Independent mental health advocate jobs in East of england
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Role overview
Shine supports a community of over 15,000 members living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, including 10,000 adults (25+).
You will be delivering high-quality support and creating opportunities for adults living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus and their carers, supporting Shine members to lead healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives by improving condition management and fostering connections within the Shine community.
This role will focus on adults (25+), you will be primarily working within the Adult Services Team. However, there will be occasions when you will work across age groups to ensure the best outcomes for our members.
The role is home-based and ideally you will live within an hour commute of London, within Essex, Kent or Sussex as you will be attending clinics in London and the Southeast as required. There would be occasional travel required across wider areas and nationally including attendance at events, conferences and meetings at our head office in Peterborough.
The role is full time 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday with working core hours 9am-5pm with some flexibility to cover events evenings/weekends.
Key Responsibilities
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Deliver innovative support across your region to improve health, social, and emotional outcomes for members.
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Attend specialist clinics to engage with members and professionals.
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Provide information, advice, and guidance to our adult members and carers, including hard-to-reach communities.
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Support members to access benefits, services, and resources that promote financial stability, health, and independence.
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Refer members to Shine’s Health team, internal specialists, or external agencies as appropriate.
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Develop age-specific groups and peer support networks to reduce isolation and encourage social interaction.
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Recruit and support Shine volunteers.
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Contribute to regional and national events (face-to-face and virtual) based on member needs and interests.
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Represent Shine at conferences, provide information, raise awareness among professionals, external organisations, and the public through presentations and training.
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Promote Shine membership to individuals with relevant conditions.
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Maintain accurate records using Shine’s CRM (Salesforce database).
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Collaborate with colleagues across services, fundraising, marketing to identify opportunities for sustainability.
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Maintain an up-to-date directory of contacts and share relevant information internally.
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Undertake administrative tasks and other duties as required.
Other Core Requirements of Working for Shine
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Ability to travel across designated areas.
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Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to work outside core hours when required.
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Ability to work from home and manage lone working effectively.
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Self-motivated, with strong initiative and ability to work independently and as part of a dispersed team.
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Full Enhanced DBS check, UK Right to Work and satisfactory references required.
Benefits to working at Shine:
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Competitive salary: Review due April 2027
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Regular working hours, and no shift work (some very occasional weekends or evenings)
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3% pension contribution
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25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year
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Additional annual leave awarded for ‘long service’
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Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
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Broadband allowance for home-based roles
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Life insurance after 12 months’ employment
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Access to our Employee Support Programmeand Mental Health First Aiders
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Support to learn and develop
Shine is a Disability Confident employer and will offer guaranteed interviews if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job.
If you would like to discuss the role with our Deputy CEO, Gill Valentine, please contact to arrange a convenient time for a call.
To apply please submit your CV and supporting statement, which should outline your interest and explain how you meet the role criteria.
We understand that you may wish to use AI tools to help you with some aspects of your application but we do expect tailored applications which are personalised to your experiences and not generic applications which are completely AI generated. We encourage candidates to be transparent about AI usage in their applications.
Providing specialist advice and support for spina bifida and hydrocephalus



Renters Rights -Caseworker
Salary: £31,101 per annum
Closing date – 04 September 2026
Cambridge House is looking for motivated people who are willing to go the extra mile to create a more just society. We provide a range of services that are designed to improve people’s lives.
At Safer Renting we tackle the abuse of renters and criminality in the private rented sector by leveraging our partnerships with local authorities to hold landlords accountable for providing safe, decent, and secure homes. We also seek to transform the sector through our award-winning research and campaigns.
Our team is very diverse in terms of cultural diversity and lived experience, we offer staff a range of competitive benefits.
The successful candidates will have experience of:
- Empowering individuals with the knowledge, guidance and confidence to exercise and enforce their rights.
- Supporting legal action and securing positive outcomes for individuals through evidence-based case preparation.
- Championing tenant’s interests.
How to apply
Applicants will be required to submit their CV along with a supporting statement outlining their relevant experience and suitability for the role.
You will also be required to download and complete a Criminal Records Declaration Form and a Diversity Monitoring Form, both of which are available on the Work With Us/Job Opportunities page of our website.
We value diversity and warmly encourage applications from disabled and Queer/LGBTQIA+ people, candidates who share lived experiences with our service users, and people from Black, Asian and global majority communities.
Note Recruiters or Agencies will not be responded to .
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About the role:
Join us at Single Homeless Project (SHP) as part of our Lewisham Vulnerable Adults Accommodation Service (LVAAS), delivering accommodation-based support across our properties in Brockley and New Cross. This is hands-on, day-to-day work alongside people experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage, where no two days are the same. You’ll build real relationships with clients, supporting them to stabilise, develop life skills and move towards greater independence, while navigating the challenges that can come with housing, health and wider support needs.
As a Project Worker, you’ll be at the centre of the service; working closely with colleagues and partner agencies to coordinate support that genuinely moves people forward. Alongside your client work, you’ll play a key role in keeping the service running safely and smoothly, from maintaining a secure, welcoming environment to staying on top of health and fire safety standards across the properties.
At SHP, this role is a starting point for growth. You’ll gain exposure to complex work, build confidence in your practice and be supported to develop your career in a way that works for you. If you’re looking for a role where you can make a tangible difference every day while growing your skills, you’ll find that here.
About you:
- You build trust quickly and genuinely, working alongside people experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage with warmth, consistency and clear boundaries
- You stay calm and practical in busy or challenging moments, able to balance competing demands without losing sight of what matters for clients
- You’re confident working in a property-based service, taking responsibility for creating a safe, well-run environment for both clients and colleagues
- You work well with others, whether that’s your immediate team or external partners, and know how to keep things moving forward
- You’re open to learning, reflective in your approach and motivated to grow your skills in a role that will stretch you
About us:
We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.
In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up.
We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own.
Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable.
We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.
Important info:
Applications are reviewed and suitable candidates invited to interview online via Microsoft Teams as they are received. Therefore, please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the advert once a suitable candidate has been identified.
A second stage interview will be arranged for suitable candidates in service in Lewisham.
This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.
Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications with insufficient/without current right to work or requiring sponsorship will not be accepted for this role.
Preventing homelessness, transforming lives.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Role Purpose
The Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic, operational and values-led leadership for Home-Start Norfolk, ensuring the charity delivers its mission, supports its families effectively and remains financially sustainable. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation’s strategy, people, services, partnerships, governance, income generation and volunteer strategy, while acting as an ambassador for the charity and its work.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
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Lead the development and delivery of the charity’s strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Trustees.
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Translate the charity’s vision, mission and values into clear priorities, measurable objectives and effective operational plans.
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Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, collaboration and improved impact.
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Ensure services and activities remain responsive to beneficiary needs and changing external circumstances.
Governance, Compliance and Risk
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Support the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance responsibilities through clear reporting, sound advice and timely information.
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Ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law where applicable, employment law, fundraising regulation, data protection requirements, safeguarding duties and all relevant regulatory obligations.
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Maintain a robust approach to risk management, internal controls, policies and procedures.
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Promote transparency, accountability and ethical decision-making across the organisation.
Financial Leadership and Income Generation
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Provide overall leadership for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and long-term sustainability.
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Work with trustees and senior colleagues to ensure resources are used effectively and in line with charitable objectives.
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Lead the development of a diverse and resilient income strategy, including grants, trusts and foundations, individual giving, corporate partnerships, contracts and other appropriate income streams.
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Maintain strong relationships with funders, commissioners, donors and supporters, ensuring excellent stewardship and reporting.
Service Delivery, Quality and Impact
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Ensure the charity delivers high-quality, safe and effective services that achieve positive outcomes for families.
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Embed continuous improvement, evidence-based practice and meaningful beneficiary involvement.
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Oversee monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the charity’s work.
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Champion safeguarding, inclusion, accessibility and dignity in all areas of service delivery.
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Comply with Home-Start UK’s Quality Audit Policies and Process, to ensure the charity maintains a high standard of quality assurance.
People, Culture and Organisational Development
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Lead, support and develop the senior leadership team and staff, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture.
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Ensure the charity has the right structures, systems, skills and capacity to deliver its strategy.
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Promote wellbeing, learning, accountability and collaboration across the organisation.
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Ensure effective HR, performance management and recruitment practices are in place.
