Entry level jobs for the Social Welfare sector

About The Role

Do you want to be part of empowering individuals to find their own solution to their housing crisis? This may be the job for you!

We have two roles available, one in Cirencester and one in Witney. 

You will provide a comprehensive homelessness service to customers with a range of housing related issues on behalf of Publica and involved with assisting in the day to day running of Publica’s Homeless Hostel’s.

Creating individual housing plans for every applicant which fully reflects their needs and circumstances, whilst managing and resolving caseloads for those currently experiencing a housing crisis. Sourcing appropriate short term and long term accommodation to assist the council in discharging its duties, whilst maintaining accurate records both written and electronically and ensuring they are captured and recorded accurately.

You will be required to represent the section/department at meetings/working parties/case conferences as appropriate and maintain a thorough knowledge of Housing and related legislation, including the Housing Acts, case law, the Homelessness Reduction code of guidance and good practice in the implementation thereof.

What we are looking for…

 
The successful candidate will be analytical and confident in interpreting housing legislation, with strong decision making skills essential for delivering effective homelessness prevention and relief services. 

You will be someone who values structure, confidentiality, and professionalism as much as they do empathy and support. You will be expected to handle sensitive personal information with the utmost discretion, in line with GDPR and safeguarding protocols. Maintaining client confidentiality is non-negotiable in this role. 

This role requires a strong understanding of professional boundaries and the ability to maintain them — even in emotionally complex situations. This is a rewarding but demanding role — ideal for someone who thrives on helping others in crisis, but who understands the importance of clear boundaries, resilience, and confidentiality. 

You will need resilience and adaptability as you will often work with people experiencing stress, crisis, or confrontation, so it is essential you can manage these situations calmly and confidently. Being emotionally resilient and understand how to support others without becoming personally involved or emotionally entangled.

Teamwork is essential for this role to work effectively with colleagues and external agencies.

Please note you will need to be in the Witney/Cirencester offices 2 – 3 days a week and have the ability to travel within the district as required.

You will need…

• GCSEs (5 A-Cs or equivalent, including Maths and English) Please confirm what qualifications as not clear on JD
• Experience of working with vulnerable people
• Experience of working with people with complex needs
• Communicates effectively at all levels (excellent verbal and written skills)

For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

Special Conditions…

• Full UK Driving Licence with access to a vehicle for work purposes
• DBS Check
• Expected to work reasonable additional hours in line with the needs of the service

What can we do for you… 

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays and an extra two volunteering days off a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Renewed again for another year there is a Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Pension scheme with a good employer contribution of 5% of your earnings
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements
• Additional income protection, covering 50% of your salary for potentially a further five years if you are unable to work due to sickness or injury
• Life assurance, currently four times your annual salary

To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page and submit your CV and supporting statement. Please apply for the role at the location you prefer to work at. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It’s important that we’re a good fit for each other, so let us know what’s important to you and why you want to work for Publica Group Ltd.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email. 

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references;  proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.

About Us

You will be employed by Publica Group Ltd which was created by four partner Councils (West Oxfordshire District Council, Cotswold District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Forest of Dean District Council) to deliver more efficient and improved services. 

Publica is a unique place to work, established to transform the way local services are delivered, fundamentally rethinking the way our services are designed and delivered in a digital era, making us a customer-focused organisation driven by real user needs.

1x Permanent and 1x 6 Month Contract available

About the role

The Debt Advice Caseworker will provide an in person high-quality advice and casework service to the organisation’s clients in debt and money management service.

The Debt Advice Caseworker will provide mentoring and support to their co-workers, which will help develop their skills and expertise in debt and money management service, ensuring they deliver our clients with the best possible service.

A demanding role, whereby the Debt Advice Caseworker will have the ability to understand and deal with complex information. Working collaboratively with their team, management, external organisation’s, and Head of Service.

Flexibility is a key characteristic of all our posts and the post-holder may be asked to carry out other tasks consistent with the grade from time to time.

