Independent Gender Violence Advocate (IGVA)

We are recruiting for a IGVA to join our team in Lewisham; the scope on this job involves….

Job Title: IGVA

Location: Athena Lewisham
Salary: £29,701.36 per annum
Contract type: Full-time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5

We are looking for a compassionate and driven Independent Gender-Based Violence Advocate (IGVA) to join Refuge’s Athena service in Lewisham. In this rewarding frontline role, you will support women and children affected by domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), providing high-quality advocacy, practical support and safety planning to survivors at the highest risk. Working as part of a specialist team, you will play a vital role in helping survivors regain safety, stability and control over their lives. You will also take part on managing our Helpline Service, by managing new referrals from survivors and other partners, and responding to daily enquiries from partnership agencies, public and impacted individuals over the phone and email.

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of domestic abuse; trauma and the barriers survivors can face when accessing support. You will be experienced in risk assessment, multi-agency partnership working and delivering survivor-focused support. Excellent communication, advocacy and relationship-building skills are essential, alongside the ability to work sensitively with women in crisis and manage a varied and demanding caseload. Experience within the VAWG sector is desirable, together with a commitment to equality, empowerment and inclusive practice. 

This is an opportunity to join one of the country’s leading domestic abuse organisations and make a genuine difference every day. Refuge offers a supportive and inclusive working environment, access to learning and development opportunities, clinical supervision and a competitive benefits package, enabling you to grow professionally while contributing to life-changing and lifesaving work.

Closing date: 9.00am on 16 June 2026

Interview date: 23 June 2026

Benefits

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.