Volunteer Leadership
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Provide strategic leadership for the development and delivery of the charity’s volunteer strategy, ensuring it supports organisational priorities and beneficiary needs.
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Oversee effective volunteer recruitment, induction, training, supervision, support, retention and recognition.
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Ensure volunteers are valued, well-supported, appropriately deployed and able to contribute safely and confidently to the charity’s work.
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Develop a sustainable volunteer workforce plan, identifying current and future volunteer capacity, skills and support requirements.
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Promote a positive volunteering culture that reflects the charity’s values and strengthens engagement, inclusion and community connection.
External Relations, Partnerships and Advocacy
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Act as the public face and senior ambassador for the charity, representing it with credibility and confidence.
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Build and maintain strong relationships with beneficiaries, partners, funders, commissioners, local communities, statutory bodies and sector networks.
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Raise the charity’s profile and influence through effective communications, thought leadership and advocacy.
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Promote collaboration and partnership working to extend reach, improve outcomes and strengthen sustainability.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Help children and young people recover from sexual abuse.
Respond is looking for a compassionate and skilled Specialist Child and Young Person Advocate to join an innovative partnership delivering a new Child Sexual Abuse Support Hub.
Working alongside SurvivorsUK and other specialist organisations, you will provide trauma-informed advocacy and emotional support to boys, girls and non-binary children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a collaborative service that places children and young people at the centre of support, helping them understand their options, improve their safety and access the specialist services they need.
About the role
You will:
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Hold a caseload of children and young people requiring specialist advocacy and support.
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Provide practical and emotional support tailored to individual needs.
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Support children and young people to access health, education, social care, therapeutic and criminal justice services where appropriate.
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Work collaboratively with families, carers and professionals while ensuring the wishes and rights of the young person remain central.
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Contribute to safeguarding, risk management and multidisciplinary working across the partnership.
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Help improve access to services for children and young people who experience additional barriers, including disabled children and young people and those from under-represented communities.
Please note this is not a court advocacy or Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) role. Where ongoing ISVA or court support is required, you will work closely with partner organisations to ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time.
About you
We're looking for someone who has:
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Experience supporting children and young people affected by trauma, abuse or exploitation.
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A strong understanding of safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.
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Experience working collaboratively across agencies.
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Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
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A commitment to equality, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.
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Experience supporting autistic children and young people, those with learning disabilities, or additional needs would be highly valued.
Why Respond?
For over 30 years, Respond has been a national leader in supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities who have experienced abuse, violence and trauma. We are committed to delivering accessible, inclusive and person-centred services that enable people to recover, heal and thrive.
Joining Respond means becoming part of a supportive team that values collaboration, reflective practice and continuous learning while making a genuine difference to the lives of children and young people.
We welcome applications from everyone
We are committed to building a diverse workforce and particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience and those from communities that are under-represented in our workforce.
Respond is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
Please ensure that you apply with a cover letter, any applications without a cover letter may not be considered for shortlisting.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Terms and Conditions
Job title: Advocate (Bridges to Health)
Reports to: Project Manager (Bridges to Health and Substance Misuse TTG)
Direct reports: N/A
Start Date: TBC once vetting has been cleared
Salary: 31,173 per annum (inclusive of £3,990 Southeast weighting)
Working hours: Full time - 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid - MP Downview, Sutton Ln, Sutton SM2 5PD. It’s expected that your working week will include time spent working in prison, time spent delivering community work across London and the South East, plus some working from home.
Job Purpose
Women in Prison’s Advocates deliver high-quality, trauma-informed, independent advocacy for women in communities and in prisons, which focuses on early intervention, and holistic provision as part of a ‘whole system’ multi-agency response that looks to address the root causes of women’s offending.
The primary purpose of this role is to provide in-depth, ongoing support to a caseload of women who have been referred for support by prison staff, predominately the Mental Health In-Reach Teams and Primary Care Teams.
Key Responsibility Areas
1. Provide high-quality, trauma-responsive advocacy and support to women in contact with the criminal justice system – both in prison and in the community.
2. Maintain case management systems to ensure accurate and timely data recording.
3. Develop effective relationships with key stakeholders such as statutory and voluntary sector agencies.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Help transform access to healthcare for people experiencing homelessness in Islington
Thank you for your interest in joining Groundswell.
We're looking for someone who believes everyone should be able to access healthcare with dignity, whatever their circumstances.
As our new Homeless Health Peer Advocacy (HHPA) Caseworker in Islington, you'll play a key role in establishing an exciting new service that helps people experiencing homelessness get the healthcare they need while bringing local health, housing and homelessness services together around the people who need them most.
Every day you'll build trusted relationships, remove barriers to healthcare and support people to take greater control of their health and wellbeing. Whether you're accompanying someone to a health appointment, helping them understand their treatment, supporting a safe hospital discharge or working alongside local partners to coordinate care, you'll see the difference your work makes.
At Groundswell, we believe lasting change happens through relationships. We work alongside people rather than doing things for them, building confidence, creating opportunities and supporting people to become active participants in their own health.
This is an opportunity to help shape a new service from the beginning, working as part of an ambitious partnership that's committed to reducing health inequalities and creating a more joined-up, compassionate system for people experiencing homelessness in Islington.
If you're passionate about tackling health inequalities, enjoy building relationships, and want to be part of a values-led organisation where lived experience is at the heart of everything we do, we'd love to hear from you.
About Groundswell
For 30 years we've worked alongside people with lived experience to develop practical solutions that improve health, reduce inequalities and create opportunities for lasting change. We believe that people who have experienced homelessness are experts in the barriers they face and should play a central role in designing services and shaping the systems that affect them.
Today, Groundswell delivers peer-led services, helping thousands of people each year access healthcare, improve their wellbeing and influence the systems that affect their lives. As Islington HHPA Caseworker, you'll join a supportive organisation that believes lasting change happens through relationships, partnership and involving people with lived experience at all levels.
Our Vision
Our vision is for a society which is fair, inclusive and equal.
We need equitable access to a healthier life and a better future for anyone with experience of homelessness.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bring people together to:
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Amplify voices of people with lived experience to create solutions to homelessness and health inequalities.
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Stand in solidarity and champion their rights, to create positive change.
Our Strategy
We co-produced our strategy with staff and volunteers with experience of homelessness. We’re proud to have remained true to our values of participation and co-production.
Stronger Voices, Healthier Lives, Better Futures, Greater Together
People with experience of homelessness must inform the solutions – because they understand the problems people face.
At every stage, we will hear, unite and amplify more voices of people with lived experience to speak out. Through participation we will build a stronger, more inclusive community to create change – through our organisation, in services, our sectors and wider society, locally and nationally.
Homelessness is a health emergency.
We will work to end health inequalities for people who have or are experiencing homelessness through advocacy, practical support, information and by influencing people, policy and services.
Everyone deserves a better, more hopeful life and future.
Lived experience of homelessness can lead to barriers that impact people’s life chances.
Recognising the potential in everyone, we will provide more opportunities and support for people with experience of homelessness to progress if, and when, they are ready.
We can’t achieve our goals alone – we are more impactful when we pull together.
We will become more effective and sustainable, building on our culture of relationships, compassion and transparency, and working closely with partners to learn, share and create change.
How Homeless Health Peer Advocacy Works
HHPA helps people experiencing homelessness overcome the barriers that prevent them accessing healthcare.
Many people face significant challenges navigating health services. Appointments can be difficult to book and attend, treatment can be confusing, and previous experiences of stigma, trauma or exclusion can make healthcare feel inaccessible. Without the right support, people often delay seeking help until their health has deteriorated.
"I need someone with me that I know that I can trust. I wouldn't do things like that on my own."
HHPA Client
HHPA provides practical, person-centred support that helps people access the care they need while building the confidence to manage their own health. Rather than providing one-off interventions, HHPA works alongside people over time, developing trusted relationships, responding flexibly to changing needs and supporting people to become more confident and independent.
The service combines the expertise of skilled Caseworkers with the unique insight of trained volunteer Peer Advocates who have lived experience of homelessness. Together they provide one-to-one advocacy, practical support and health promotion to help people:
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register with healthcare services
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prepare for and attend appointments
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understand treatment and care plans
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navigate hospital admission and discharge
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access wider health and wellbeing services
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make informed decisions about their health
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become increasingly confident in managing their own health.
