Finance Manager Jobs

Caseworker

Forces Employment Charity is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Caseworker to join our team working on the CFO (Co-financing Organisation) programme in partnership with the probation service. In this role, you will provide specialist support to veterans within the criminal justice system, focused on early intervention, support and diversion to prevent re-offending. You will work closely with probation staff, partner organisations and lead providers to identify, engage and deliver emotional and practical support to veteran clients.

This is a Full-time 35 hours per week, home based role with regular attendance at Lewisham and Croydon Activity Hubs and frequent travel throughout the UK. This role has a salary £29,000 pa.

This will be a fixed term contract till 31 July 2024.

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​Role Overview:

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For the CFO programme, Forces Employment Charity is working in partnership with probation service staff and other partner organisations to provide specialist support for veterans in the justice system.This support is focused on early intervention, support and diversion at point of contact with justice system in order to prevent re-offending.

The successful applicant will be providing activities and support to clients within a formal contractual framework working to challenging targets.The role holder will need a strong beneficiary focus and the ability to rapidly form relationships with partners and local agencies.

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​Key Responsibilities:

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• Work with partners to identify and engage veterans with the CFO Programme.
• Undertake needs assessments with each veteran and jointly develop their support plan.
• Work as part of a team, together with Probation Service Staff and Lead Provider staff, was well as partner organisations providing specialist support.
• Deliver emotional and practical support to veterans working with partner organisations to provide specialist support for each individual as required.
• Work with the veteran to secure employment.
• Optimise the delivery of activities which are separately billed as part of CFO Programme.
• Ensure that all activity is recorded on the MOJ CATs system, or other system as required by the contract.
• Deliver any further activities reasonably required by the Op Nova National Manager or CFO Contract Manager, the Nova National Manager and the Forces Employment Charity.

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​Essential Competencies:

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• Understanding, empathy and knowledge of ex-forces personnel and the challenges they may face.
• Highly motivated and independent, capable of working remotely from their line manager.
• Resilient and able to work with individuals with complex needs and cope with the rigors that arise from working with veterans in the criminal justice system.
• Commitment to working with each veteran without prejudice and in an equitable manner, including those who are arrested for violent or sexual offences.
• Experience of working with people using a mentoring or coaching approach to engage and support the individuals we work with change their lives.
• Experience of working with others as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Excellent communication, organisation and IT/CRM skills.
• Excellent team players who will contribute to a diverse and dedicated team.
• Driving licence and use of own car.

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Security Clearance

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The successful candidate will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (Enhanced) check and Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) Level 2 security clearance.

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If you are passionate about supporting veterans, resilient, and an exceptional team player, please apply with your CV and cover letter by midnight at 12:00 AM by 10th May 2024.

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Forces Employment Charity is an equal opportunities employer, and values having a diverse workforce. We actively encourage applications from all qualified candidates.

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Post Title Progression Worker 

Responsible to Director of Services (subject to review) 

Purpose of Post To support users of services through an education, training, and employability programme integrated with SCT’s wider services and enterprise offer, as well as partner opportunities in the wider community. To oversee and coordinate access to SCT’s Training and Development tutor-led activities including art, creative writing, digital skills, gardening, literacy, woodwork, and peer-led ‘Choices’ groups, and to monitor people’s progress over time.

Salary Up to £27,488 (£34,360 FTE) 

Hours 28 hours per week Monday to Friday (specific days negotiable) 

Location SCT Recovery Hub (Shoreditch) and other SCT locations 

Spitalfields Crypt Trust (SCT) is an East London charity embedded in the local community, providing practical support and training to people affected by homelessness and addictions so they can rebuild their lives. We have a Recovery Hub in Shoreditch, where we run an abstinence-based residential recovery service (‘Acorn House’), and a Training and Development service, including tutor-led art, creative writing, digital skills, gardening, literacy, and woodwork. In addition, we run Housing First and Supported Housing services, both in East London. We also have eight charity shops and two social enterprises, which give us a presence in the wider East London community while generating valuable funds. 

