case work, evidencing and uploading case notes and data in a timely manner.

î  Provide instructed and non-instructed advocacy, where appropriate.

î  Provide information, support or signpost clients in order to inform or empower individuals on any issues about their treatment under the relevant legislation.

î  Act as duty advocate for our Single Point of Access referral line on a rota basis.

î  Meet case-working standards, monitoring system requirements and the goals for our service, making sure everyone needing advocacy is referred into the service in the right way.

î  Work within the location-specific engagement protocols, security, confidentiality and safeguarding policies (in addition to the Advocacy Best Practice Handbook).

î  Actively promote self-advocacy throughout all work with patients, where practical.

î  Raise awareness of independent advocacy and referring pathways to eligible people and referring agencies.

î  Keep your knowledge of legislation and policy up-to-date, including the mental health act, mental capacity act, care act, and local / national policy.

î  Keep up to date with developments and good practice in independent advocacy (including different advocacy models).

î  Develop good working relationships with key staff within health and social care services.

î  Be an active member of the advocacy service, contributing to service planning and providing cover for other colleagues when needed.

General responsibilities

î  Participate in team meetings and training.

î  Participate in personal, team and organisational development.

î  Contribute to monitoring reports.

î  Keep to our policies, including health & safety, and risk regulations.

î  Work to our mission, vision, and values.

î  Carry out other projects and tasks as needed.

Person specification

We welcome applications from people with transferrable skills and qualities, and people with diverse employment histories and personal backgrounds.

Essential qualities and attributes:

î  Understanding of the role and responsibilities of an advocate.

î  Understanding of issues faced by people with mental health conditions, physical health conditions and learning disabilities.

î  Ability to listen and build trust, to encourage people to express their own views and to represent clients’ self-defined interests.

î  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal). Good at working with a wide variety of people including commissioners, service users and colleagues.

î  IT literate, including working knowledge of Microsoft packages (Excel, Word, Outlook).

î  Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project code of conduct, equality and safeguarding policies.

î  Ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative, to plan and prioritise your own workload.

î  Willingness to promote The Advocacy Project and its services in line with our mission, vision and values.

î  Commitment to ongoing professional development.

Desirable knowledge, experience and qualifications:

î  Experience of delivering different forms of advocacy (instructed and non-instructed; IMHA, ICAA, IMCA, IHCA,) within a statutory advocacy service.

î  Knowledge of the Mental Health Act / Mental Capacity Act / Care Act and other statutory legislation as it applies to advocacy.

î  Knowledge of mental health sections and social care services, including current issues in policy and practice.

î  Understanding of the Accessible Information Standard.

î  Advocacy qualification.

Benefits of working for us

We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.

Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.

All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.

We are a Disability Confident and Mindful Employer.

Be Part of Something Bigger: Join the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Help Shape Safer Communities

Are you passionate about making a real, lasting difference in people's lives? Do you have the resilience, empathy, and adaptability to support victims and help drive real change?

If you thrive in an innovative, collaborative, and learning-focused environment, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
For nearly 40 years, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has been at the forefront of personal safety, standing up for victims, influencing national policy, and raising awareness to creat safer, more confident communities. 
From launching award-winning services to being a trusted voice in national media, our work has real visibility, real credibility, and real impact.  When you join us, your work doesn't disappear into the background it makes headlines, shapes policy, and changes lives.

We're Hiring: Advocates - London Stalking Support Service, Stalking Threat Assessment Centre and National Advocacy
In partnership with MOPAC, this specialist role is your chance to support victims of stalking with expert advice and advocacy for London, all while hlping to shape a trauma-informed, survivor-led approach that leads the sector.  The Stalking Threat Assessment centre is a multi-agency partnership involving the Metropolitan Police, NHS mental health services and Probation services to effectively manage stalking perpetrators and support victims.  Advocates within this team are co-located within the STAC unit, minimum one day a week.

You will be:

• Part of a respected, mission-driven team
• Contributing to a legacy of nearly four decades of meaningful impact
• Part of a strong culture of learning, support, and inclusivity
• Working in a space where your voice matters, and your work truly counts

Initially office-based (London) for 3 months to support a meaningful induction, moving to a blended working model (40% office / 60% home). While London-based candidates are ideal, we'll consider applicants from nearby areas too.