Alongside one-to-one support, HHPA delivers peer-led health promotion in hostels, day centres, outreach settings and other community spaces. Through informal conversations and group activities, Peer Advocates share accessible information about physical health, mental health and wellbeing, encourage preventative healthcare, identify unmet health needs and help people access support earlier. These conversations often provide the first step towards engaging with healthcare, creating trusted pathways into ongoing advocacy and reducing the need for crisis intervention.
This relational, peer-led approach improves individual health outcomes while strengthening partnerships across health, housing and homelessness services, helping more people access coordinated, person-centred care.
Delivering HHPA in Islington
Groundswell has been commissioned by Islington Council to deliver a new borough-wide Homeless Health Peer Advocacy (HHPA) service.
The service supports people who are sleeping rough or living in hostels, supported accommodation and temporary housing to access healthcare earlier, stay engaged with treatment and receive coordinated support across local services.
Working alongside Single Homelessness Project (SHP), Thames Reach, the Islington Health Outreach Team (IHOT), Whittington Health NHS Trust, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Islington GP Federation, Change Grow Live, Islington Council and local accommodation providers, the service delivers outreach, in-reach, health advocacy, healthcare accompaniment, hospital discharge support and health promotion for people experiencing homelessness across Islington. Alongside supporting individuals, the service also strengthens local partnerships, improves referral pathways and identifies opportunities to make the health and homelessness system work better for people experiencing homelessness.
"Groundswell are the stitches that keep homeless and health professionals working together."
Partner organisation
As the Islington HHPA Caseworker, you'll play a key role in establishing this new service and helping it become a trusted part of Islington's health and homelessness system. You'll manage a varied caseload, working alongside people experiencing homelessness to improve access to healthcare, coordinate support and help them achieve the health outcomes that matter to them. Every day is different, but throughout your work you'll work alongside people, collaborate with local partners and help create a service that enables people to access healthcare with dignity, confidence and choice.
Role Description
Through outreach, health advocacy and partnership working, you'll support people experiencing homelessness to access healthcare, stay engaged with treatment and build the confidence to manage their own health. Alongside direct support, you'll help strengthen partnerships and improve local pathways into care.
Key Responsibilities
Outreach and Engagement:
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Undertake outreach with SHP, Thames Reach and the Islington Health Outreach Team (IHOT).
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Deliver in-reach sessions within hostels, supported accommodation and temporary housing.
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Respond to referrals and identify people who would benefit from the service.
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Build trusting relationships through persistent, compassionate engagement.
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Complete holistic assessments and develop person-centred support plans.
Health Advocacy and Casework:
Manage a caseload of people experiencing homelessness with multiple and complex health needs, providing practical, person-centred support to improve access to healthcare and long-term health outcomes.
You will support people to:
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Register with GP practices and other primary healthcare services.
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Access physical health, mental health, dental, sexual health, optometry and substance use services.
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Arrange, prepare for and attend healthcare appointments.
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Understand their treatment, care plans and available support.
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Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals and advocate where barriers arise.
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Build the confidence and skills to manage their own healthcare independently over time.
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Promote preventative healthcare, including screening, vaccinations and long-term condition management where appropriate.
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Deliver informal health promotion and accessible health information in hostels and community settings.
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Encourage people to seek support earlier and become active participants in managing their own health and wellbeing.
You'll tailor your support to each individual, recognising the impact of homelessness, trauma and social exclusion on health and wellbeing.
Hospital Admission and Discharge
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Support people before, during and after hospital admission.
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Advocate with hospital teams.
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Contribute to discharge planning.
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Help prevent discharge to rough sleeping.
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Provide follow-up support to maintain engagement with healthcare.
Partnership Working
Develop strong working relationships across Islington's health, housing and homelessness system to ensure people experiencing homelessness receive coordinated, person-centred support.
You will:
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Attend multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, case conferences and other partnership forums.
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Coordinate care for people with multiple and complex needs.
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Develop and maintain effective referral pathways with partner organisations.
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Share information appropriately to support safe, coordinated care.
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Promote collaborative, person-centred working across the partnership.
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Champion the value of peer-led health advocacy and lived experience.
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Identify opportunities to strengthen partnerships and improve access to healthcare across the borough.
Safeguarding and Professional Practice
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Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
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Assess and manage risk.
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Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
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Follow Groundswell's safeguarding, health and safety and lone working procedures.
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Participate in supervision, reflective practice and training.
Recording and Service Development
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Maintain accurate records using Salesforce.
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Monitor outcomes and report on service activity.
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Contribute case studies and learning.
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Share insights to improve services and local partnership working.
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Support the development of the Islington HHPA service.
General Responsibilities
You will:
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Work in line with Groundswell's values and policies.
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Promote equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
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Deliver trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred practice.
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Work flexibly across community settings in Islington.
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Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role.
What Success Looks Like
In your first year you will have:
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Built trusted relationships with people experiencing homelessness.
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Helped more people access and engage with healthcare.
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Worked effectively alongside Peer Advocates and local partners.
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Supported safer hospital admissions and discharges.
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Delivered high-quality, person-centred health advocacy.
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Helped establish Groundswell's HHPA service as a trusted part of Islington's health and homelessness system.
Person Specification
At Groundswell, we know that excellent Caseworkers come from many different backgrounds. You may have gained your experience through paid work, volunteering, community organising, supporting people experiencing homelessness or other forms of social exclusion, or through your own lived experience. We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds who are committed to improving people's lives.
We're looking for someone who shares our values, enjoys building relationships and wants to help create a health and homelessness system that works better for everyone.
What We're Looking For
A) Core Requirements:
We're looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:
- Experience of supporting people facing homelessness, multiple disadvantage or other forms of social exclusion through advocacy, casework, health navigation or other person-centred support.
- The ability to build trusting relationships with people who may have experienced trauma, exclusion or negative experiences of services.
- Excellent communication and partnership working skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across health, housing and voluntary sector organisations.
- Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage a varied caseload, prioritise competing demands and maintain accurate records.
- Sound judgement when managing risk, safeguarding concerns and complex situations.
- A commitment to Groundswell's values, including lived experience leadership, equity, participation, compassion and collaboration.
B) Knowledge and Experience:
The successful candidate is likely to have knowledge or experience of:
Essential
- Health inequalities experienced by people facing homelessness and multiple disadvantage.
- Trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred approaches.
- Safeguarding, professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Working collaboratively with other organisations to support people with complex needs.
- Microsoft Word and Outlook
Desirable
- Health advocacy, care navigation or homelessness services.
- Outreach or assertive engagement.
- Hospital admission and discharge support.
- NHS, housing or adult social care systems.
- Coordinating volunteers or people with lived experience.
- Salesforce or another case management system.
C) Personal Qualities:
We're looking for someone who is:
- Compassionate, respectful and non-judgemental.
- Calm and resilient when working in complex or challenging situations.
- Curious, reflective and committed to continuous learning.
- Flexible and adaptable, recognising that no two days—and no two people—are the same.
- Passionate about improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities.
We'd Particularly Welcome Applications from People Who Have:
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Lived experience of homelessness or another form of social exclusion.
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Experience of working in partnership with local communities.
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Experience of co-production or supporting people with lived experience to shape services.
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A commitment to using lived experience to influence systems and improve outcomes.
Our Commitment to Inclusive Recruitment:
Groundswell is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience of homelessness, migration, the criminal justice system, mental ill health, substance use or other forms of social exclusion.
We recognise that no one candidate will meet every requirement. If you believe you have the skills, values and potential to succeed in this role, we'd encourage you to apply.
Why Join Groundswell
Meaningful Work
"Without someone beside them, many of my clients simply wouldn't attend. It isn't just support—it's the difference between care happening or not happening at all."
Groundswell Peer Advocate
Working at Groundswell is about making a genuine difference.It's rewarding work where you'll see the impact of what you do, both in people's lives and in the way local services work together.
A Supportive Team
We're a values-led organisation where compassion, collaboration and lived experience shape everything we do. You'll be part of a friendly, supportive team that values reflection, learning and mutual support. Through regular supervision, reflective practice and close working with colleagues and partners, you'll have the support you need to do challenging work well.
Learn and Grow
We're committed to helping our people develop. You'll have opportunities to deepen your expertise in homelessness, health inequalities and trauma-informed practice, build your understanding of health, housing and social care systems, and contribute to the development of a new service. Whether you're looking to broaden your skills or progress your career, we'll support your learning every step of the way.