We have permanent roles and a 6 month temp contract role. We are also accepting trainees

We’re Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme that supports employers to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people.

Interviews will take place on 12 August 2025

About us

Bridges Outcomes Partnerships (BOP) is a mission driven not for profit social enterprise.  We help radically change human services and environmental initiatives to improve outcomes for people, the planet, and value for society.  We work with Government, community groups and specialist partners to design and deliver vital services that support people to improve their lives, in areas ranging from education and wellbeing to housing and employment. We enable personalised and strength-based delivery through collaborative design, flexible delivery, and clear accountability for improving people’s lives through People-Powered Partnerships

Role Purpose

The Role will be responsible for the entry and review of financial transactions from various sources including purchase invoices, payment cards and bank transactions. 

The organisation has grown from managing 8 entities three years ago to 22 at present. We have 41 accounts across 5 different banking institutions (in both USD and GBP) and multiple credit/debit cards. You will need to be adaptable with an open mindset and able to work with uncertainty and change.

We have recently implemented new accounting software (Iplicit) to better manage the multiple entities in our portfolio.  This role will act as a key part of the finance function now the new system is live.

Responsibilities

Initial Duties: 

• Processing urgent same day rent payments 

• Processing of purchase ledger transactions (including VAT entries) for 22 legal entities, in multi-currency, ensuring accurate re-allocation to other entities where appropriate

• Preparation of supplier payment runs for approval

• Completing bank statement imports and reconciliations

• Responding to internal and external queries regarding purchase transactions and payments 

• Other administration & support as required by our Central team (including People, Digital, Business Development & Impact) 

• Review and processing of employee expense transactions 

• Creating regular Inter-company recharge invoices for batches of transactions

Skills & Experience

Essential Skills & Experience 

• Practical experience in a similar role processing a range of financial entries 

• AAT Level 3 Certificate in Accounting or similar

• An understanding of the fundamentals of VAT

• Attention to detail and with ability to question existing processes

• Confident and financially literate, with clear communication and good organisation skills 

• Able to manage priorities and work effectively in a remote working setting 

Desirable Skills & Experience 

• Experience of working with multi-company/inter-company structures 

• Familiarity with Iplicit accounting software 

• Experience of working with multiple currencies

What we will offer you

• We are a flexible employer and we will support you to ensure you achieve a healthy work life balance.

• You will be joining an incredibly dedicated, vibrant, dynamic and talented team of people who are deeply passionate about services which improve people’s lives and public sector reform.

• You will get 25 days’ annual leave plus 8 days for bank holidays plus a birthday leave day and 2 additional ‘gifted’ day/s between Christmas and New Year.

• We offer a Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme.

• We offer Life Insurance, Income Protection Insurance and Wellbeing benefits & resources.

• We also offer Private Medical Insurance on successful completion of your probation period.

• You will be able to access Learning and Development opportunities.

Application process/next steps

We are only accepting applications through the Applied platform. You’ll answer some questions that are related to the day-to-day job and will be asked to upload your CV. Your answers will go through our sift process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers.

NB To keep your response personal and genuine, we ask that you don't use AI tools (like Chat GPT or others) to answer the applications - we're looking for your own voice and experience to come through.

If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next step, which will be first and second round interviews with some of our colleagues. Once we have concluded the process we would like the successful candidate to start as soon as notice periods allow.

The closing date for applications is 3rd August.

First round interviews are likely to take place w/c 18th August.

Bridges Outcomes Partnerships is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process for candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role

Debt Advisor/Caseworker

Supporting Leicester South Foodbank

Job Description

Responsible for:

Advising food bank clients and conducting assessments with people who are experiencing financial crisis or hardship and struggling to pay off debt. Required to provide advice through various service delivery points, including outreach locations.

Responsible to: Team leader, and Service Delivery Manager

Base Location: The LSFB Community Hub, Wigston, Leicestershire

Hours: 20 Hours per week

Term: Fixed Term until October 2026. This may be extended dependant on further funding opportunities

Salary:£13.50ph
Holidays: 25 days p.a. plus 8 days Bank Holidays pro-rated if the role is part time

Main Responsibilities

● Uphold the aims and principles of the Helping Hands Community Trust and the Leicester South Foodbank.

● Work within the service’s ethos and values, especially regarding equality and discrimination.

● Work within health and safety guidelines, sharing responsibility for own health and safety and that of colleagues.

● Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.

● Meet with clients face-to-face

● Provide confidential, specialist, debt and budget advice to clients at our main hub and in consultation with the line manager’s, outreach surgeries and venues across Leicester and Leicestershire

● Research, validate, and analyse information provided by a client in order to support and advise them on how to prioritise their debts and ways to repay it affordably and provide advice on dealing with the impacts

● Develop and agree realistic client budgets that fully reflect the client’s situation.

● Present a range of solutions, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages according to the client’s personal situation and make recommendations based on this information

● Compile financial statements

● Advocating on behalf of clients when negotiating with creditors, and other 3rd party organisations

● Ensure that all advice and solutions are presented in accordance with the charity’s policies and procedures and in line with AQS (Advice Quality Service) and thereby compliant with FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and Debt Management directives)

● Assessing client needs through confidential interviews and hold a personal caseload

● Assist people to complete forms, writing letters or making phone calls on behalf of claimants

● Provide advocacy and assist clients with appeals and preparation for tribunals where the client has grounds to challenge decisions

● Working with our partners, other agencies and organisations on behalf of clients

● Assist clients in gaining access to other specialist, legal and professional services as appropriate.

● Liaising with other organisations when referring clients on

● Keeping confidential records, updates and training on our CMS (AdvicePro)

● Adhere to our Safeguarding, confidentiality and GDPR Policies and procedures

Casework

• Using the CMS AdvicePRO database to maintain electronic case records, for the purpose of continuing casework and information retrieval. These records must be inputted onto the database immediately following the appointment to ensure the records are up to date and accurate
• Act where necessary by calculating, drafting or writing letters and producing written submissions for clients as appropriate
• Negotiate with third parties
• Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits
• Prepare paper submissions to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts as appropriate.
• Assist with related problems where they are an integral part of the case and refer to other advisers or specialists as appropriate.
• Make outreach visits, where necessary and subject to resources and risk assessments.
• Provide advice and assistance to staff and volunteers across the whole range of Welfare Benefits and debt issues.
• Ensure that all casework conforms to the AQS quality standard.

Administration

• Make recommendations for improvements to services.
• Effectively utilise AdvicePRO for statistical recording, case recording & document production.
• Provide 1 Case study/Good news story Monthly to the line manager
• Keep up to date with policies and procedures

Personal Specification

Essential:

• To hold a current DBS certificate, or willing to undergo a DBS check
• English and Maths Grade C/Level 4 or above
• Full UK Driving License with Business Insurance
• Traveling across sites in Leicestershire to see clients in appointment
• IT Confident
• Proficient in Information, Advice and Guidance to clients
• Understanding of the Debt system, and keeping up to date with the change alerts
• Knowledge and experience of giving competent accurate Debt advice to FCA and AQS Quality Mark standards
• Providing debt advice via face to face or telephone 
• Negotiating with creditors, bailiffs, third parties by letter/ telephone
• Working with vulnerable clients
•  Providing representation and advocacy on behalf of clients
• Generalist advice work
• Active Listening skills
•  Excellent organisational skills and managing of own diary
• Working as a member of a team
• Undertaking casework and achieving set outcome
•  Working within a funded partnership
•  Have full working knowledge of Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, One-drive)
• General knowledge of the welfare benefit system to assist with income maximisation
• Budgeting knowledge

Desirable:

• Completed training in money advice from MaPS accredited training provider
• DRO accredited intermediary, would be desirable
• Working knowledge of the CMS system AdvicePro database
• On The DBS Update system
• Ability to deliver services using video links via Microsoft Teams, and Zoom
• Ability to deliver services via social media and our interactive website

Somerset

Ref: CPS-251

Are you a proactive, compassionate and collaborative individual with a proven record of working positively with socially excluded children, young people or adults?  Do you have experience of delivering sessions to groups and/or mentoring young people effectively?

