Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)

Location: Tower Hamlets Office (Hybrid)

Salary: £26,650 - £28,187.50 Qualified £28,187 - £30,750 Pro-Rata per annum 

(Please note, successful candidates are usually appointed at the bottom of the band)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2024

Closing Date: 24th November 2023 by midday

Virtual Interview Date: 4th December 2023

 

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) at Solace Women's Aid.  

We exist to end the harm done through gender-based violence. Our aim is to work to prevent violence and abuse, as well as providing services to meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children. Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives, free from abuse.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

 

About the Service

Solace offers extensive violence against women and girls (VAWG) services in Tower Hamlets; these include a range of advocacy and support options for survivors, floating support services and training for professionals and community members.

Support for survivors in Tower Hamlets is predominantly provided through Solace’s advocacy and support service (SASS) which supports survivors of domestic and sexual abuse of all genders and at all levels of risk. Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives free from abuse.

 

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced IDVA to join our dynamic team in Tower Hamlets, working with people who have experienced domestic violence and abuse.

 

You will provide high quality case work support, advocacy, and information services to survivors of domestic abuse working as part of a multidisciplinary team and collaborating with external agencies.

You will carry out DASH Risk Assessments in a timely manner and refer high risk cases to MARAC where appropriate. Working with survivors, you will agree Individualised Safety and Support Plans, working to reduce risk and meet identified needs including making referrals to other appropriate agencies.

 

About You

You will have a passion for working with victim/survivors and a thorough understanding of domestic abuse and its impact on women and their children, as well as experience of providing emotional and practical support and strong casework management skills.

 

You will have the skills to provide effective crisis intervention, carry out risk assessments, safety planning, assessment of needs and individual support planning. You should have demonstrable experience of working in an IDVA or similar position with this or a similar client group. The ability to speak Sylheti/ Bengali is desirable.

 

We understand that you may not have all the knowledge, experience, and skills mentioned in the Job Profile Document. However, your interpersonal skills, passion to have a positive impact, commitment to our purpose, and ability to learn quickly and collaborate effectively will be equally important. If you wish to learn more about the role or if you are unsure about whether to apply, we encourage you to contact our recruitment team.

 

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

·        Flexible working

·        Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)

·        Generous holiday entitlement

·        Employer pension contribution

·        Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay

·        Inclusion Networks

·        Daily clinical debriefing

·        Employee Assistance Programme

·        Flow & Restore yoga classes

·        Meditation sessions

·        Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

Please submit your CV and Supporting Statement through the recruitment portal. When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

·        Values, Behaviours & Competencies

·        Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work. If you require any support to apply for this role, please email us.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies.