Independent advocate jobs

Hope for Justice is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic professional to join our team as an Independent Modern Slavery Advocate® (IMSA®) (Trainee) to join our Advocacy team and work within the IMSA® model pilot. This is an in-role trainee position which requires successful completion of the IMSA® PG Certification in order to progress to the full IMSA® role.

Since September 2025, the IMSA® Model Development Project has been pioneering a national pilot. Hope for Justice is working in partnership with 14 other organisations, together employing 28 IMSAs® and Senior IMSAs® who are working alongside adult survivors of human trafficking. Hope for Justice leads the central IMSA® Model Hub within the pilot, supporting IMSAs® and their employing organisations throughout the UK. 

To achieve our collection aim of a standardised national model of accredited independent advocacy for adult survivors of modern slavery, all IMSAs® are required to successfully complete the IMSA® PG Certification with St Mary's University. This opportunity will fully fund and support you to complete the IMSA® PG Certification, whilst working as a Trainee IMSA®. Upon successful completion, you will progress into the full IMSA® role. Throughout your training we will support you in the following ways:

·Released in-work time for PG Certification attendance and study

·Reduction in caseload and/or complex cases

·Additional supervision and support for casework

IMSAs® work alongside survivors to help them understand their rights and to navigate the complex systems and support services available in the UK. By working with an independent advocate, survivors can overcome barriers and make informed decisions about their recovery.

This is a UK-based role within our UK Advocacy Team and a fixed term contract until December 2027 (in line with IMSA® Model Pilot timeframes).

This role is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the delivery and the development of a national pilot working towards a shared goal of every survivor of modern slavery and human trafficking having access to an Independent Modern Slavery Advocate®.

Requirements

1.Provide independent advocacy for survivors of modern slavery/human trafficking in the UK

• Empowering adult survivors by providing a clear overview of their rights and entitlements, in their own language, explaining and providing an overview of options and choices 
• Once a survivor understands their rights, producing a detailed initial assessment (legal and socio needs), an individual risk assessment and a safety plan 
• Anticipating and understanding the barriers that survivors face and how independent advocacy can help to overcome those barriers 
• Ensuring smooth transfer into safe accommodation and into the community, advocating for clear pathways to services and systems, in accordance with the non-statutory government endorsed, Slavery and Trafficking Care Standards 2025, produced by the Human Trafficking Foundation 
• Act as a single point of contact for the survivor, and relevant agencies through all processes. Providing a point of trust for the survivor and high-quality communication with all relevant agencies and professionals 
• Ensuring referrals to legal and support agencies are effectively managed and supported, including housing; witness support; health services; finance and debt organisations; education, training and employment services; immigration; civil compensation, public law and criminal law solicitors 
• Where necessary, and dependent on local support available, accompany a survivor (online or in-person) to advocacy related appointments, empowering and advocating for the survivor’s needs and wishes to be heard in all processes, supporting the survivor to negotiate these processes and overcome barriers 
• Working with the survivor, where appropriate, to develop confidence to do things for themselves, to foster independence and to advocate for themselves
• Ensuring the survivor’s voice is heard and if a survivor wishes to engage that they are well supported as a witness throughout criminal and civil proceedings 
• Work collaboratively with key agencies and services that the survivor routinely interacts with, e.g. support worker; social services, health care personnel, and other statutory and non-statutory agencies, to ensure they receive coordinated help and support
• Provide understanding and education for adult survivors at risk of re-trafficking including safety planning, understanding signs of exploitation, worker’s rights and financial inclusion to reduce the risk of re-exploitation
• Managing a caseload using a trauma-informed approach, that is person-led and ensuring all survivors are able to achieve their agreed outcomes 
• Working with IMSA Model Hub team to administer and process survivor referrals
• Ensuring that all case management is delivered to agreed standards, in line with the values of the IMSA Model and in line with organisational policies, procedures and best practice. 