Benefits
We offer a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and work-life balance, including:
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28 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
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5% employer pension contribution.
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Flexible and hybrid working, where service delivery allows.
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A compressed hours working pattern is available.
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Regular reflective practice and high-quality supervision.
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Ongoing learning and development opportunities.
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A supportive, inclusive and values-led working environment.
Be Part of Something Bigger
Every relationship you build, every barrier you help remove and every person you support to access healthcare has the potential to change a life.
By joining Groundswell, you'll be helping to build a fairer health system—one where everyone, regardless of their housing situation, can access the care they need with dignity, confidence and hope.
If you're looking for a role where your compassion, skills and commitment can make a lasting difference, we'd love to hear from you.
Application and Interview Process
Please let us know if you would like to request any accommodations or adjustments throughout the application and interview process. We will be very happy to support these wherever possible to give all applicants the best opportunity to showcase their skills and experience.
We encourage our candidates to draw from their personal and professional experiences, skills, knowledge and passion for our work in their applications, as we believe this will be the best representation of why you are the right fit for the role. While we acknowledge that Generative AI can be a useful tool when used selectively, we do not believe it can replace the authenticity each individual can bring to their application. Therefore, we ask you to consider carefully any use of Generative AI throughout the application process.
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Application
To apply, please submit your CV along with a cover letter using. The cover letter should explain:
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How you meet each of the areas outlined in the person specification above
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Why you are interested in doing this job at Groundswell.
The deadline for applications is 10am on Friday 7th August.
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Interviews
Interviews will be held online on Wednesday 12th August.
If you do not have a computer or a suitable space to do an online interview, we can arrange for you to come into our office.
We are a small charity with limited resources and are unable to give individualised feedback on unsuccessful applications before the interview stage.
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Pre-employment checks
The job offer for the successful candidate will be subject to a reference and DBS check.
Many thanks for taking the time to look into this role – it is an exciting opportunity, and we hope you will consider applying.
If you would like to discuss this role before applying then please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We care about your privacy; read here how we manage your personal data.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are recruiting for a Children and Young People’s Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ChISVA) to support and empower young survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
The ChISVA will provide information, support, advice and advocacy to children and young people who have experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The post holder will deliver child-centred support to young survivors and non-abusing care givers around criminal justice processes, wellbeing, education and safety, while ensuring child protection procedures are followed at all times.
The post holder will work closely with other agencies such as Social Care, the Police, Education, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that children and young people are kept safe and are well supported. They will prioritise, assess, plan, evaluate and deliver all relevant aspects of support to an agreed and expected high standard.
This post is part of a countywide ISVA team providing a pro-active service to children, young people and adult survivors of sexual violence and abuse, within and outside of the criminal justice system.
For more information and to apply for the role, please click on the 'Redirect to Recruiter' button to visit our website where you will find all the documents and details required.
Providing specialist emotional, therapeutic and advocacy support to women and girls across Cambridgeshire impacted by sexual violence and abuse.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Help make healthcare work better for people experiencing homelessness
Thank you for your interest in joining Groundswell.
We're looking for someone who believes everyone should be able to access healthcare with dignity, whatever their circumstances.
As our Homeless Health Peer Advocacy (HHPA) Development Manager, you'll help make that happen by building the partnerships that enable people experiencing homelessness to access the healthcare they need.
At Groundswell, we know that good services alone aren't enough. Lasting change happens when health, housing and homelessness organisations work together around the person, sharing responsibility, building trust and removing barriers to care. This role exists to make that collaboration happen in practice.
Working across London, you'll strengthen partnerships, improve referral pathways and help embed HHPA within local systems so that more people can access timely, coordinated and person-centred healthcare. You'll also lead our Health Promotion programme, support the development of staff and volunteers, and help shape the future growth of the service.
This is an opportunity to improve individual lives by helping organisations work better together. Through your leadership, you'll help create a more connected health and homelessness system—one where people experiencing homelessness can access healthcare with confidence, dignity and choice.
If you're passionate about collaboration, committed to tackling health inequalities and excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of Homeless Health Peer Advocacy, we'd love to hear from you.
About Groundswell
For 30 years we've worked alongside people with lived experience to develop practical solutions that improve health, reduce inequalities and create opportunities for lasting change. We believe that people who have experienced homelessness are experts in the barriers they face and should play a central role in designing services and shaping the systems that affect them.
Today, Groundswell delivers peer-led services, helping thousands of people each year access healthcare, improve their wellbeing and influence the systems that affect their lives. As HHPA Development Manager, you'll join a supportive organisation that believes lasting change happens through relationships, partnership and involving people with lived experience at all levels.
Our Vision
Our vision is for a society which is fair, inclusive and equal.
We need equitable access to a healthier life and a better future for anyone with experience of homelessness.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bring people together to:
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Amplify voices of people with lived experience to create solutions to homelessness and health inequalities.
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Stand in solidarity and champion their rights, to create positive change.
Our Strategy
We co-produced our strategy with staff and volunteers with experience of homelessness. We’re proud to have remained true to our values of participation and co-production.
Stronger Voices, Healthier Lives, Better Futures, Greater Together
People with experience of homelessness must inform the solutions – because they understand the problems people face.
At every stage, we will hear, unite and amplify more voices of people with lived experience to speak out. Through participation we will build a stronger, more inclusive community to create change – through our organisation, in services, our sectors and wider society, locally and nationally.
Homelessness is a health emergency.
We will work to end health inequalities for people who have or are experiencing homelessness through advocacy, practical support, information and by influencing people, policy and services.
Everyone deserves a better, more hopeful life and future.
Lived experience of homelessness can lead to barriers that impact people’s life chances.
Recognising the potential in everyone, we will provide more opportunities and support for people with experience of homelessness to progress if, and when, they are ready.
We can’t achieve our goals alone – we are more impactful when we pull together.
We will become more effective and sustainable, building on our culture of relationships, compassion and transparency, and working closely with partners to learn, share and create change.
How Homeless Health Peer Advocacy Works
HHPA helps people experiencing homelessness overcome the barriers that prevent them accessing healthcare.
Many people face significant challenges navigating health services. Appointments can be difficult to attend, treatment can be confusing, and previous experiences of stigma, trauma or exclusion can make healthcare feel inaccessible. Without the right support, people often delay seeking help until their health has deteriorated.
"I need someone with me that I know that I can trust. I wouldn't do things like that on my own."
HHPA Client
HHPA provides practical, person-centred support that helps people access the care they need while building the confidence to manage their own health. Rather than providing one-off interventions, HHPA works alongside people over time, developing trusted relationships, responding flexibly to changing needs and supporting people to become more confident and independent.
The service combines the expertise of skilled Caseworkers with the unique insight of trained volunteer Peer Advocates who have lived experience of homelessness. Together they provide one-to-one advocacy, practical support and health promotion to help people:
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register with healthcare services
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prepare for and attend appointments
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understand treatment and care plans
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navigate hospital admission and discharge
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access wider health and wellbeing services
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make informed decisions about their health
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become increasingly confident in managing their own health.
Alongside one-to-one support, HHPA delivers peer-led health promotion in hostels, day centres, outreach settings and other community spaces. Through informal conversations and group activities, Peer Advocates share accessible information about physical health, mental health and wellbeing, encourage preventative healthcare, identify unmet health needs and help people access support earlier. These conversations often provide the first step towards engaging with healthcare, creating trusted pathways into ongoing advocacy and reducing the need for crisis intervention.
Rather than doing things for people, HHPA works alongside them—building trust, reducing barriers and enabling people to become active participants in their own healthcare. This relational, peer-led approach improves individual health outcomes while strengthening partnerships across health, housing and homelessness services, helping more people access coordinated, person-centred care.
The Role
The HHPA Development Manager is a key leadership role within Groundswell's HHPA service.
You'll help shape how people experiencing homelessness access healthcare by strengthening partnerships across London's health, housing and homelessness system while leading the continued development of our Health Promotion programme.
People experiencing homelessness often interact with multiple services but still experience fragmented care, missed opportunities for prevention and barriers to accessing the support they need. HHPA bridges these gaps through trusted relationships, peer-led advocacy and health promotion. This role helps create the partnerships, systems and programmes that make that possible.
