Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?
Do you have experience of working or volunteering in welfare, support or health and social care and are looking for a new challenge?
Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard?
Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Advocate to join our team in Coventry and warwickshire. Your role will require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes across the area to meet with clients and professionals and be home based for administration; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential.
About us
VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations.
We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most. For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.
About you
Desirably you will have some experience of working as an Advocate, providing welfare, supporting, or caring for Adults or young people who have support needs, ideally for those with a variety of communication needs, mental ill health, physical health issues, or barriers to accessing education and support.
You should have worked or volunteered in health, social care, welfare, support services, education or young person’s services, or advice and guidance.
How will you make a difference?
You will be responsible for ensuring the individual’s wishes, feelings, beliefs, needs, and values are met to create positive outcomes for the people you support.
You will support people to speak up for themselves and grow in confidence, equip them to understand and exercise their rights and options, and will assist them in the decision-making process relating to their care, treatment, and support.
You will work resourcefully and collaboratively with the individuals you support.You’ll be creative in your approach to empower our clients by ensuring you meaningfully explain people’s options and rights to them.You’ll support individuals to fully participate in decisions affecting them and will make sure they have their voices heard.
Professional Development?
You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional abilities and you will make a real difference every day. Advocates are expected to be willing to gain, or to already hold, the Level 3 Award in Independent Advocacy Practice with disciplines suitable for the role they work in.
Benefits
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service
5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution
Salary sacrifices pension scheme
Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)
Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc
24/7 Employee Assistance programme
Access to remote counselling service
Paid Disability Leave
Paid compassionate Leave
Home Working Allowance
Support with continuous professional development
Personal Development Plans
How are staff supported to work remotely?
VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.
When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).
VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach.
Equality and Diversity
VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential.
VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.
How to apply
To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account by clicking the apply button on this page. Follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form.
Important Dates:
Closing date for applications; Midnight 4th May 2026
Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification.
We look forward to hearing from you.
NB: If you don't already hold the Independent Advocacy Practice qualification, and you are successful in your application, it is a requirement that you complete the core element within 12 months of commencing the training. VoiceAbility will fund this training.
Thank you!
We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Housing Advice Worker to join our Social Care Service in Kent.
£27,976.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week on a 1 year FTC.
Want to feel in control of your career? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all.
Our benefits include:
Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
What you'll do:
Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers who are currently in refuge to make the transition to permanent accommodation smoother.
Supporting community customers who have accessed the Sanctuary Scheme to remain in their properties and manage the risks associated with that.
Supporting key customers to set personalised goals in the form of a move on Support Plan
Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking.'
Ensuring customers have full access to any move on welfare support by completing move on paperwork prior to customers move on date.
Liaising and building partnerships with local charities to support customers with move on items
Accompany customers to property viewings.
Helping to set up utilities for move on customers
Working proactively with the refuge and IDVA teams and referring any clients/customers to the IDVAs where required.
Empowering customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits to which they are entitled
Proactive development of links with local statutory and voluntary organizations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
Develop links with private sector landlords, estate agents and other housing providers in order to source additional units and move on accommodation
Deliver domestic abuse training and awareness raising to housing teams and local landlords forums
Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
Engage positively in reflective practice sessions with colleagues.
Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Manager
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:
Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour
What you'll bring:
Essential:
NVQ Level 2 or equivalent experience in the social care/charity sector
Desirable:
Full Driving Licence and access to use of vehicle
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.
Thank you!
37.5 hours per week / Permanent / Monday - Friday, 09:00 - 17:00 / Primary work base for this role is Reed House, Hove / hybrid working model, requiring a minimum of three days on sites each week, with up to two days working from home. Flexibility is essential, as the role involves regular travel across Sussex to support multiple sites.
YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.
We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.
We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.
Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.
Our Maintenance Team is a vital part of the Asset Management function, working across multiple properties to ensure residents have safe, secure, and good‑quality homes. The team works closely with service staff to identify and complete repairs, carry out ad hoc cleaning and decoration, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and prepare empty properties for new residents.
We operate across Brighton, Guildford, East Sussex, and West Sussex, with our services centred around Foyers in Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Guildford, Horsham, Worthing, and Crawley. These sites provide 24‑hour supported housing for young people aged 16–25.
In addition, we manage a number of larger shared houses (typically accommodating 4–8 residents) through our Transitional Housing teams, supporting young people as they move towards independence.
This is an important central role, responsible for ensuring the efficient delivery of repairs, servicing, and routine maintenance across our property portfolio of approximately 600 bed units, alongside a number of service and office properties, to provide a positive experience for both residents and staff.
You will be accountable for raising and managing repair requests and void works, coordinating a skilled in‑house repairs team and external contractors, maintaining accurate records, producing performance data, and delivering high‑quality administrative and operational support. The role also plays a key part in supporting compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we’re looking for.
You will bring significant administrative experience within a busy operational environment, with confidence in maintaining accurate databases, compliance documentation, and data entry. You will be experienced in producing reports and using data to monitor performance, identify trends, and spot discrepancies. Strong digital capability is essential, including proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and experience using property or maintenance systems (such as Pyramid, with training provided).
You will be comfortable managing multiple tasks and deadlines, responding to changing priorities with accuracy and pace, and working with minimal supervision to unblock issues, follow up actions, and ensure work is completed to a high standard.
You will have clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues and external contractors. Confident working independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment, you will demonstrate strong stakeholder management skills, able to escalate or challenge appropriately when required.
You will keep resident and service needs at the centre of decision‑making, particularly when prioritising repairs, and show a genuine appreciation of the experiences, needs, and aspirations of children and young people with multiple and complex needs.
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 10 May 2026 at midnight, if we find the right candidate sooner than expected, we may close the advert early - so early applications are strongly encouraged.
PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.
An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.
Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.