Refuge Support Worker

Are you looking for a rewarding role within an intersectional feminist organisation? We have an incredible opportunity for a Refuge Support Worker to join Solace Women’s Aid.

Solace exists to end the harm done through gender-based violence. We work to prevent violence and abuse and provide services to meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children.

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

The Enfield Refuge Service provide emergency accommodation to women and children fleeing domestic abuse and sexual violence. Refuge Support Workers provide emotional and practical support including housing support, legal options, police liaison and guidance around child contact, benefits, financial advice and accessing therapeutic support services.

About the Role

Our Refuge Support Workers provide advice and support to women who have experienced domestic abuse. You will carry out risk and needs assessments, develop support plans and provide key work to women survivors. You should have demonstrable experience of working within this or a similar client group.

About You

You will have an in-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on women and their children, as well as experience of providing emotional and practical support to victims of domestic and sexual violence.Your experience of managing risk and following case management procedures will be essential to the success of this role.

You have a strong understanding of women’s needs and be able to support them to assess risk, develop safety plans and support them by linking with other agencies. You will have a working knowledge of the available legal remedies, housing, and welfare benefits, as well as experience of providing workshops.

In addition to case management, you will be required to undertake housing management responsibilities including health and safety and maintenance of the refuges. You will have excellent administrative and time management skills.

An in depth understanding of the needs of women and children from diverse backgrounds is essential.

Additional Information

The postholder will be based at our Enfield Refuge, providing on-site support to survivors on a part-time basis (15 hours per week). Given the nature of this role, we are unable to offer hybrid working for this position.

The salary for this post is £11,754 - £12,268 (pro-rata of £29,385 - £30,671 Unqualified)) or £12,268 - £13,049 (pro-rata of £29,923 - £32,623 (Qualified)).

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
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Two paid wellbeing days
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits, and savings
• 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, transferable 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 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

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