This isn't a traditional partnership management role focused on maintaining stakeholder relationships. It's a practical, hands-on leadership role that brings organisations together, supports colleagues to deliver excellent services and identifies opportunities to improve how healthcare is delivered and experienced.
Working closely with the Services Director, Systems Manager and Health and Social Care Lead, you'll help ensure HHPA remains well connected, continually improving and responsive to changing need.
The role combines five key areas of responsibility:
Leading the Service
Providing day-to-day operational leadership, supporting colleagues and helping ensure HHPA is delivered safely, consistently and effectively.
Building Partnerships
Developing strong relationships with NHS organisations, local authorities, homelessness services and voluntary organisations to embed HHPA and strengthen collaborative working.
Leading Health Promotion
Developing and overseeing Groundswell's Health Promotion and In-Reach programme, working with partners to deliver accessible, peer-led health promotion that encourages earlier engagement with healthcare.
Growing HHPA
Using learning from frontline delivery and partnership working to improve services, develop new approaches and support the expansion of HHPA into new boroughs and communities.
Developing People
Supporting, developing and inspiring staff and volunteers through reflective supervision, shared learning and a culture that values lived experience, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Together, these responsibilities make this a varied and influential role where you'll help shape both the future of HHPA and the wider health and homelessness system.
Role Description
As HHPA Development Manager, you'll provide operational leadership for key areas of Groundswell's Homeless Health Peer Advocacy service.
You'll lead the development of strategic partnerships, oversee the delivery and growth of our Health Promotion programme, support and develop staff and volunteers, and identify opportunities to strengthen and expand HHPA.
Working closely with the Services Director, Systems Manager and Health and Social Care Lead, you'll help ensure the service is well connected, evidence-informed and continually improving, so that more people experiencing homelessness can access timely, coordinated and person-centred healthcare.
Building Partnerships:
Develop trusted relationships across health, housing and homelessness services so organisations work together more effectively and people experiencing homelessness can access timely, coordinated healthcare.
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Build and sustain relationships with NHS organisations, local authorities, homelessness services and community partners.
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Support the Services Director to develop relationships with commissioners and strategic partners.
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Represent Groundswell at operational meetings, networks and multidisciplinary teams.
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Champion peer-led health advocacy and the involvement of people with lived experience.
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Work with partners to identify shared challenges and develop practical solutions.
Embedding HHPA in Local Systems:
Help ensure HHPA becomes an established and valued part of local health and homelessness systems by strengthening collaboration and improving access to the service.
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Embed HHPA within partner organisations' day-to-day practice.
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Strengthen collaboration between HHPA staff and local services.
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Develop and improve referral pathways.
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Support timely, appropriate referrals and monitor referral activity.
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Identify and resolve barriers to effective partnership working.
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Work with the Systems Manager to strengthen systems that support collaboration.
Leading Health Promotion:
Lead the development of Groundswell's peer-led Health Promotion and In-Reach programme, helping people engage with healthcare earlier through accessible, trauma-informed support in hostels, day centres and community settings.
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Develop partnerships that expand Health Promotion opportunities.
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Oversee delivery across boroughs.
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Develop accessible health information with communications colleagues.
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Monitor quality, impact and learning and produce reports for funders
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Ensure activities are delivered safely, including venue risk assessments where required.
Leading and Developing People:
Create a supportive, high-performing culture where staff and volunteers can thrive.
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Line manage a team of Caseworkers and support volunteers.
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Provide reflective supervision that encourages learning, wellbeing and high-quality practice.
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Promote continuous learning and reflective practice.
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Working alongside the Volunteer Management team, support volunteer recruitment, induction and ongoing development.
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Foster collaboration, accountability and shared learning across teams.
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Use coaching and asset-based approaches to help staff and volunteers recognise their strengths, build their skills and reach their potential.
Improving Services:
Use learning from partnerships, health promotion and complex casework to strengthen HHPA and improve system responses.
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Work with the Health and Social Care Lead to improve multi-agency responses.
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Identify opportunities to develop and expand HHPA.
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Support the introduction of services in new boroughs.
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Share innovation and best practice across the organisation.
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Contribute to continuous improvement.
Supporting Service Delivery:
Alongside your strategic responsibilities, you'll help ensure HHPA delivers a responsive, safe and reliable service every day.
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Participate in the HHPA duty system, including occasional early and late shifts.
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Maintain effective communication with partners around referrals and triage.
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Work with colleagues to resolve operational challenges.
General Responsibilities:
As a member of the HHPA leadership team, you'll contribute to the wider development of Groundswell.
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Contribute to organisational planning and Team Leads meetings.
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Champion equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.
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Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred approaches.
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Ensure all work reflects Groundswell's values and commitment to lived experience.
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Undertake other duties appropriate to the role.
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role is measured not simply by the partnerships you build, but by the difference those partnerships—and Groundswell's Health Promotion programme—make to people's lives and to the way health and homelessness services work together.
In your first year, you will have:
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Built trusted partnerships across London's health, housing and homelessness system, establishing Groundswell as a valued and reliable partner.
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Embedded HHPA within local services, strengthening referral pathways and making it easier for people experiencing homelessness to access timely, coordinated healthcare.
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Led and developed Groundswell's Health Promotion and In-Reach programme, expanding peer-led health promotion across London and creating more opportunities for people to engage with healthcare earlier, in trusted community settings.
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Supported and developed Caseworkers, volunteers and colleagues, creating a positive culture of reflection, collaboration and continuous learning.
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Worked alongside colleagues and partner organisations to improve responses for people with complex needs, removing barriers to healthcare and strengthening multidisciplinary working.
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Used learning from partnerships and frontline delivery to improve existing services, support innovation and contribute to the growth of HHPA into new boroughs.
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Helped strengthen the wider health and homelessness system by promoting earlier intervention, improving collaboration and ensuring more people experiencing homelessness can access healthcare with dignity, confidence and choice.
Above all, you'll have created the conditions that enable both excellent health advocacy and impactful Health Promotion to thrive. By bringing organisations together, supporting colleagues and volunteers, and embedding peer-led approaches within local systems, you'll help more people experiencing homelessness access healthcare earlier, experience better outcomes and receive more connected, compassionate and person-centred support.
Working as Part of the HHPA Leadership Structure
These roles work closely together, combining strategic leadership, operational delivery, partnership development and specialist expertise to ensure HHPA is safe, effective and continually improving.
The HHPA service is delivered through a collaborative leadership model:
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Services Director
Provides strategic direction, secures funding, and holds overall accountability for delivery, performance and growth.
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Systems Manager
Designs and maintains the systems, processes and infrastructure that enable safe, efficient and compliant delivery.
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Health and Social Care Lead
Leads on supporting individuals facing the greatest barriers, providing specialist knowledge and navigating complex health and social care systems.
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Development Manager (this role)
Ensures HHPA is embedded within local systems and relationships, so that partnerships translate into effective access to healthcare in practice.
Together, these roles ensure the service is:
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Well designed (systems)
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Well connected (development)
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Effective for those with greatest need (health and social care)
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Strategically led and sustainable (director)
Our work is:
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Person-centred — responding to individual needs
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Peer-led — shaped by lived experience
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Collaborative — built through partnership
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Rights-based — focused on access and equity
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System-focused — working to create lasting change
We understand that care is demonstrated through consistent, reliable and thoughtful practice — in how we communicate, follow up, and deliver support.
Person Specification
At Groundswell, we know there is no single route to becoming a great manager. You may have gained your experience through paid work, volunteering, community organising, supporting people experiencing homelessness or other forms of social exclusion, or through your own lived experience. We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds who share our values and commitment to improving people's lives.
We're looking for someone who shares our values, enjoys building relationships and wants to help create a health and homelessness system that works better for everyone.
What We're Looking For
A) Core Requirements:
We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- Experience of building and developing partnerships across health, housing, homelessness or voluntary sector organisations dealing with similar issues.
- Experience of leading, supporting or managing staff and helping others to develop.
- Experience of working collaboratively across organisations to improve services or outcomes.
- The ability to build trusted relationships with a wide range of people, including frontline staff, senior managers, commissioners and people with lived experience.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities and work effectively in a complex environment.
- Sound judgement when responding to risk, safeguarding concerns and sensitive situations.
- A commitment to Groundswell's values of lived experience leadership, participation, equity, compassion and collaboration.
