Independent victim advocate jobs

Domestic Abuse Caseworker

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Caseworker to join the Domestic Abuse team based at the office in Portsmouth with regular travel required throughout the region.

If you are passionate about supporting victims of crime and have the necessary skills and experience, we encourage you to apply.

Position: 6515 Caseworker - Domestic Abuse

Location: Hampshire (with regular travel required throughout the region)

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday shifts between 9am-7pm (usually 2 x late shifts per week) & 1 in 4 Saturdays 8am-4pm with a day off in lieu.

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £26,830.20 per annum

Closing Date: 04/02/2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if enough suitable applications are received.

About the Role

As a Caseworker, you will provide structured, tailored support plans based on holistic assessments for individuals affected by crime. You will make initial contact with victims via the telephone, then tailor the support to them explaining the services, and assessing the impact of crime. Your responsibilities will include developing, delivering, and monitoring safety and support plans, providing resources, interventions, and information to service users.

As a Caseworker you will:

• Manage a caseload of self-referred and referred service users, providing information and advocacy to help them navigate the criminal justice process.
• Conduct risk and needs assessments, ensuring each victim receives tailored support and information.
• Identify barriers to accessing services and work with partners to provide ongoing support.
• Keep accurate and confidential case records on a bespoke case management system.
• Make calls to offer support to victims of domestic abuse, delivering immediate support.
• Develop, deliver and monitor safety and support plans for those affected by crime who accept ongoing support.
• Liaise and actively engage with other local providers to share information on the VS service offer.
• Work as part of a team with staff and the volunteer team to provide a seamless service to clients.

About You

You will have an understanding of the impact of crime on victims and experience in delivering services within a statutory, voluntary, or multi-agency setting.  Experience in managing a caseload and of completing risk and needs assessments would be beneficial. 

You will need:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong IT skills, including the ability to navigate and utilise bespoke case management systems effectively and an ability to use Microsoft Office applications to a high standard
• Good organisational and time management skills, able to manage competing needs and priorities.
• To work effectively both as part of a team and independently
• To develop and maintain partnerships with internal and external organisations.
• The ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Personal resilience to manage exposure to highly emotional or sensitive demands of the role

This role involves regular travel and due to the location, a driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement.  If you are unable to drive because of a disability, please indicate this in your application in your personal statement so we can explore the feasibility of alternative arrangements.

Benefits

The competitive rewards and benefits package includes:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.

• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the Organisation

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

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

The charity is proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong and is committed to being an antiracist organisation, and actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

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

You may have experience in areas such as Case Worker, Victim Support Case Worker, Criminal Case Worker, Criminal Justice Case Worker, Family Support, Family Liaison, Criminal Liaison, Community Case Worker, Family Case Worker, Adult Case Worker, Child Case Worker, Abuse Case Worker, IDVA. #INDNFP

Please note this role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of our client.  

ABOUT THE CLINK CHARITY

The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, rehabilitation, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives.

Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses.
What makes The Clink so unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that rehabilitates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships.

The charity operates an award-winning fine-dining restaurant open to the public inside HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Erlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton, and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink.

Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also in an additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumni on front of house at some of the best venues in London including: the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. In 2024, across 218 events, The Clink fed 36,000 people.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Support and Employment Worker will provide a high quality and responsive mentoring and advocacy service which creatively addresses the needs and risks of our students and graduates to enable them to avoid further offending and to obtain and maintain employment upon release.

Our students and graduates will come from multiple prison sites across the London and the South East region, so careful diary management, logistical planning and travel are key components of the role.

This is a flexible role, mostly based at HMP Brixton, but will also include travelling between

HMP Downview and HMP Send multiple prisons and our Clink Training Café site in Herne Hill, with some working from home and managing a community caseload of graduates who have been released.

The Support and Employment Worker will develop action plans with each student in prison to support them in obtaining employment upon release and also in developing independent living skills to work towards their long-term goals and aspirations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Support and Employment Worker at The Clink, you are responsible for:

•Mentoring, supporting and being the point of contact for students and graduates as they transition from our hospitality and horticulture training programmes in prison and in the community for up to 12 months.

•Working with and supporting people in prison and students prior to and after release from prison, or from graduation in our community café, to empower them in finding and maintaining accommodation, employment and a drug-free, offence-free lifestyle.

•Building relationships with Clink Chef Trainers, HMPPS Resettlement and Employment Teams, HMPPS Officers and Governing Teams in the prison and all parties invested in the training, support and employment of our learners.

•Working with students and graduates to identify their needs and risks, and to identify short and long-term goals.

•Motivating and engaging students and graduates and to provide practical and emotional support.