Our ‘SCT in the Community’ strategy seeks to make SCT’s core offer combining enterprise, housing support, therapeutic support, training and development more available to all the neighbourhoods where we have a presence.  SCT’s shops are great opportunities for local people to connect with SCT in many different ways, to build relationships, participate, and celebrate their gifts.  This is an approach we are  keen to develop alongside our accompanying strategy to develop our ‘SCT Women’s Service’ to provide residential treatment for women. 

You will be joining a team that is committed to working collaboratively, sharing knowledge, ideas, and skills to create a supportive culture. This is something we are proud of and believe is at the heart of our success. 

We seek to recruit people with a good combination of talent, skills and potential, promoting equality for all, and we welcome applications from a wide range of candidates regardless of age, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. We select candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications, experience and commitment to the values and purposes of SCT. 

Role and Responsibilities: 

We are dedicated to supporting those who access our Training and Development service to explore further Education, Training, and Employment (ETE) opportunities as part of SCT’s Progressions Programme, both within and outside of SCT. This includes those in early recovery who are resident in our abstinent-based recovery service (‘Acorn House’), as well as those in our move-on house and the wider community who may be more established in their recovery. SCT’s Progression Worker supports those accessing our services to explore ETE opportunities, offering tailored, individually specific support to help them reach their full potential. SCT’s Progression Programme is centred on empowering people in recovery to cultivate confidence and realise their potential. 

SCT Progressions Programme 

1. Identifying SCT residents and students ready to pursue ETE opportunities: 

• Collaborate with SCT tutors and managers, particularly the Therapeutic Programme Manager and Supported Housing Manager, to identify those who may benefit from the support on offer. 

• Cultivate strong relationships with SCT’s social enterprises and shops to establish clear pathways for volunteering and trainee opportunities for those who access our services. 

• Conduct assessments, develop and implement individualised Progression Plans, and evaluate progress according to each person’s needs, strengths and aspirations, involving key internal and external partners as appropriate. 

1. Providing information, advice, and guidance regarding ETE opportunities: 

• Offer information, initial advice, and guidance on employment, voluntary work, and further education opportunities. 

• Promote SCT's work to external partners to maximise ETE opportunities for those who access our services. 

• Make referrals for placements, volunteering experiences, apprenticeship schemes, colleges, and other external programmes. 

• Support individual users of services with referrals and applications for ETE opportunities.

• Maintain partnerships with relevant ETE providers to offer diverse opportunities to users of services. 

• Work with corporate partners offering employability opportunities to users of services. 

• Design, develop, and deliver employability workshops as required. 

1. Oversight of users of SCT services volunteering in SCT’s social enterprises and shops: 

• Match potential volunteers to SCT volunteering opportunities. 

• Support potential volunteers with applications for volunteering opportunities. 

• Liaise with colleagues who will be managing volunteering experiences. 

• Conduct risk assessments. 

• Support volunteers on an ongoing basis. 

• Hold regular review meetings with volunteers, and SCT colleagues.

1. Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting: 

• Maintain accurate records of activities, outcomes, and feedback, including monitoring of In-Form, SCT’s bespoke CRM data management system.

• Input relevant data to In-Form to track participants’ progress. 

• Identify success stories of participants overcoming significant barriers to learning and work. 

• Collaborate with colleagues to celebrate success stories through various channels. 

• Participate in quality improvement activities, staff development opportunities, and self-evaluation. 

• Assist Fundraising, Communications, and Marketing colleagues in preparing funding applications and reports. 

1. Providing Ongoing Support to Progression Alumni: 

• Conduct regular check-in calls/meetings with users of services. 

• Direct users of services to relevant support services, where necessary, for maintaining their recovery. 

• Organise an annual Progression Alumni event to celebrate service users' achievements and maintain contact. 