B) Knowledge and Experience:
The successful candidate is likely to have knowledge or experience of:
Essential:
- The barriers people experiencing homelessness face when accessing healthcare.
- Health, housing and adult social care systems, and how they work together.
- Trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred approaches.
- Building partnerships that improve services and outcomes.
- Safeguarding, professional boundaries and information sharing.
- Contributing to service development, quality improvement or organisational learning.
- Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, Teams and Outlook
Desirable:
- London's health and homelessness landscape.
- Health Promotion, outreach or community engagement.
- Co-production, peer-led services or lived experience leadership.
- Developing services across multiple sites or boroughs.
- Working within a duty-based or high-volume service.
- Salesforce or another case management or CRM system.
- Using coaching and asset-based approaches to support people to develop their skills, confidence and independence.
C) Personal Qualities:
We're looking for someone who is:
- An excellent relationship builder who enjoys bringing people together around a shared purpose.
- Compassionate, approachable and respectful in the way they work with colleagues, partners and people using our services.
- Curious and reflective, always looking for opportunities to learn and improve.
- Confident working across organisational boundaries and able to influence through collaboration rather than authority.
- Adaptable and comfortable working in a changing environment where no two days are the same.
- Passionate about reducing health inequalities and improving access to healthcare for people experiencing homelessness.
- Reflective and solution-focused, with a commitment to learning and continuous improvement.
We'd Particularly Welcome Applications from People Who Have:
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Lived experience of homelessness or another form of social exclusion.
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Experience of working in partnership with local communities.
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Experience of co-production or supporting people with lived experience to shape services.
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A commitment to using lived experience to influence systems and improve outcomes.
Our Commitment to Inclusive Recruitment:
Groundswell is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience of homelessness, migration, the criminal justice system, mental ill health, substance use or other forms of social exclusion.
We recognise that no one candidate will meet every requirement. If you believe you have the skills, values and potential to succeed in this role, we'd encourage you to apply.
Why Join Groundswell
Meaningful Work
This is an opportunity to improve not just individual lives, but the way services work together.
As HHPA Development Manager, you'll help shape partnerships that make healthcare more accessible for people experiencing homelessness. Your work will influence how organisations collaborate, how services are designed and how people experience care. Every partnership you strengthen and every barrier you help remove has the potential to improve health outcomes for people who are too often excluded from healthcare.
A Supportive Team
We're a values-led organisation where collaboration, compassion and lived experience shape everything we do. You'll work alongside experienced colleagues who are committed to learning from one another and supporting each other to do challenging work well.
We believe good leadership is rooted in reflection, openness and trust. Through regular supervision, reflective practice and close collaboration across the HHPA leadership team, you'll have the support and autonomy to develop your ideas, build strong partnerships and make a lasting contribution.
Learn and Grow
HHPA is continuing to grow, creating exciting opportunities to influence the future of the service.
You'll have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of health inequalities, partnership working and systems change, while developing your leadership skills and contributing to the expansion of Homeless Health Peer Advocacy across London. Whether you're looking to broaden your expertise, lead new initiatives or help shape the future direction of the service, we'll support your professional development every step of the way.
Benefits
We offer a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and work-life balance, including:
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28 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
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5% employer pension contribution.
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Flexible and hybrid working, where service delivery allows.
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A compressed hours working pattern is available.
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Regular reflective practice and high-quality supervision.
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Ongoing learning and development opportunities.
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A supportive, inclusive and values-led working environment.
Be Part of Something Bigger
At Groundswell, we believe everyone should be able to access healthcare with dignity, whatever their circumstances.
By joining us, you'll help create stronger partnerships, more connected services and a fairer health system for people experiencing homelessness. You'll work alongside colleagues, volunteers and partner organisations who share a commitment to collaboration, lived experience and lasting systems change.
Better partnerships create better healthcare.
By bringing organisations together, supporting colleagues and strengthening the systems around people experiencing homelessness, you'll help ensure more people receive the care they need, when they need it.
If you're looking for a role where you can influence services, build lasting partnerships and help create fairer access to healthcare, we'd love to hear from you.
Application and Interview Process
Please let us know if you would like to request any accommodations or adjustments throughout the application and interview process. We will be very happy to support these wherever possible to give all applicants the best opportunity to showcase their skills and experience.
We encourage our candidates to draw from their personal and professional experiences, skills, knowledge and passion for our work in their applications, as we believe this will be the best representation of why you are the right fit for the role. While we acknowledge that Generative AI can be a useful tool when used selectively, we do not believe it can replace the authenticity each individual can bring to their application. Therefore, we ask you to consider carefully any use of Generative AI throughout the application process.
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Application
To apply, please submit your CV along with a cover letter. The cover letter should explain:
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How you meet each of the areas outlined in the person specification above
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Why you are interested in doing this job at Groundswell.
The deadline for applications is 10am on Monday 17th August.
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Interviews
Interviews will be held online on the week beginning August 24th.
If you do not have a computer or a suitable space to do an online interview, we can arrange for you to come into our office.
We are a small charity with limited resources and are unable to give individualised feedback on unsuccessful applications before the interview stage.
-
Pre-employment checks
The job offer for the successful candidate will be subject to a reference and DBS check.
Many thanks for taking the time to look into this role – it is an exciting opportunity, and we hope you will consider applying.
We care about your privacy; read here how we manage your personal data.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you an experienced practitioner with a passion for empowering young people and making a difference?
At NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), we are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of children, young people, and adults at risk. We believe no child or young person should ever be alone or voiceless in the care system, in family court, or when decisions are being made about their future.
We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Senior Practitioner to join Project Unity England, working 28 hours per week. This is an exciting opportunity to deliver intensive, trauma-informed support to care-experienced young mothers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, helping families stay together and supporting young mothers to build positive futures.
About Project Unity England
Project Unity England is an innovative national initiative focused on improving outcomes for care-experienced young mothers and their children through collaborative, multi-agency working. The project aims to keep families together, strengthen service delivery, promote innovation and ensure that local needs are addressed effectively across England.
At the heart of Project Unity is a collaborative approach that brings together local authorities, health partners and community organisations to provide coordinated, community-focused support. By working closely with partner agencies, Project Unity helps ensure young mothers receive the right support at the right time, enabling them to make informed decisions and achieve the best possible outcomes for themselves and their children.
About the role
As a Senior Practitioner, you will manage a complex caseload, providing independent, rights-based advocacy and one-to-one support to care-experienced young mothers. Working autonomously while supported by the Project Coordinator, you will empower young mothers to understand their rights, navigate statutory processes and make informed decisions that help keep families safely together.
You will build trust, complete assessments, develop support plans and advocate on their behalf within multi-agency settings. You will work alongside social workers, midwives, health visitors and other professionals to ensure each young mother's voice is heard and represented.
Alongside direct casework, you will contribute to peer support groups, workshops and community-based activities that reduce isolation, build confidence and strengthen parenting skills. You will also play an important role in safeguarding, quality assurance and service development by maintaining high-quality records, producing case studies and identifying opportunities to improve local services.
This is a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of care-experienced young mothers while working within an innovative, rights-based national programme.
About you
We are looking for someone who is passionate about supporting vulnerable young people and families. You will be confident working independently while building strong partnerships with professionals across health, social care and the voluntary sector.
You will have experience supporting families or parents with complex social care involvement and a sound understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment and relevant legislation. You will be an effective advocate with excellent communication skills, able to build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
You will be organised, resilient and confident managing a demanding caseload, with strong analytical skills and the ability to make sound professional judgements in complex situations.
Above all, you will demonstrate NYAS's values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Empowerment, sharing our commitment to ensuring children, young people and adults at risk have their voices heard.
How to Apply
Please apply via the the NYAS website. In your application, evidence using specific examples how your skills and experience meet the criteria in the person specification within the attached job description, including:
- Experience with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting
- Knowledge of legislation and policy relating to advocacy, safeguarding and children’s social care
- Excellent communication, organisational and report-writing skills, with sound professional judgement
Employee Benefits
We offer the following employee benefits:
- 26 days, increasing to 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
- Occupational sick pay (subject to completion of qualifying period)
- Enhanced pay for family friendly leave
- Free parking at some of our offices
- Employee assistance programme
- Group stakeholder pension scheme
- Access to BHSF health cash plan
- Cycle to work scheme
- Support and supervision from your line manager
- Learning and Development opportunities
Safeguarding and Compliance
NYAS operates robust safeguarding procedures, and internal candidates will be subject to references in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. In accordance with UK immigration law, proof of eligibility to work in the United Kingdom will be required as part of the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.