If so, join St Giles as an Embedded CYP Specialist Exploitation Caseworker working on our vital SOS+ project, where you will provide one-to-one mentoring for children and young people and their families who are at risk of serious youth violence, gang activity and exploitation.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the rightsupport they need.  Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

About this exciting opportunity

Embedded within the local authority, our successful candidate will carry out one-to-one mentoring work with a caseload of clients (aged 11-25 years) and produce support and risk management plans based on assessments, ensuring that they are equipped to think critically, assess risk, and make better life choices.

We will also count on you to develop and maintain professional relationships with external agencies to arrange bookings and promote the SOS+ service, and to work closely with the pastoral and safeguarding leads, upskilling  partners, attending partnership meetings and contributing expertise around lived experience and local  knowledge.  Assisting with providing monitoring information and the evaluation of the project and maintaining accurate records of your mentoring work, session work and data collection are both key duties, as is representing the organisation and working collaboratively with external organisations, partners and corporate supporters.

What we are looking for

• Personal experience of the criminal justice system, or lived experience of the issues facing the client group (i.e. involved in gangs or knife crime)
• Experience of assessing needs and thereafter providing support and advice to children at risk of harm, whilst advocating their interests to professionals
• Experience working as part of a multi-agency team
• A Level 3 qualification in relevant field or willingness to work towards one
• Knowledge of the issues facing this client group – gangs, knife crime, social exclusion and exploitation
• First-class interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills, both verbal and written.

Please note this role requires Enhanced Adult and Children DBS checks with the Children Barred List.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, clinical therapist sessions, life insurance (4 x annual salary), duvet days, season ticket loan, employee perks programme, eye care voucher and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

Closing date: 11p.m. 3 August 2025Interview date: 12 August 2025

Harris Hill are delighted to be working with a fantastic charity to recruit for the Relationship Manager in order to help manage various diverse and exciting accounts within the charity.

In this key position, you will manage a diverse portfolio of high-value donors and collective fund accounts, overseeing financial administration, client communications, and compliance. You’ll play a crucial role in ensuring funds are distributed efficiently and effectively to charities and social enterprises worldwide.

As a Relationship Manager you will:

• Manage and nurture relationships with High-Net-Worth donors and collective fund clients.
• Administer client finances including bookkeeping, reconciliation, cash flow, payments, and donation reporting.
• Ensure compliance with UK charity law and regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with clients, intermediaries, grantees, and third-party service providers.
• Support external communications, events, and networking to grow the organisation’s profile.
• Maintain office systems and provide administrative support as needed.

To be successful, you must have experience:

• Experienced in delivering exceptional service to HNW/UHNW individuals, with a genuine passion for philanthropy.
• Knowledgeable about the charity sector and grant making processes.
• Detail oriented with strong analytical and compliance skills.
• An excellent communicator, confident in both verbal and written forms.
• Organised, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office and comfortable working with sensitive data.
• A collaborative team player with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn.

Salary: Starting salary £35,000

Contract type:Full-time, permanent

Location- London, hybrid working

Closing date: On rolling basis

Interview: TBC

Recruitment process: Cv and Supporting Statement to

If this sounds like you, then please do get in touch ASAP!

Unfortunately, due to resource capacity, we will only contact candidates that are shortlisted for interview. Therefore if you do not hear from us within 2 weeks of the closing date please note your application has been unsuccessful.

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

At Citizens Advice Westminster, we do not just offer advice, we offer hope, solutions, and advocacy for those most in need. Whether it is navigating the housing crisis or finding stability in uncertain times, our mission is clear: put people first, always.

As we launch our new Homelessness Prevention team, we invite you to bring your skills, empathy, and drive to a role where your work changes lives. Based in Westminster you will join an organisation where your values align with your vocation.