What we offer in return:

In return for our staff’s commitment and dedication, we offer a range of Company Benefits:

• Hybrid working (minimum 40% in the office and agile working enabled to work from home) after 3 monts
• Flexitime Policy 
• 28 days annual leave (which increases after 3 and 5 years to a maximum of 33 days pro rata) + public holiday
• Special leave for life events, such as 1 day off for moving house and a paid day off for your birthday
• Pension scheme with 5% employer contribution 
• Health & Wellbeing App with access to advice, counselling, support and a wide range of discounts 
• Occupational Sick Pay (which increases after 3 years)
• Cycle to Work scheme (cycle racks on site) 
• Interest-free travel loan for annual season ticket 
• Regular all-staff off-site meetings and events

Hours: 35 per week
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £30,135

Deadline: 11th August end of day
First Interviews to take place Wednesday 20th August, Friday 22nd August

Victim Support are looking for a full-time Victims Advocate to work on our Anti-Social Behaviour Project based in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

This role is working full time 37.5 hours per week and is offered on a fixed term basis until the end of March 2026.

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:

This role is based in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. As a Victim Advocate you will:

• Support victims of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Hate Crime.
• Collaborate with funders and partners to ensure optimal outcomes for victims.
• Provide specialist advocacy for victims with both complex and non-complex needs.
• Assist vulnerable, high-risk, and repeat victims of ASB.
• Engage in community work, liaise with the commissioner, and attend face-to-face appointments.
• Attend the monthly ASB MARAC (JAG) Meeting.

You will need:

• Experience working with vulnerable individuals and those affected by ASB and crime.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office for data recording and reporting.

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

About Us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events. Working for VS gives you the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing high quality services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

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.

Victim Support strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need.

As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.

If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

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 look forward to hearing from you.

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.

JCWI are looking for an Advocacy and Communications Director

Location | London N7 and flexible hybrid working
Reports to | Executive Director
Direct Reports:   | Advocacy and Communications Team (currently 4 members)

Who we are

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) is an independent charity established in 1967. For over 57 years, we have promoted our vision of a society in which people can live safely and are treated with equal dignity and respect, regardless of where they are from or how they came to the UK. To achieve this, we provide legal advice, representation and holistic support to migrants experiencing injustice, poverty, and discrimination; we undertake parliamentary advocacy and expert policy analysis; we speak out and challenge damaging and discriminatory media narratives about immigration; we use law as a tool of resistance;  we work in solidarity with migrants and grassroots groups, and we build campaigns that work towards a fairer approach in immigration and asylum law and policy. We root all aspects of our work in humanity, compassion, anti-oppression and anti-racist values, taking an approach that radically challenges the way that things are to build a new and better world for migrants.

Role purpose

This is a new role, where the director will bring together the work of the Advocacy and the Communications teams to lead JCWI's campaigns. The Director leads JCWI’s campaigns and community organising; policy and parliamentary advocacy; working in alignment with directly impacted communities and partners within and beyond the migration sector. The Director builds and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders, and ensures the organisation’s collective expertise influences political debates and the public narrative on migrants’ rights and racial justice.

The role provides strategic leadership for JCWI’s campaigns to drive forward positive change for migrant rights in an increasingly hostile political climate, and supports a wide range of work building campaigns, coalitions and networks to advance migrant justice, ensuring that JCWI is a generous and collaborative partner, working in solidarity with all groups, including grassroots and community groups, unions, faith groups and NGOs.

The Director provides line management and strategic leadership to the Advocacy and Communications Team, overseeing the direction of the team, overseeing the teams' work and ensuring close, collaborative working relationships across all teams.

The Director is a lead spokesperson for the organisation, representing JCWI and our values at public forums, in the media and within coalitions. They will set the narrative and agenda for public discourse on migrant rights and border reform, lead the organisation’s long-term digital outreach and engagement work and support the team to create compelling and accessible content, driving traffic to our digital channels and converting this into successful supporter and donor recruitment and engagement strategies. They maintain the visibility of JCWI and its messages and protect & promote JCWI’s reputation as a leading voice in the discourse on migration, rights, and racial justice in the UK.

JCWI has a proud history of leadership from racialised people and people with lived experience of the immigration system, and therefore we strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of the immigration system and are representative of the communities we work with.