SCT Training & Development 

1. Co-ordinating the enrolment process for Training and Development activities for SCT residents and non-residents 

1. Ensuring plans are developed for those participating in Training and Development activities to progress according to their needs, strengths, aspirations, and available opportunities, including consideration for SCT’s Progressions Programme. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Essential Skills: 

• Demonstrated experience engaging vulnerable, long-term unemployed adults in relevant educational, employment, and training programmes. 

• Understanding of addiction and recovery. 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of people including users of services, corporate volunteers, funders and trustees. 

• Working knowledge of welfare benefits and experience supporting of supporting people to maximise their income.

• Strong networking skills and the ability to establish new working relationships with ETE providers. 

• Ability to work independently and demonstrate good organisational skills. 

• Good basic IT skills, including proficiency in MS Word and basic data entry. 

• Team-oriented attitude in collaborating with different services and disciplines. 

Ethos: 

• Commitment to ensuring compliance with SCT’s Equal Opportunities Policy. 

• Adherence to all statutory and legal obligations, including data protection laws. 

• Environment: 

• Ensuring a safe and secure environment for users of services, free from alcohol, drugs, abusive behaviour, and exploitation. 

Finance and Budgeting: 

• Operating within agreed budgets and complying with SCT’s financial control procedures. 

Management: 

• Compliance with Line Manager’s reporting requirements. 

• Willingness to undertake other delegated tasks as necessary for the overall work of SCT. 

The Margins Project, Union Chapel’s Frontline charity, work with people who are homeless or who are at risk of homelessness and helps address pertinent social justice issues these communities face.

The charity runs three integrated programmes:

• a community drop-in programme providing access to nutritious hot meals, and limited access to showers & laundry services.

• advice and engagement programme providing one-to-one as well as group advice service on benefits and housing, and onward referrals to pertinent services.

• support employment programme offers a paid catering training to 10 people who have had experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill-health, and or imprisonment.

Our range of services are designed to help guests (service users) at varying stages, from having no roof over their head to getting back into employment.

This role offers an opportunity for an experienced adviser to help shape and evolve Margins services. Experiences on the ground at the drop-in programme inform the charity’s strategic direction. The role will involve expanding our partner network to link into pertinent statutory and other charitable organisations that provide services that will help our guests with their housing, substance misuse, recidivism, and mental health challenges.

We work closely with people on an individual case work basis to get guests off the streets, into hostels or temporary accommodation where possible, and work with private and social landlords on a range of issues. We support and represent the people we work with on the phone and in person, including at the council, the doctors, the job centre, and benefits tribunals.

Our drop-ins run on Mondays and Wednesdays 11:00am to 1:00pm where attendance is currently from 65 to 75 guests. The advice and engagement worker works more intensively with smaller numbers of up to 20. The demand for more follow up work and advocacy support has been increasing over the last two years and this in-house advice worker is critical for this demand.

Working collaboratively with the Drop-in Community worker (currently vacant), the head chef, and a small group of dedicated volunteers, you will be responsible for the support of a caseload of guests, some with complex needs, and will undertake key work responsibilities including registering the guests, identifying their housing, benefit and personal needs and conducting all necessary follow ups including occasional advocacy support, where deemed necessary.

Job Title: ADVICE AND ENGAGEMENT WORKER

Responsible to: Head of Margins

Location: Margins Offices at Union Chapel, Islington, London

Salary: £32,500 - £35,000

Terms: Full time 37.5 hours per week with 1 hour unpaid for lunch.

Three-month probation, two months’ notice.

23 days annual leave + bank holidays. Workplace pension scheme (NEST)

Start date: May 2024

Purpose of Job:

• To advise and assist guests (service users) with benefit claims and related issues, e.g., Housing Benefit, DLA, PIP, Income Support, ESA, Universal Credit, and other benefits. In particular, assisting them to claim Housing Benefit and UC to reduce risk of rent arrears.

• To develop significant contact and liaison with comparable housing and benefits advice organisations.