The Advice Manager/Caseworker will play a key role in providing essential support to individuals facing homelessness, ensuring they receive the right advice, advocacy, and guidance exactly when they need it most. You will collaborate directly with Westminster City Council and other key stakeholders to design and deliver prevention strategies that have a real, measurable impact across the city.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator, with strong project management skills and a good understanding of issues facing communities in the current cost of living crisis. The right candidate will have excellent organisation and time management skills as well as strong IT skills.

We offer more than a competitive salary and a fulfilling career in a values-led organisation. Our benefits include annual season ticket loans, career breaks, and a deep commitment to your ongoing development. Whether you are honing your expertise in casework or growing into a leadership role in policy and campaigning, you will find room to stretch and thrive. You will be part of a warm, inclusive team culture where collaboration is encouraged, opinions are respected, and every voice matters. We also offer flexible working arrangements, including the opportunity to work from home several days a week.

If you are ready to be a part of this community organisation offering a vital service to people who need our help, then click Apply and complete the application process, demonstrating how you meet the competencies in the Person Specification in your supporting statement. Please note we expect employees to spend 50% to 60% of their working time at the office or in outreach location.

Citizens Advice Westminster value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We strongly encourage applicants from all parts of society and believe that diversity is what makes us the leaders in what we do. Please help us by completing the Diversity Monitoring Form.

If you need further information or to discuss this role, please email us.

Closing Date: 31st July 5pm

Assessments and Interviews may be booked before closing date if we find the right candidates with the skills and experience we are looking for in the person specifications, so apply now!

Personal Safety Project Customer Service Liaison/Administrator

 Salary £10,082.80 pro rata (£25,207 FTE) Part Time / 14 hours per week

Age UK Croydon’s very successful Personal Safety Project (Falls Prevention) for older people in Croydon is recruiting a new Customer Service Liaison/Administrator. If you are an enthusiastic, passionate and organised individual, this could be the role for you.

Our Personal Safety Project (PSP) is a free service which aims to help older people who have fallen or are at risk of falling at home. The service is available to anyone aged 50 and over who lives in the borough of Croydon.

Our trained assessors carry out a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential causes of falls and hazards in the home and can arrange for stair rails, grab handles and other necessary aids to be supplied and/or fitted, free of charge. The project can provide ongoing telephone support for up to six weeks to monitor the risk of further falls post engagement.

If you are passionate about supporting older people to remain safe and independent at home and want to contribute to an organisation which is continuously striving to improve, then we would love to hear from you.

We are committed to providing a flexible and productive working environment for all employees. Evolving technology and communication platforms enable employees to work in new and different ways, where we can meet our stakeholder needs and continue to deliver against our charitable objectives. We recognise the importance of supporting employees to have greater personal choice and maintain a healthier work/life balance.

 Full training will be provided; the important qualities we are looking for are:

· Excellent communication and listening skills

· Organised with ability to manage a caseload

· Ability to accurately record and store information

· Excellent organisational and time management skills

· A cheerful, friendly and outgoing personality

Applications sent by post should be marked confidential and for the attention of:
Recruitment, Age UK Croydon, 81 Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 7JH

 This post is subject to a disclosure and barring service check.

CVS not accepted. 

 Closing date for applications: 9am, Tuesday 5th August 2025

Interview Dates: Tuesday, 12th August 2025

 We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable applicant is found before the advertised closing date.

One of the UK’s most inspiring and best-known faith-based organisations, is looking for a passionate and meticulous Training Programme Facilitator to be part of the team at Hadleigh Training Centre Essex.

Hadleigh Training Centre has been providing training opportunities since 1990 for adults with additional support needs. There are currently approximately 160 trainees who attend the training centre, following personalised pathways to meet a range of outcomes. All training is designed to maximise progression opportunities, whether this be in particular vocational skills, or transferable life skills such as motivation, self-esteem and confidence.