Leadership

• Anti-oppression: Ensure that JCWI’s work remains situated within a wider movement against racism and oppression, and that our strategies better centre and support grassroots and community groups and people directly impacted by border violence, by maintaining and building strong relationships with migrant-led and racial justice organisations  

• Senior Leadership: Collaborate with other members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to deliver the organisation’s five-year strategy, ensuring we live our core values

• Strategic Leadership: Support the Advocacy and Communications Team to develop, implement and review effective strategies for all policy, advocacy, campaigning, and community organising work. These strategies will cohere with JCWI’s legal work, and aptly respond to an evolving political landscape, by knowing which levers to pull when in order to build power and influence
• Line management: Support all direct reports with regards to well-being and development, through one-to-one supervision, guidance and long-term work planning, ensuring staff have autonomy over their work, with their skills, expertise and strengths valued, and embodying a non-hierarchical approach to line management

• Positive culture: Embody and embed a positive and healthy working culture within the Advocacy and Communications Team and across the organisation, which includes fostering a safe space for learning and growth, maintaining a positive work-life balance and collaborative work ethos

• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning: Work with the Grants Manager to develop and maintain improved Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning systems, set targets and measure outputs within the Advocacy and Communications Team which cohere with the organisation as a whole and our collective strategic objectives.

• Collaboration: Maintain and foster strong intra and inter-departmental relationships at every level, ensuring collaboration and open communication to deliver our organisational objectives

• Spokesperson: Represent the organisation as a lead spokesperson in public forums, in coalitions, on broadcast, and in print media

• Team development: Support the Team to grow through continuous investment in training, learning, and development, with people from racialised and marginalised backgrounds meaningfully supported against any structural barriers they may face. Manage recruitment for the Advocacy and Communications Team, encouraging better representation at JCWI, including increasing the number of people from racialised and marginalised backgrounds, especially those with lived experience of the immigration system

• Financial planning: Work with the Operations Team to ensure the budget for JCWI’s advocacy work is effectively planned for and managed, and that the team is appropriately resourced 

Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns Work

• Lead on JCWI’s core campaigns, driving forward policy, advocacy, and campaigns outputs, and ensuring the campaigns centre the views and experiences of people with lived experience

• Lead on JCWI’s ‘reactive’ policy, advocacy and campaigning work in response to an ever-changing and increasingly hostile political landscape, representing JCWI in coalitions and developing sound policy and political analysis on key threats facing migrant communities, including but not limited to: refugee rights, human rights protection, the hostile environment, Windrush, digital justice, detention, and family reunion.

• Represent JCWI at meetings and events with key decision makers, including parliamentarians, policymakers and other organisations in the sector, to make the case for policy change, influence narratives, and hold those in power to account in solidarity with communities at the sharpest end of UK immigration controls 

• Work closely with the Legal Directors and wider team to ensure our casework and outreach informs JCWI’s advocacy work, and to together identify opportunities for public-interest litigation relevant to JCWI’s campaign priorities 

• Ensure JCWI’s Lived Experience Strategy is embedded into the Advocacy and Communications Team’s ways of working and oversee the implementation of the Strategy across JCWI with the support and collaboration of the whole organisation.

Public Campaigns, Outreach and Engagement Work

• Lead, develop, implement, and review effective strategies for communication and engagement work across traditional, digital and paid media
• Support a proactive, safe culture that identifies, creates, and jumps at opportunities to increase JCWI’s impact
• Work with the Communications team to ensure their input is incorporated into organisational strategy and ensure communications strategies support both strategic campaigns and broader organisational objectives
• Support our traditional press and digital engagement work to ensure JCWI is at the forefront of public discourse on migrant rights and border reform
• Work closely with the Legal Directors and wider team to ensure our casework and outreach informs our external communications
• Grow and engage JCWI’s audiences, ensuring a consistent tone of voice and brand across outputs and channels and influencing public discourse in support of flagship campaigns
• Set quantifiable targets and have a strong understanding of reporting, evaluation and measurement of comms outputs.
• Ensure the voices of JCWI’s service users, our grassroots partners and community-based campaigners with lived experience of the sharpest end of the border regime/immigration controls borders are elevated and supported.
• Provide oversight on written and multimedia outputs, including comments, pitches, editorials and digital content, reviewing and quality assuring for sign-off, and ensuring spokespeople are well trained and well briefed before engaging with the media
• Support reactive or ‘breaking news’ work and ensure rotas (including out-of-hours rotas) for media and press are well managed

Person Specification – Advocacy and Communications Director

The ideal candidate has experience:

• In a management or leadership role (essential)
• Developing and implementing campaigns on migrants’ rights, racial or social justice issues (essential)  
• Working with complex policy issues in a highly politicised setting (essential)
• Engaging both digital and traditional media in a strategic way for campaigns or public narrative change (essential)
• Developing and implementing long-term, strategic plans which are rooted in firm values and visions (essential)
• Working collaboratively and building strong relationships with individuals and coalitions (essential)   
• Working meaningfully with communities and people who have lived experience of oppression (essential)
• Lived experience of the immigration system, or from a racialised or marginalised background (desirable)
• Working in immigration, asylum, and/or human rights law (desirable) or willingness and ability to learn (essential)
• Developing, supporting, or implementing plans for supporter recruitment & mobilisation (desirable)

NB: experience may be in a paid or unpaid capacity, and includes work undertaken in a range of organisational forms, which includes but is not limited to non-profit organisations, political campaigns, trade unions, community and grassroots groups, and organising movements

The ideal candidate is:

• Committed to defending and furthering the rights of all people who move, and embodies wider anti-oppressive values and practices, including anti-racism, queer and trans liberation, gender justice, class solidarity, and the importance of an intersectional approach to social justice 
• Recognises the value of legal representation when used as a tool of resistance, and is committed to legal aid as fundamental to access to justice
• Someone who proactively collaborates with others and nurtures and develops relationships both internally and externally, seeing the value in the diversity of skills and methodologies that drive organisations and campaigns forwards  
• A strategic thinker who is politically astute, has an advanced understanding of the political landscape as it relates to migrants’ rights and racial justice and can identify threats and harness opportunities when working on politically contentious issues  
• A relationship-builder, able to support their Team and the organisation by building and maintaining relationships with external partners, including with key media
• Creative and innovative, and eager to encourage and support others’ creativity  
• A person who comfortably deals with new and complex information, digesting this quickly and simplifying nuanced policy or legal issues for a range of audiences 
• An excellent written and verbal communicator, able to produce written outputs and review or edit drafts for quality, consistency and accessibility, and also represent the organisation at key events, meetings and in the media clearly and persuasively
   

How to apply
Please submit your CV and a covering letter (no longer than 2 A4 pages) which outlines your suitability for the role as set out in the job description and how you meet the person specification above, via our website.

DEADLINE:  
Submission of CV and covering letter  | 11.30pm 28th August

About The Advocacy Project

We help people speak up and make decisions about their health, wellbeing and social care. We’re here to make sure people who are vulnerable because of their circumstance can understand their rights, make effective choices about their lives and voice their concerns.

Some of the ways we do this include:

· advocacy services that make sure people can express their wishes when decisions are being made about their care or  wellbeing

· user involvement projects that help organisations improve what they offer by listening to people who use their services

· local Healthwatch services, which act as health and social care champions for the areas they serve and give people a  direct channel to share their feedback

· innovative Personal Health Budget projects that allow people to access items and services to improve their wellbeing.

Our services are independent, confidential, and free to those receiving them. Together, our teams are standing up for essential rights and supporting people to have a say on the issues that matter to them.

About the role

The post-holder will lead a team of advocates working with adults and young people across NHS and private hospitals and the local community.

You will be required to provide line management support, be the point of contact for our stakeholders and ensure high quality delivery of our advocacy contracts.

Key responsibilities

î  Lead the delivery of assigned advocacy services actively encouraging your team to contribute to service planning, quality improvement and development.

î  Ensure the team provides instructed and non-instructed advocacy and signposting, working to the advocacy empowerment cycle and actively promoting self-advocacy throughout all work with service users where practicable.

î  Ensure the team capture high quality advocacy notes, outcomes information and other evidence into the Case Management System in a timely manner.

î  Maintain up-to-date knowledge of new legislation and reports and current trends and issues in mental health, mental capacity, care act, and health and social care legislation, local and national policy relating to people with mental health issues and disseminate across your team.

î  Ensure quality standards are achieved by implementing operational policies and procedures to maintain professional and consistent advocacy services.

î  Ensure contracts are delivered within budget, to agreed key performance indicators, case work standards and monitoring requirements, eg producing reports including quarterly monitoring reports.

î  Lead on raising awareness of the advocacy service to service users and potential referrers.

î  Ensure referrals are allocated efficiently, appropriately and within the requirements of the contract.

î  Provide support and supervision to your staff team including professional development, appraisals, team meetings and work review meetings, and organisational activities such as CPD lectures and staff briefings.

General responsibilities

î  Participate in team meetings and training (and make sure your staff to attend).

î  Keep to our policies, including health & safety, and risk regulations.

î  Work to our mission, vision, and values.

î  Carry out other projects and tasks as needed.

î  Participate in personal, team and organisational development.

î  Contribute to monitoring reports.

Person specification

Essential

î  Experience of delivering advocacy.

î  Achieved qualification in advocacy.

î  Proven leadership ability and strong people management skills.

î  Experience of managing contracts and delivering advocacy services.

î  Understanding of statutory and non-statutory advocacy.

î  Sound knowledge of current issues in health and social care policy, practice and legislation.

î  Exceptional stakeholder management abilities with experience of building effective relationships with ranging commissioners, partners, service users and colleagues.

î  Excellent communications (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Effective in working with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from trustees to service users and employees.

î  Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project code of conduct, equalities and safeguarding policies.

î  Ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative, to plan and prioritise your own workload.

î  Willingness to promote The Advocacy Project and the mental health service in line with our mission, vision and values.

Desirable knowledge, experience and qualifications:

î  Achieved qualification in advocacy management Advocacy qualification.

Benefits of working for us

We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.

Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.

All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.

We are a Disability Confident and Mindful Employer.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) to join the team in London, working 37.5 hours a week.This role involves both face to face and virtual support in a hybrid model of working, you will work from Northwick Park Hospital and Victim Support Office in London.

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
• £500 bonus paid on successful completion of probationary period (pro-rata for part time roles)
• 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:

You may be a qualified IDVA or a Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker wanting to work alongside health professionals in a hospital environment, although we will consider applicants from other fields providing you are able to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse.

This role involves both face to face and virtual support in a hybrid model of working. There is an expectation that you will do a mixture of working from home, our office Victim Support, 3rd Floor, 5-7 Singer Street, London, and in co-location at St Georges Hospital.

As a Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advocate you will:

• Implement effective ways of working with victims and those supporting them to increase safety and reduce harm.
• Provide a high-quality, front-line service to victims of domestic abuse, delivering a premium service prioritised according to risk, primarily focusing on victim/survivors aged 16+
• Work within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership responses to domestic abuse to keep safety central to all services for victims of domestic abuse.
• Be comfortable with running group training sessions and be willing and able to share your specialist knowledge with acute staff across the hospital.

Please note that the successful applicant will be required to sign an honorary contract with the Hospital Trust in addition to their contract of employment.

You will need:

• Have a knowledge of help-seeking barriers and support needs of victims of domestic abuse (in heterosexual or same-sex relationships). 
• Have a good understanding of domestic abuse including the impact of domestic abuse on victims and their children.
• Understand the principles of risk assessment, safety planning and risk management for victims of domestic abuse and their children
• Understand safeguarding issues, and the legal responsibilities surrounding these issues.
• Experience of direct service delivery to victims of domestic abuse or other vulnerable people.
• Have strong communication, negotiation and advocacy skills, both written and verbal when interacting with a range of agencies and individuals.
• To understand and be committed to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.
• Strong crisis management skills and the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations.
• Good communication skills, a proactive approach and the confidence to be able to influence the way in which this service is delivered are key.

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

About Us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events. Working for VS gives you the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing high quality services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

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.

Victim Support strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need.

As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.

If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

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 look forward to hearing from you.

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.

 

Protect, the UK’s leading whistleblowing charity, is looking for an exceptional public-spirited Policy & Advocacy Officer, who will lead our anti-corruption work. The role is currently funded by the Joffe Charitable Trust. The role is 3 days (22.5hours) per week; can be spread over 3-5 days.  

The role is London based with hybrid and remote working options & occasional travel to Westminster. 

The role will entail proactively looking for advocacy opportunities and working with the Policy Team in Protect to progress important public policies, which further the protection of whistleblowers, support safe speaking up and tackle corruption in the UK. 

For 30 years we have provided legal advice to whistleblowers, campaigned for better legal protection for whistleblowing and supported organisations to create effective whistleblowing systems. With the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) turning their focus to whistleblowing, there could not be a more exciting time to join the anti-corruption fight.