• To encourage guests engage with Margins activities, and where practicable, with the wider Union Chapel activities.

• To develop, facilitate and deliver group advice workshops/training programmes and open discussions forums to engage guests who historically do not engage with Union Chapel.

• To Refer Margins guests to relevant internal and external services.

• In liaison with the head of Margins and the chef to refer potential candidates to Margins’ Supported Employment Programme.

The Advice and Engagement Worker will have an active role in identifying and engaging guests as well as referring potential candidates to the Supported Employment Programme, a programme anticipated to expand beyond its current services in Margins catering.

Responsible For:

• Working with caseload of guests

• With the support of drop-in services community worker (currently vacant) to ensure the smooth running of the drop-in services

• Identifying opportunities to improve services both at a project and organisational level.

• Assist the Head of Margins in ensuring that the Margins Project remains GDPR compliant.

• Represent the organisation effectively internally and externally.

• Working in partnership with statutory and other charities to deliver co-ordinated support to guests.

• Identify relevant training opportunities in capacity building.

• Initial liaison with and acting as the first referral contact for the Supported Employment Programme

Key Duties:

• To encourage and assist guests achieve the maximum income from benefits to which they are entitled to, and to refer to relevant support services such as mental health, social services, community support.

• To advise guests on basic budgeting and where applicable to refer to Tenancy Support Officers or outside agencies for more complex help.

• To liaise closely with local authorities, social, and private landlords to try to achieve the best outcome for our guests.

• To identify if the guest is accessioning the right benefit that will support their long-term wellbeing.

• To support newly arrived refugees with their housing and benefit advice needs.

• To actively assist guests with formal appeals against Local Authority, DWP and HMRC decisions regarding benefit entitlement. Representing at Appeal Tribunals.

• To signpost guests to resources that can assist them in finding work.

• When needed, signposting guests to specialist providers in mental health or drug and alcohol support services.

• To Support guests on paying their rent, including providing advice on benefits and debt management.

• To Address breaches of occupancy agreements and develop strategies that would prevent and avoid eviction.

• To assist guests with backdated claims for Benefit by supporting their applications through to completion.

• To ensure all guests’ files are up-to-date and that data is captured on our management system.

• To provide written reports and statistics as and when requested.

• To attend supervision, training, and meetings as and when required.

• To provide advocacy support to guests as and when required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• Good knowledge of the benefits system, including Universal Credit.

• Experience of working with homeless and marginalised people and understanding of the issues that face them.

• Experience of working or collaborating with people with mental health issues.

• Experience of working with refugees and their needs.

• Ability to manage challenging behaviours.

• Embrace a strength-based approach.

• A clear understanding of professional boundaries.

• A knowledge of the best practice in Safeguarding Adult procedures.

• Excellent written and oral communication skill.

• Ability to work proactively as part of a team.

• Ability to plan, manage and action follow-ups on time and manage and contain workload.

• Proficient in IT skills and competence in Microsoft Office applications.

• Committed to personal and professional development through ongoing training.

Desirable:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of providing advice to vulnerable groups

• Experience of delivering provision for the benefit of vulnerable backgrounds

Equal Opportunities:

• Ensure consistent and effective implementation of Union Chapel Equal Opportunities & Diversity policy and procedures.

• Positively promote an environment which respects and values the diversity of staff, volunteers, and Guests.

This is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Advice and Engagement Worker. It is therefore not comprehensive or restrictive and may be reviewed with the postholder and the line manager from time to time. The post holder may undertake any other reasonable duties within the capabilities and scope of the post as specified by their line manager. In such circumstances appropriate training will be provided.

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and a support statement, both no more than two pages, outlining your skills and experiences to meet the criteria of the role, why you want to work for Union Chapel Project and your availability to start with “Advice and Engagement Worker” in the subject line. Please also complete our Equal Opportunities Form.

Closing date: Tuesday 30 April 2024, 8am

Interviews will take place w/c 13 May 2024