•Liaising with employers to secure opportunities for our students and for continuity of employment for graduates upon release.

•Supporting people dealing with drug and alcohol problems and to make referrals to other services as required.

•Undertaking risk assessments for each student, to recognise changes in risk level and take appropriate action.

•Maintaining case records and report on students' progress to external agencies and for our own Clink records on Clink Connect, our CRM system.

•Working in partnership with the team to enhance overall delivery of the service.

•Maintaining a professional approach that enhances the reputation of the charity.

DESIRABLE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience of prisons and/or the criminal justice system. This can be lived experience.
• Experience of working with a variety of client groups both in custody and in the community, including men, women and 16-25-year-olds.
• Experience of working with young people in gangs and/or at risk of exploitation and county lines.
• Experience of working with neurodivergent people and those with disabilities and additional needs.
• Experience and skill in using a trauma informed approach with vulnerable people who present a risk of harm, including knowledge of mental health issues, drug and alcohol use and offending behaviour.
• Experience in setting up a strong employer network and using this to support our graduates into employment post-release.
• Experience referring to other services and using a multi-agency approach.
• A level of numeracy sufficient to carry out tasks such as budgeting with clients, calculating benefit entitlements and understanding rent arrears.
• An understanding of safeguarding issues and PREVENT Duty and the ability to assess risk in consultation with line manager.
• Some knowledge of the benefits system and ability to deal with housing agencies and landlords
• Driver with clean licence.
• IT literate - will need to maintain records about our students on our in-house CRM system and complete assessments for HMPPS.
• Able to adopt a supportive, confident and motivating approach to the client group.
• Willing to engage in training and development of your own knowledge and skills.
• Able to pass a prison security clearance.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Confident and resilient personality, with the strength of character to work in complex prison settings and with highly vulnerable people.
• Perseverence and tenacity — a desire to see our students be successful and to advocate strongly on their behalf which often requires a relentless optimism.
• Highly organised and efficient person - able to juggle multiple responsibilities, manage your own time and schedule, and be a consistent source of support for our beneficiaries.
• A strong networker - your key responsibility will be to manage stakeholders in the prison, in probation, in other third sector support groups, and with employers to advocate for our students to have the chance of quality employment outcomes.
• An assertive communicator - you will need to be patient, kind and compassionate and to communicate with our students with sensitivity and clear expectations.

REPORTING LINES MANAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS

You will report directly to the Support Lead for London and the SE, the Executive Leadership Team, but also work closely with the Operations team in the prisons and related Clink project leads in the community.

GENERAL CLINK CHARITY INFORMATION

All staff are expected to:

• Comply with all current legislation
• Comply with all prison operational policies
• Comply with The Clink Staff Handbook
•  Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your Manager

Special Requirements:

• Must be able to pass prison security vetting process to be able to draw keys.
• Must have a valid driving licence .

Benefits:

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Free meals on duty when based in a restaurant or visiting for business

HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to apply for this post, please send your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 2 sides of A4) to Lizann Barnwell.

In your supporting statement you should ensure that you try to address the desirable criteria set out in the person specification for the role. Make sure you give evidence which shows how you meet the criteria, not just telling us that you did it.

Interviews will be arranged on a rolling basis for this role, so early applications are encouraged. The deadline for applications is Friday 6 Feb at 0900.

We do not send individual acknowledgment of applications due to the high volume we receive, and we will only contact candidates who are shortlisted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application has not been successful on this occasion.

If you would like an informal chat about this role, we can offer a call with a member of The Clink Team. Even if you feel you do not meet some of the criteria listed above, we would still welcome applications from passionate candidates who are keen to make a difference.

Appointment process

Applicants who have demonstrated that they meet the desirable criteria set out in the person specification will be contacted and interviews arranged on a rolling basis.

Interview

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be invited to a selection process. A panel of two or more, including the recruiting manager conducts all interviews. If there are any special arrangements associated with the selection process e.g. tests or presentations, you will be informed accordingly.

Interview outcome

If you are invited to attend an interview, you will be informed either verbally or in writing of the outcome. The successful candidate will have the decision confirmed in writing as an offer of employment. Unsuccessful candidates will be offered the opportunity for feedback.

References

If you are successful in your application, you are asked to provide us with the details of two referees. We only contact referees with your permission after an offer of employment has been made.

All offers of employment are conditional upon the receipt of references that are satisfactory to The Clink Charity, verification of right to work in the UK and where applicable, verification of qualifications and Disclosure and Barring Service (where required).