We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, ambitious and a team player. The ideal candidate is a great communicator, with exceptional networking and stakeholder engagement skills. Those applying should have a degree in a relevant subject and work experience in a relevant field. Past or present experience working in Government, Parliament or for a regulator is highly desirable. 

Protect offers a range of benefits to those that work for the charity including 30 days (pro rata) annual leave, a sabbatical scheme after 5 years service, and enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental leave. 

We are recruiting for a IDVA to join our team in Wandsworth; the scope on this job involves….

Job Title: IDVA

Location: Wandsworth
Salary: £28,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full-time, Fixed term (until August 2026)

Hours: 37.5

Refuge is recruiting Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates for our new service in Richmond and Wandsworth to focus on supporting survivors of financial and economic abuse.

As an Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate, the post holder will provide high quality independent advocacy. The job involves ensuring that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment, enabling them to access their rights, make decisions and increase their life options.

We are looking for someone who is passionate, committed and cares about the work Refuge undertakes. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and the impact this has on survivors and their children. They will be able to work under pressure to effectively manage risk and provide needs-led support to clients with a variety of support needs.

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development. This is an opportunity to join a brand-new service and improve the local multi agency partnership to recognise, reject and respond to all forms of gender-based abuse.

Closing date: 9.00am on 7 August 2025

Interview date: 14 & 15 August 2025

Benefits

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

About Us
The National Landscapes Association represents and supports the UK’s National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) – places where we want nature and people to flourish together. These living, protected landscapes are vital to the UK’s nature recovery, climate resilience, sustainable farming and wellbeing.

We work collaboratively and inclusively to ensure these treasured places are protected, restored, and accessible to all. Our policy work is central to this mission – and we’re looking for a proficient and motivated individual to help shape and drive it forward.

About the Role
As Policy & Advocacy Officer, you’ll be a core member of our dynamic policy team, helping to influence positive change at the heart of environmental, planning, and community policy in the UK. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on creating and communicating impactful policy positions, can build strategic relationships, and wants to make a real difference.

You’ll work across a broad range of issues – including agriculture and land management, planning and sustainable development, wellbeing and recreation and access and engagement – supporting National Landscape teams to engage effectively in national debates and policy processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy research & analysis: monitor emerging policy trends, conduct research and analysis, and develop robust evidence-based positions across key topics.
• Strategic advocacy: Help design and deliver targeted advocacy strategies; draft position papers, consultation responses and policy briefs.
• Stakeholder engagement: Build and maintain trusted relationships with government officials, partner organisations and local teams.
• Communication & outreach: Translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages for internal and external audiences, contribute to communication strategies and represent the organisation at external meetings.
• Monitoring & evaluation: Track policy impact and advocacy initiative progress, providing updates and insight to the Head of Policy & Advocacy.

See the role description for more information.

Why Join Us?
At the National Landscapes Association, you’ll be part of a passionate and forward-thinking team making a meaningful impact. You’ll gain exposure to a wide range of high-profile policy issues, work alongside experts across the UK, and help shape the future of our most valued landscapes.

We are seeking a Manager  of ISVA for our Advocacy service. If you are an experienced ISVA looking for a rewarding new role and overseeing the Advocacy serviceRespond has an exciting opportunity for you.    

The Advocacy Services Manager has responsibility for managing and developing Respond’s advocacy services for young people and adults with learning disabilities, autism or both who have experienced trauma and abuse. The postholder works alongside the Psychotherapist services manager to deliver best practice services as well as improving practice across the advocacy sector. 

Youth Realities is a youth and survivor-led charity based in Barnet, addressing teenage relationship abuse through creative education and specialist, survivor-centred support.

Youth Realities aims to: 

• Reduce abuse within teenage relationships 

• Increase awareness of teenage relationship abuse through education

• Empower young people’s personal development & growth

• Provide advocacy and trusted support for young survivors

Our vision is a world where young people live free from relationship abuse and violence. Our mission is to end relationships abuse by working with young people to provide specialist spaces for prevention, intervention and healing.

As a key member of SCT’s Housing First team, you’ll provide tailored, person-centred support to people who have experienced homelessness and other traumatic events. Working with a small caseload (around six residents), you will build trusting, relationships that empower people to maintain their tenancies, improve their wellbeing, and take meaningful steps towards recovery. Through practical advice, emotional support, and strong advocacy, you’ll help break cycles of exclusion and create lasting change, on each person’s terms.