About NYAS
NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is an established rights-based charity ensuring that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are respected, represented and supported in expressing their views. We work with care-experienced people who are often reliant on statutory services, and our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure their voices are heard.
We are an equal opportunities employer and a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteeing an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.
At NYAS, we listen to what children, young people and vulnerable adults want. We empower them to have their voices heard.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Part Time – 2 days per week
London WC1X
Are you looking for a career move where you can use your key working and communication skills to help create homes and schemes that we can all be proud? Then join us as a Part Time Supported Housing Officer.
At Sapphire Independent Housing we are on an exciting journey. We have grown the business, expanded and diversified so that we can deliver much needed accommodation and services in London and Hertsmere.
Now we’re seeking a Supported Housing Officer to provide effective support to residents through individual support plans, with the aim of promoting independent living.
You will be helping to deliver good practice across the service, including assessing clients’ suitability for acceptance to the hostel, advising them of welfare benefits, housing, training and employment opportunities – and working with them to produce outcome focused support plans.
To join us as a Supported Housing Officer, we’re looking for:
• Experience in supported housing, with a thorough knowledge of welfare benefits, including housing benefit, and a proactive approach to rent arrears.
• Experience of assisting vulnerable people to identify personal goals through proactive and outcome focused support planning.
• Ability to deal positively and innovatively with clients exhibiting challenging behaviour, to build good working relationships, and to identify and assess risk.
• Experience of maximising income through dealing with housing benefit and welfare benefits.
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise workload, meet deadlines and keep records.
• Ability to analyse and evaluate data and produce clear and concise reports.
• Ability to communicate, negotiate and influence – verbally and in writing.
• Willingness to work shifts on a 7-days rota system.
As an Investors in People Gold employer this is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive business that encourages employee development and growth from within. We offer a generous benefits package including interest free season ticket and bike loan scheme, private health and life insurance.
Appointments are subject to Sapphire Independent Housing receiving an enhanced DBS check which we consider acceptable.
To apply please email your CV and supporting statement (please note any applications without accompanying supporting statement will automatically be rejected).
Closing date for return of completed application: 5pm Friday 14th August 2026
Interviews: w/c 17th August 2026
Sapphire is a charitable registered housing provider. We welcome all applications and value diversity in our workforce.
Sapphire's mission is to provide homes to improve lives and enable people to live independently.
Tenancy Sustainment Project Worker
Hours of work: Full-Time, 37.5 per week (5 days per week)
Contract: 2-year 9-months Fixed Term
Salary: £28,000 per annum
Location: Overstream House, Cambridge CB4 or at other locations within Cambridge
About Us
Wintercomfort works with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or with a history of homelessness. We provide services to aid every stage of recovery - from immediate basic welfare needs to long term help in identifying and dealing with the problems which are undermining their stability, and enabling them to engage with education, employment and specialist health services. National statistics rank the numbers of rough sleepers in Cambridge within the highest 20 UK local authorities.
Wintercomfort is the only day-time service in the city, providing year-round advice and support for homeless or vulnerably housed people. Over the past three decades Wintercomfort has continued to grow and adapt to meet the needs of the homeless community.
Our specialist Housing Team provides expert advice and support to help people successfully navigate the search for housing and crucially, support them to sustain life away from the street.
About you and the Role
The Tenancy Sustainment Project Worker will provide targeted, practical and relational support to individuals who have recently secured accommodation or who are at risk of losing their tenancy. This is an outreach-focused role, working proactively with people in community settings, partner agencies, drop-ins and other accessible locations to maintain engagement and offer support where it is most appropriate.
The role may occasionally involve contact in or around accommodation settings, but this would usually be planned and supported alongside other services where appropriate. The role will focus on preventing repeat homelessness by helping people stabilise their housing, understand and manage the responsibilities of a tenancy, and build the confidence and skills needed for independent living. Working in trusted community settings and in partnership with statutory and voluntary sector services, the postholder will act as a critical bridge between vulnerable individuals and the support systems available to them.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide outreach-based casework and practical tenancy support, working one-to-one with people who have recently moved into accommodation or who are at risk of tenancy breakdown, including proactive engagement in community settings, partner agencies, drop-ins and other accessible locations. Where accommodation-based contact is required, this would usually be planned in advance and supported alongside other services where appropriate.
- Support clients with the practical responsibilities of sustaining a tenancy, including rent payments, benefits, income, household bills, budgeting, financial planning, accessing furniture grants, home furnishing schemes and other resources needed to establish a safe and settled home.
- Develop clients’ independent living skills and confidence, helping them build routines, manage their home, solve problems, understand tenancy expectations and gain the skills needed to live independently over the longer term.
- Provide housing information, homelessness prevention support and advocacy, supporting clients to understand their rights and responsibilities and liaising with landlords, relevant local authorities and local authority housing services where there is a risk of eviction or difficulty navigating housing systems.
- Connect clients with wider welfare, specialist and community support, including benefits guidance, financial information, employment and training opportunities, Wintercomfort’s wider services, and specialist partners such as legal aid services where appropriate.
- Work collaboratively and maintain effective outreach casework practice, building trusted relationships with people experiencing housing crisis, poor mental health or disengagement from services, using proactive and flexible engagement methods to maintain contact, while keeping accurate records and contributing to monitoring the impact of tenancy sustainment support.
- To ensure that accurate records are kept, documenting the support services provided to Wintercomfort’s service users on Inform. Ensuring that record keeping meets the requirements of internal and external monitoring of outcomes, assisting with reports and deliver impactful case studies to funders.
One of our core values at Wintercomfort is to recognise and reward our staff as our greatest asset. We realise that it's our people who have helped us to become a well-respected charity that helps to make a positive change to homeless people’s lives. We want to continue to deliver excellent, relevant services for the homeless in Cambridge by attracting and retaining talented and motivated people.
If you choose to come and work with us, you will find that we offer:
- Benefits – You will be eligible for benefits and services, including pension scheme, death in service benefit and free counselling and clinical supervision.
- A supported work environment – You will receive a comprehensive induction, and you will have a probation period to provide a supportive framework for reviewing your progress and discussing your training and development needs. You will be expected to have developed the skills to fulfil all role requirements within this period. Appropriate objectives will be discussed, agreed and reviewed regularly with your Line Manager so that your performance can be measured against these.
- Training – We recognise the importance of having a motivated and effective staff team. We offer on-going training to support you in your role.
Closing date: Thursday 27th August 2026
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We are committed to a proactive approach to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all underrepresented groups, promoting an inclusive culture and valuing diversity. We make selection decisions based on personal merit and an objective assessment against the criteria required for the post. We do not treat job applicants or members of staff less favourably than one another on the grounds of sex (including gender reassignment), marital or parental status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, disability (including HIV status), sexual orientation, religion, age or socio-economic factors.
No agencies please.
Housing Project Worker
Hours of work: Full-Time, 37.5 per week (5 days per week)
Contract: 2-year 9-months Fixed Term
Salary: £28,000 per annum
Location: Overstream House, Cambridge CB4 or at other locations within Cambridge
About Us
Wintercomfort works with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or with a history of homelessness. We provide services to aid every stage of recovery - from immediate basic welfare needs to long term help in identifying and dealing with the problems which are undermining their stability, and enabling them to engage with education, employment and specialist health services. National statistics rank the numbers of rough sleepers in Cambridge within the highest 20 UK local authorities.
Wintercomfort is the only day-time service in the city, providing year-round advice and support for homeless or vulnerably housed people. Over the past three decades Wintercomfort has continued to grow and adapt to meet the needs of the homeless community.
Our specialist Housing Team provides expert advice and support to help people successfully navigate the search for housing and crucially, support them to sustain life away from the street.
About you and the Role
This is a full-time community outreach and homelessness prevention role, working as part of the Wintercomfort tenancy sustainment and homelessness prevention project worker team. The Wintercomfort Housing Project Worker will provide practical, person-centred, housing-related support for people identified through community outreach and within Overstream House who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The postholder will deliver frontline casework, advocacy and practical support to help vulnerable individuals secure, maintain and transition into safe, independent living. This will include supporting people to understand the options available to them, complete practical tasks, access appropriate services, strengthen housing stability and work with local partners to prevent housing crises from escalating.