Key Responsibilities:

As Relief Training Programme Facilitator, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality training activities for all trainees, embedding a person-centred approach within training activities, focusing on each trainee’s strengths and opportunities to increase independence. You will be required to provide comprehensive reports on each trainee’s engagement and progression towards their goals, including feedback on existing strategies within individual learning support plans. 

The successful candidate(s) will be able to demonstrate:

• A passion to be a part of the delivery of high-level training programmes to transform the lives of those we engage with, with previous experience of having worked successfully in a learning environment.
• An awareness of the barriers faced by adults with additional support needs.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, particularly when it comes to developing good working relationships and building trust.
• The ability to identify a range of approaches when planning and delivering training to recognise individual needs.
• An awareness of relevant regulatory and compliance requirements such as health and safety, data protection, safeguarding, equality and diversity.

Please note that any Salvation Army employees who are under notice of redundancy and apply for this position will be given priority consideration.

We reserve the right to close this advert earlier if we feel that we have received sufficient applications.

Promoting equality in the workplace and as a disability confident leader scheme employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet all the minimum essential criteria for the vacancy.

Working hours: Relief role - As and when required 

Closing date: 23 July 2025

Please note, this advert may close early as interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis

Location: Head Office/ Pan-London (Hybrid)

Salary: £31,531 - £33,696 per annum 

(Please note that applicants are usually appointed at the bottom of the relevant band)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (Until 31st January 2027)

Closing Date: Monday 4th August 2025

Closing Time: 00:00am

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 a Housing First Multiple Disadvantage Outreach and Advocacy Worker 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

Housing First supports the most entrenched, excluded and hard to reach service users. It focuses on finding permanent housing as quickly as possible and then addressing the issues that have contributed to an individual’s homelessness. The Ruby Project, is a specialist Housing First programme supporting women who have experienced VAWG and other difficulties such as, substance misuse, experience of the criminal jusice system, having children removed from their care, mental and physical health issues etc.

‘I want someone who I can do nice things with, too, not someone who just talks about what has gone wrong, or drugs and other things……I think about those negatives all the time anyway and I want a worker who I can feel positive with, happy’ (service user supported by another Housing First Project).

About the Role

Accountabilities

• Provide a high-quality case work support and information service to victims/survivors who have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence.
• Advocate on behalf of clients with external agencies where appropriate, including at the MARAC
• Provide Solution-focused casework interventions with women who have experienced VAWG and Multiple Disadvantage
• Provide emotional support using a trauma informed approach.
• Build and maintain supportive relationships with women.
• Contribute to the completion of outcomes reports and funding returns when required.
• Complete all documents when support work commences and keep up to date with any changing risks to or from the woman.
• Empower women to access benefits and services they need.
• Involve service users in the design, development, and delivery of the service.
• Engage with a wide range of professionals (some of whom may have very different approaches to problem solving) through a multi-agency approach, and advocate to agencies on behalf of the Project and its service users.
• Promote coordinated, joined-up service delivery for service users between violence against women services and drug and alcohol agencies, mental health, housing, health and legal agencies.
• Contribute to a service-wide communications plan and ensure that information about the service is widely available locally to other agencies and is also readily accessible to potential service users.
• Educate a wide range of agencies and stakeholders about the challenges faced by women experiencing multiple disadvantage.
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the Project
• Be self-motivated to research processes and services in order to fully support and advocate for the women.
• Fully engage with the team and all support and team spaces offered, supporting colleagues with the difficulties they face and celebrating positive outcomes.
• Attend regular supervision sessions with your Line Manager
• Attend case review meetings and contribute to effective team communication.
• Ensure that creative and effective relationships are established with other teams and external organisations, particularly those that offer a service to our service users
• Ensure compliance with all legal and contractual reporting requirements in relation to service delivery
• Keep and maintain accurate and confidential records of all work undertaken.
• Contribute to service user feedback and voice in service delivery and service development.
• To ensure that individuals coming into contact with Solace are safeguarded and that appropriate safeguarding action is taken in respect of any concerns.