Personal information

The personal information that you have supplied will only be used for recruitment and selection purposes. You should refer to the Privacy Notice on our website, which sets out how The Clink Charity will deal with the personal and sensitive data you have provided in your application form and supporting information.

EDI

We welcome all applicants and are keen to enhance our team to reflect the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We would like to encourage applications from disabled people, those from LGBTQIA+ and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and those experiencing other forms of marginalisation, as they are underrepresented at this level. In addition, as this role works directly with people in prison and those at risk of offending, those with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Accessible recruitment

The Clink Charity is committed to making our recruitment process and workplace accessible to all. If you are an applicant with a disability and/or have any specific needs or adjustments that you would like us to consider, at application, interview, or appointment stage, please make us aware in your application.

Reporting to: Service Manager

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Baca office, Cambridge, England. The role may require regular travel to locations where Baca’s services are delivered.

Salary: £31,200 per annum for full time hours. Equivalent to £18,720 per annum for 22.5 hours. The role also comes with an allowance of £2,301 (pro rata) for Cambridge cost of living.

Working hours: 22.5 hours a week.

About Baca: Baca is dedicated to supporting young refugees aged 16 to 18. Our mission is to empower these young individuals to become positive, independent contributors to society. We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Creative Arts Therapist to join our team and lead the delivery of our arts therapy program.

Overall Purpose: To use creative therapy methods to help young people express their emotions, process their emotional wellbeing, and build inner resilience for a brighter future.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead therapeutic interventions using creative modalities (art, dance, drama, or music) to enhance young people's resilience and emotional wellbeing.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team and external partners to deliver comprehensive support.
• Support young people in achieving outcomes such as increased personal safety, improved physical and emotional wellbeing, and greater engagement in education, employment, and social activities.
• Assess emotional health needs and recommend improvements, while sensitively challenging young people to develop positive routines and habits.
• Deliver therapeutic sessions (both 1-to-1 and group) in a safe and secure environment.
• Contribute to team discussions and refer young people to other mental health professionals as needed.
• Enable young people to express themselves creatively and culturally, fostering confidence and resilience.
• Ensure all young people are safeguarded from harm and supported to self-protect.
• Maintain session notes, therapy spaces, and materials, and handle administrative tasks.
• Participate in meetings, training, and professional development opportunities.
• Embrace and practice Baca's Vision, Mission, and Values in daily activities.

Personal Specification:

• A qualified art therapist registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) (or equivalent for your modality).
• Passionate about Baca's mission and values, and able to lead by example.
• Supportive, approachable, responsible, reliable, and personable.
• Organised, creative, practical, and able to manage a varied workload.
• Excellent team player with strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills
• Ability to develop key external relationships and work well within a family-like organisational culture.
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel across the UK as required.
• Enhanced DBS check required.
• Ability to drive/travel to all locations where Baca’s service is delivered .

Why Join Us?

• Make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable young people.
• Be part of a supportive and dynamic team.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.

How to Apply: If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young asylum seekers and meet the above criteria, we would love to hear from you. If suitably strong candidates are shortlisted before the deadline, in-person interviews will take place immediately after shortlisting.

Join us at Baca and help us support young people to rebuild their lives and achieve their dreams!

Please note: We do not offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Purpose:

WomenMATTA delivers innovative services to women in Manchester and Trafford who are in contact with, or at risk of being in contact with, the criminal justice system. This includes one to one practical and emotional support, advocacy and group work.  

This post is two-fold; the post holder will provide in-depth, ongoing support to a small caseload of complex cases, whilst they also support with the coordination of the WomenMATTA Hubs. The post holder will also provide administrative support, ensuring quality standards are consistently met, staff are effectively managed, and partnerships are maintained.   

Key Responsibility Areas

1. Provide high-quality, trauma-responsive support to women in contact with, or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system.  
2. Support effective service delivery, staff practice, and safeguarding across WomenMATTA services. 
3. Monitor case management systems to ensure accurate and timely data recording, aligning with contract KPIs and WIP policies.  
4. Develop and maintain effective partnerships with statutory and voluntary sector services to ensure coordinated, multi-agency support for women.  

For the full list of responsibilities, please download the recruitment pack.

Terms & Conditions:

Start date:February 2025

Salary: £30,702 per annum
Location: Manchester and Trafford, Greater Manchester

Working hours: Full time: 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2026 (extension subject to funding)

To Apply:

Applications close: Thursday 29th January 2026 – 9am. We reserve the right to close the advert early.

Interviews with Women in Prison: Week commencing 9th February 

Submit a completed application form. Please note, we do not accept CVs.

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk. org.

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. 

In line with legal requirements and the nature of our work, this role:

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check
• Is subject to successful HMPPS enhanced vetting