Independent advocate jobs

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

Barnardo's is seeking an empathetic and child led individual who can work within a dynamic and fast-paced environment using their strong organisational, communication and time management skills to support children in the secure estate.

This part-time position (Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is based within HMYOI Werrington, which accommodates children aged between 15-18 years, who are in custody, either sentenced or on remand.  Barnardo's refers to Young Offender Institutions (YOI) and Secure Training Centres (STC) as the ‘Secure Estate'.

Barnardo's is commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to provide an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy (ICRAS) Service to children accommodated in a secure setting. The service is known to children as Barnardo's: Your Rights, Your Voice, and currently works within  four Young Offender Institutes,  one Secure Training Centre.  The ICRAS service is child led and independent of the secure estate; our service is delivered within HMYOI Werrington to ensure children can freely access support for a range of issues linked to their needs, rights & experiences of custody, resettlement, and safeguarding.  As such this is a child-facing service, and at times involves lone working in the establishments, so we are seeking someone who can see the child, not the offence.

We hold ‘voice' at the heart of all we do, therefore we feel the role is best described by someone who is currently working in this sector: “The role is a Children's Rights and Advocacy role, which means it is our job to empower the children we work with and help them to understand that what they think, what they feel and what they want, really matters. We can speak on behalf of children to ensure their voice is heard and we also have the opportunity to help them to find the tools and confidence to raise their voices for themselves.  Advocacy and Children's Rights support is particularly crucial in the secure estate because children are away from home, family and natural advocates, and also because children in secure estate are some of the most vulnerable children in society; they have often faced considerable adversity, disadvantage and discrimination prior to arriving into custody and they might not, therefore, be equipped with the skills needed to articulate their concerns. Through the work you do with a child such as  simply helping them make contact with friends or family on the outside, to helping them with concerns they may have in relation todiscrimination, resettlement or safeguarding issues, you  may be the one person telling them that  they matter for the very first time.”

The position (Independant Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is line managed by a Team Manager, reporting to an off-site manager. The post holder will need to be able to work autonomously, working to the requirements of the contract and the regime of the establishment. The secure estate is a highly structured environment; as a Barnardo's service we deliver independent advocacy and support for a range of issues, whilst still having to follow and adhere to this structure.

This role includes lone working in this challenging secure environment. It is, therefore, critical that the successful candidate can follow guidance and policy and is able to take proactive and individual responsibility to understand and access the service support mechanisms.  This role requires the worker to be onsite for their contracted hours, working remotely only for occasional training or meetings. The advocacy team work on a rota system with set hours each week, which includes weekends and bank holidays. Applicants should also be aware, that due to the nature of working within the secure estate, the vetting and induction process can take several months to complete.

When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Additional Information, Person Specification and Job Description document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described, including advocacy and safeguarding.  

This is a part-time vacancy with 18.5 hours available per week.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Barnardo's is seeking an empathetic and child led individual who can work within a dynamic and fast-paced environment using their strong organisational, communication and time management skills to support children in the secure estate.

This part-time position (Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is based within HMYOI Parc, which accommodates children aged between 15-18 years, who are in custody, either sentenced or on remand.  Barnardo's refers to Young Offender Institutions (YOI) and Secure Training Centres (STC) as the ‘Secure Estate'.

Barnardo's is commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to provide an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy (ICRAS) Service to children accommodated in a secure setting. The service is known to children as Barnardo's: Your Rights, Your Voice, and currently works within  four Young Offender Institutes and  one Secure Training Centre. The ICRAS service is child led and independent of the secure estate; our service is delivered within HMYOI Parc to ensure children can freely access support for a range of issues linked to their needs, rights & experiences of custody, resettlement, and safeguarding.  As such this is a child-facing service, and at times involves lone working in the establishments, so we are seeking someone who can see the child, not the offence.

We hold ‘voice' at the heart of all we do, therefore we feel the role is best described by someone who is currently working in this sector: “The role is an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy role, which means it is our job to empower the children we work with and help them to understand that what they think, what they feel and what they want, really matters. We can speak on behalf of children to ensure their voice is heard and we also have the opportunity to help them to find the tools and confidence to raise their voices for themselves.  Advocacy and Children's Rights support is particularly crucial in the secure estate because children are away from home, family and natural advocates, and also because children in secure estate are some of the most vulnerable children in society; they have often faced considerable adversity, disadvantage and discrimination prior to arriving into custody and they might not, therefore, be equipped with the skills needed to articulate their concerns. Through the work you do with a child such as  simply helping them make contact with friends or family on the outside, to helping them with concerns they may have in relation todiscrimination, resettlement or safeguarding issues, you  may be the one person telling them that  they matter for the very first time.”

The position (Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is line managed by a Team Manager, reporting to an off-site manager. The post holder will need to be able to work autonomously, working to the requirements of the contract and the regime of the YOI. The secure estate is a highly structured environment; as a Barnardo's service we deliver independent advocacy and support for a range of issues, whilst still having to follow and adhere to this structure.

This role includes lone working in this challenging secure environment. It is, therefore, critical that the successful candidate can follow guidance and policy and is able to take proactive and individual responsibility to understand and access the service support mechanisms.  This role requires the worker to be onsite for their contracted hours, working remotely only for occasional training or meetings. The advocacy team work on a rota system with set hours each week, which includes weekends and bank holidays. Applicants should also be aware, that due to the nature of working within secure estate, the vetting and induction process can take several months to complete.

When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Additional Information, Person Specification and Job Description document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described, including advocacy and safeguarding.  

This is a part-time vacancy with 18.5 hours available per week.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

About the role
Galop is looking for an experienced practitioner to provide effective support to LGBT victims and survivors of abuse and violence in the UK. You will work within the advocacy team to deliver advice, support, and advocacy to LGBT victims and survivors of interpersonal abuse and violence each year. You will act as a specialist lead within the advocacy team for work with Trans and Non-Binary survivors, including providing support, advice and expertise to your colleagues and externally. 
 
As a Senior Advocate, you will provide high quality advocacy and support to Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex people who are subjected to abuse and violence, specifically domestic abuse and sexual violence, focusing on their needs, safety and recovery. This role builds on work that we have been doing for decades to support and empower LGBT people who have been victims of violence and abuse.  Your work will enable LGBT people 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 Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex 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 to domestic abuse and sexual violence, 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. 
 
For more information on this role please download the attached job description. 
 
Location
Option for remote or hybrid working. Galop’s offices are located in London. Hybrid working will involve both home working and working from the office at least 2 days per week.
 
Hours
Full Time (35 hours per week) 
 
Contract
Until 31 March 2027 (extension subject to funding)
 
Line manages
Advocates and caseworkers 
 
Reports to
Advocacy and Support Manager
 
Salary
Grade E1 £38,509.98 (including inner London weighting of £4,296.25) or £34,213.73 without London weighting for a remote contract. 
 
Closing Date 
Applications should be submitted by 28th April 2026
Interviews will be held on 6th and 7th of May 2026
 
REF-227 770