Key Responsibilities
- Community and Centre-Based Engagement – Build trusting relationships with people in familiar community settings and within Overstream House, including those who may feel unable to approach statutory services independently. Engage people at the earliest possible stage, identify practical support needs, and offer approachable, consistent support that encourages ongoing participation.
- Housing-Related Support and Homelessness Prevention – Provide practical housing-related support and homelessness prevention assistance while recognising that the charity does not provide formal housing advice to people at risk of losing their accommodation. Supporting individuals to gather information, complete forms, attend appointments, understand correspondence and access appropriate statutory, voluntary or legal services where specialist advice is required.
- Casework, Advocacy and Practical Support – Manage a caseload of people with varied and sometimes complex needs, providing one-to-one support, clear action planning and regular follow-up. Liaise with landlords, local authority housing teams and other agencies, accompany people to appointments where appropriate, and help individuals navigate housing-related processes, benefits, financial support, grants and wider welfare systems without providing regulated or specialist advice.
- Partnership Working and Referral Pathways – Develop and maintain productive working relationships with local authority services, landlords, voluntary sector partners, legal advice providers and internal charity services. Make timely referrals into welfare, counselling, women’s services, wellbeing support, training opportunities and other specialist provision where further advice or support is required.
- Safeguarding, Risk and Complex Needs – Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, mental health issues and other factors that may affect a person’s ability to engage with support. Work within organisational policies and professional boundaries, ensuring that risks are identified, recorded and escalated when necessary.
- Housing Stability and targeted intervention – Provide support to service users to both secure new accommodation and sustain their current homes, including mediation with landlords, accessing legal support, addressing anti-social behaviour. A core focus involves identifying high-risk groups and delivering targeted trauma informed interventions to those navigating complex mental health challenges, dual diagnosis, or substance misuse, as well as individuals fleeing difficult circumstances or leaving prison, hospital or care systems.
- Records, Outcomes and Service Development – Maintain accurate, timely and confidential case records on Inform, monitoring activity and outcomes to demonstrate the impact of the outreach programme. Contribute to service learning, identify gaps in provision, and support the development of effective community-based responses to homelessness and housing insecurity and deliver impactful case studies for funder reports.
One of our core values at Wintercomfort is to recognise and reward our staff as our greatest asset. We realise that it's our people who have helped us to become a well-respected charity that helps to make a positive change to homeless people’s lives. We want to continue to deliver excellent, relevant services for the homeless in Cambridge by attracting and retaining talented and motivated people.
If you choose to come and work with us, you will find that we offer:
- Benefits – You will be eligible for benefits and services, including pension scheme, death in service benefit and free counselling and clinical supervision.
- A supported work environment – You will receive a comprehensive induction, and you will have a probation period to provide a supportive framework for reviewing your progress and discussing your training and development needs. You will be expected to have developed the skills to fulfil all role requirements within this period. Appropriate objectives will be discussed, agreed and reviewed regularly with your Line Manager so that your performance can be measured against these.
- Training – We recognise the importance of having a motivated and effective staff team. We offer on-going training to support you in your role.
Closing date: Thursday 27th August 2026
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We are committed to a proactive approach to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all underrepresented groups, promoting an inclusive culture and valuing diversity. We make selection decisions based on personal merit and an objective assessment against the criteria required for the post. We do not treat job applicants or members of staff less favourably than one another on the grounds of sex (including gender reassignment), marital or parental status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, disability (including HIV status), sexual orientation, religion, age or socio-economic factors.
No agencies please.
About the role:
A safe place to stay can be the first step. The right support to move forward is what turns it into lasting change.
Gray’s Inn Road is a 16-bed short-stay accommodation service supporting people with a recent history of rough sleeping to stabilise, rebuild confidence and move towards a home of their own. Working at the heart of Camden’s response to homelessness, the service aims to ensure that rough sleeping is rare, brief and non-recurrent, with most residents moving into suitable longer-term accommodation within three to six months.
As Resettlement Worker, you’ll take the lead on helping residents navigate that next step. You’ll build a clear picture of each person’s housing needs, strengths and aspirations, creating practical resettlement plans and identifying move-on options that are safe, realistic and sustainable. Working closely with Support Workers, you’ll help residents overcome barriers, prepare for independent living and feel confident about what comes next.
You’ll develop strong relationships with housing providers, landlords and partner agencies, opening up opportunities across social housing, supported housing and the private rented sector. You’ll bring persistence, creativity and a strong understanding of housing pathways to make sure people are not simply moved on, but supported into accommodation where they have the best possible chance of thriving.
At Single Homeless Project (SHP), we’re serious about investing in our people. You’ll have access to regular supervision, reflective practice and a wide range of learning and development opportunities to deepen your housing and support expertise, build new skills and shape the next step in your career. Whether you want to grow within resettlement, move into leadership or explore another area of our work, we’ll support you to keep learning and progressing.
About you:
- You understand housing and resettlement pathways and know how to find safe, affordable and sustainable move-on options, including within the private rented sector.
- You can build trust with people experiencing multiple disadvantage, recognising their strengths and motivating them to take meaningful steps towards independence.
- You’re confident completing thorough assessments and turning them into clear, achievable resettlement plans shaped around each person.
- You understand the practical side of sustaining a home, including housing management, benefits, budgeting, rent payments and tenancy responsibilities.
- You’re a determined and collaborative relationship-builder who can work effectively with landlords, housing providers, mental health services, substance use services and other partners to keep progress moving.
About us:
We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.
In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up.
We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own.
Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable.
We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.
Important info:
Closing date: Sunday 9th August at midnight
Interview date: Wednesday 19th August online via Microsoft Teams
Please note there will be a second stage interview in service for suitable candidates
This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.
Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications with insufficient/without current right to work or requiring sponsorship will not be accepted or progressed.
Preventing homelessness, transforming lives.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Who we are: Brake is the national, acclaimed charity delivering the National Road Victim Service, a specialist, accredited, UK-wide support service for road victims, delivering case-managed care for anyone who has been bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash or who is supporting a road crash victim.
Not your average job: This is a highly specialised frontline role supporting people affected by traumatic road deaths and life-changing injuries. We are seeking candidates with a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice and experience supporting people through the impact of traumatic bereavement and/or injury.
You will provide a specialist trauma-informed and bereavement-informed approach to care, helping individuals and families navigate the immediate and long-term impact of sudden loss or catastrophic injury. You will undertake a comprehensive needs, risk and safety assessment from which a bespoke support plan will be agreed with the person and/or families, ensuring that immediate wellbeing needs, vulnerabilities and safeguarding considerations are identified and addressed.
By joining this role, you will make a profound difference to individuals and families during their most difficult moments, helping them regain stability, access practical and emotional support, and navigate the complexities of the criminal justice or coronial process with guidance and care.
Take a look at our comprehensive job description for more details.
What we offer:
- A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between Christmas and New Year, pro-rata for part-time working patterns)
- Birthday day off (taken any time)
- Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave
- Death in service benefit
- Pension
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Flexible working
- A rewarding role with purpose
- Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees
Who you are: We need energised and resilient self-starters with experience in supporting traumatic grief and post-traumatic stress. a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Experience in the following sectors often provides a robust toolkit of high-level transferable skills: Police or criminal justice roles, family liaison, counselling or trauma support, health and social care, casework in any related field
Specifically seeking candidates with:
- Experience with people affected by trauma, sudden bereavement, or serious injury
- Understanding of trauma-informed practice and ability to provide support sensitively
- Experience identifying and responding to safeguarding and vulnerability concerns
- Strong advocacy skills ability to act as a powerful voice for service users, expertly navigating external networks, assemble resources and cross-functional support where required.
About us: At Brake, we are committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace where all colleagues feel valued, respected, and supported. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and life experiences, and particularly encourage candidates from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities to apply.
We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our work and enable us to deliver the best possible support to individuals and families affected by road trauma. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it
If you are passionate about making a difference and share our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we want to hear from you.
Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points or driving convictions on their licence at interview.
An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service.
Join us today and be part of the solution!
If writing a cover letter isn't your thing, why not send us a short video telling uis why you think you'd be a great fir for our organisation.
We work to stop road deaths and injuries, support people affected by road crashes and campaign for safe and healthy mobility for all.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