About You

Values, Behaviours and Competencies

• Committed to the purpose of Solace Women’s Aid, ensuring that the service user is at the heart of service delivery and development
• An intersectional feminist understanding of ‘Violence against Women and Girls’
• Committed to fostering innovation and continuous improvement in working practice
• Flexible and open to new challenges, ideas and experiences, and able to be self-reflective
• Committed to understanding diversity and ensuring anti-discriminatory practice is applied in all forms of our work
• Non-judgemental with a commitment to self-care within the team
• Collaborative, building relationships with internal and external partners.

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Some experience in providing emotional and/or practical support to women who have experienced VAWG, homelessness or multiple disadvantages.
• Knowledge of the particular needs of women from diverse communities and the barriers to accessing support faced by women from a global majority background.
• Experience of working in partnerships with other agencies e.g. signposting, making referrals, supporting with appointments
• An understanding of the impact of trauma on women experiencing abuse
• Awareness of the intersection between severe and multiple disadvantages and VAWG, and an understanding of how the intersection of these issues can make it difficult for people to engage with support.
• A good knowledge of safeguarding practice and procedures
• Ability to provide strengths-based support.
• A resilient and assertive approach to reaching out to and building trust and positive relationships with women who have complex/multiple needs and who may present as reluctant to engage and/or may be presenting in crisis.
• Excellent organisational, ICT, written and verbal communication skills.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of current safeguarding legislation, frameworks and procedures and practical application.

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.

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
• 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

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.

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.

This is an important strategic role within our organisation. You will lead the Welcome to All partnership of 10 organisations which supports displaced people in Somerset. You will also provide line management for the managers of the CCS Welcome Hub provision.

You will work with the Head of Programmes, our Commissioners, community leaders, delivery partner organisations and wider stakeholders to ensure that the Welcome to All programme delivers our strategic goals and that we are collaborating effectively with statutory and community based partners, including the wider VCFSE sector.

You will be a key member of the Programmes Team, and will work with our Senior Programmes Manager, Village Agent Programme Manager and Somerset Diverse Communities Programme Manager to ensure that all of our community development work is well integrated; and we are making the most of opportunities, internal and external that will help to improve quality of life for individuals and communities in Somerset.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your reason for applying and how your past work experiences make you suitability for the role

Deadline: Monday 21st July

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time if we receive a high volume of applications or if a suitable candidate is found, therefore we suggest submitting your application as soon as you can.

This post is:

• subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure
• subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for a disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.
• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK
• Open to women* only (*exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1

The Angelou Centre is aware that women and people of the global majority are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and requirement. So, if you are excited by the role, but your past experience doesn’t quite match every requirement we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the person we are looking for.

Role Overview

Contract: Full-time fixed term for 12 months,

with possibility of extension subject to funding

Salary: £23,387 to £27,445.60 (per hour £12.85 to £15.08)

Depending on experience and qualifications

Hours & Days35 hours a week

Monday to Fridays 9am to 5pm

Additional benefits 25 days paid holiday,

employer’s pension contribution of 6%,

enhanced maternity leave

Location: 3 days in Sunderland and 2 days in Newcastle upon Tyne

As an Outreach Advocate within The Angelou Centre you will be part of our front-line team providing emotional and trauma informed support to women and children experiencing gender based domestic abuse.  The primary responsibility of all advocates within The Angelou is to provide women and children with continuous one-to-one support, practical advice and advocacy, such as writing referrals for women to access the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). Much of this work takes the form of casework, and report writing, as well as ensuring that the women receive comprehensive support that addresses their health, social care, housing, immigration and benefit-related needs.

All advocates are required to spent at least 30% of your time on outreach work to engage with communities outside of The Angelou Centre. However, as our new Outreach Advocate you will spend 3 days with Wearside Women in Need (WWIN) based in Sunderland and 2 days working within our office in Newcastle. This is a new partnership work to ensure that we continue to provide specialist Black and racialised support across the North East. You will work in Sunderland and Newcastle to provide tailored support, advice and advocacy, raising awareness of domestic abuse through outreach activities ensuring our services are accessible to women of the Black and racialised community.