2.Provide advice to professionals and individuals, building effective and collaborative relationships with other organisations and deliver training and information on modern slavery and human trafficking 

• To provide expert information and capacity strengthening to a wide range of professionals, stakeholders and organisations encountered when working as an independent advocate
• To promote and demonstratea trauma informed and person-centered response, ensuring conduct, language and behaviour is anti-oppressive, anti-racist and culturally intelligent
• To deliver training, awareness raising and capacity strengthening sessions on a range of topics relevant to modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK

3.Risk Management and escalation:  

• Following procedures, policies and guidance to ensure a safe, effective, and efficient working environment 
• Identifying and escalating safeguarding concerns appropriately and in accordance with organisational policies, procedures and practice 
• Rapidly identifying, managing and when appropriate, escalating risks and health and safety matters 

4.Data Management: 

• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date case management notes and data in accordance with organisational and IMSA Model policies, procedures and good practice 
• Ensuring that data protection and information sharing policies are upheld 

5.Team Member: 

• To actively participate in all team meetings, upholding and promoting a supportive environment throughout the IMSA Model Hub and the wider network of IMSAs 
• To work collaboratively across the IMSA Model Hub and wider network of IMSAs to support best practice
• To raise awareness of issues of modern slavery, human trafficking, and the experiences of survivors across a range of organisations and individuals, building capacity, knowledge and improving responses to modern slavery and human trafficking 
• Support the aims of the IMSA Model and the IMSA Model Development Project, promoting the benefits of independent advocacy and the opportunity to reform responses to survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking across the UK 

6.Learning and Development:  

• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of the changes in legislation and policy in relation to modern slavery 
• Adopt reflective practice approaches, identifying areas for improvement and seeking continued professional development opportunities 
• Monitoring policy changes, sharing and reporting on the impact of these changes on survivor outcomes 
• Successful completion of the Post Graduate Certificate for IMSAs 

7.For all roles: 

• Understand and uphold the standards outlined Hope for Justice safeguarding policies, acting with due care and attention to safeguard the wellbeing of anyone that comes into contact with our work and reporting concerns if they do arise 
• Work at all times in line with Hope for Justice and the IMSA Model policies and procedures and the wider strategy, culture, and ethos of Hope for Justice
• Uphold the IMSA Model values and governance structure
• Respond to ad hoc assignments requested from time to time

Key Result Areas

• Survivors receive expert independent advocacy to realise their rights and entitlements, overcome barriers, and move towards their self-definition of recovery
• Effective partnerships are maintained enabling positive advocacy outcomes for survivors
• Data collection and clients’ case notes are accurate, reaching organisational standards and enable analysis, supporting the on-going development and improvement of the IMSA® Model Development Project 

We expect all our employees to understand and uphold the standards outlined in the Hope for Justice Safeguarding policies, acting with due care and attention to safeguard the wellbeing of anyone that encounters our work and reporting concerns if they do arise.

As part of Hope for Justice/Slave Free Alliance, you will benefit from an excellent package including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• 1 day Marriage Leave
• Birthday Day
• Enhanced employer pension contributions
• Company sick pay
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Access to our Employee Rewards Platform, providing discounts and offers for well-known retailers
• Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme for staff and their family
• Professional development opportunities
• Professional memberships paid
• Flexible and hybrid working

Role Details

Job type: Full time

Salary: £28,500 pa, salary will increase to £30,000 upon successful completion of the IMSA® PG Certification

Closing date: 26th August 2026

Location: Hybrid – within UK, with travel to Manchester when required

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which include criminal records checks, in line with our Global background checks policy – to view this please click here. Hope for Justice participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme, as part of the referencing process we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Personal data of the selected candidate(s) may be transmitted to INTERPOL for a security check for the purpose of identifying threats the candidate could pose to children and vulnerable persons in regard to a sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment offences.

We would like to inform you that due to the high number of applicants we receive, we regret that we are not able to respond individually to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps in the selection process, thank you for your understanding.