Our ideal candidate is someone who;

• Is confident and pro-active in advocating on behalf of our survivors and able to represent their needs when working with partner agencies
• Is compassionate, non-judgmental and committed to supporting survivors of domestic abuse
• Has excellent written skills with some experience of casework within legal, healthcare or an educational setting.
• Has experience of conducting risk and needs assessments within legal, healthcare or an educational setting.

Key Responsibilities

 Advice and Advocacy Support

• Provide tailored, one-to-one continuous support, advice, and advocacy to black and minoritised victims and survivors of domestic abuse and exploitation
• Provide weekly drop-in opportunities for black and racially minoritized women in the local area
• Support improved mental wellbeing and resilience, measured using Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale and the Chaos Index for those with complex needs.
• To be aware of external service processes to safeguard individuals who are exposed to sexual exploitation.

Outreach Support

• To attend external team meetings and presentations in relevant forums and partnerships
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with key organisations and their staff to support women to gain access to the services they require.

Casework

• Complete regular risk assessment tools for each case supported and risk management plans, including DASH RIC assessments.
• Complete reports, to assist Line Manager in providing detailed reports to funders
• Maintain in depth and up-to-date knowledge of all practice, procedures and policies.
• To deal with complaints, feedback and suggestions and identifying practical solutions to any barriers.

Outreach Advocacy Specific

• To develop specialist knowledge in the area of domestic abuse, immigration abuse and gender-based violence, and how this impacts women from Black and racialized minorities differently, through attendance at relevant training, learning events and conferences
• Raise awareness on domestic abuse education through outreach activities, ensuring services are accessible to those with protected characteristics and/or facing multiple disadvantages.
• Help improve local services understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse for women and girls from the Black and racialised communities and the long-term impact.

In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is required and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties however, will fall within the scope of the job at the appropriate grade. This job description will be subjected to review with the post holder, to ensure that it accurately reflects the duties and range of the post. The aim is to improve the quality of service for black and racialized women and all matters relating to their wellbeing.

Person Specification

Experience & Abilities

• Experience of supporting women who have experienced or are at risk of domestic abuse
• Experience of risk and needs assessment, safety and support planning, particularly with clients with complex/multiple needs
• Experience of partnership working and of maintaining excellent working relationships with a range of stakeholders; particularly social care.
• Experience of managing a high caseload
• Strong IT skills with experience around data collection and monitoring
• Excellent written abilities, with some experience within preparing reports for courts, case conference and information for MARAC
• Experience around setting clear professional boundaries with clients and partners
• Ability to work cooperatively within a team and with statutory organisations

Knowledge & Qualifications

• An excellent understanding of sexual violence
• An excellent understanding of UK policies and legislation around domestic abuse
• Good knowledge of UK adult safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation.
• Safeguarding Adults and Children Level 1
• A good understanding of confidentiality and anti-discriminatory practice; safe practice and health and safety procedures

Values & Approach

• Commitment to anti-racist, trauma-informed, and feminist practice.
• Empathy, kindness, and cultural competence, with a commitment to supporting Black and racially minoritised women
• Has a ‘can do’ positive approach with a curious open to learning approach
•  Able to work flexibly and respond to crisis situations with a trauma-informed approach
• Able to priorities workload and work independently using your own initiative
• Has a commitment to shared responsibility in a team context approach
• Willingness to undertake training and show a commitment to continuous personal development, reflecting on own practice with a willingness to make changes if needed

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in crisis management
• IDVA and/or ISVA qualification
• An excellent understanding of domestic abuse and of UK policies and legislation around domestic abuse
• Good working knowledge of UK adult safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation.

This is an exciting time to join us. Diversity Voice has recently merged with CCS, and with aligned values and mission, we are delighted to be able to work more effectively as one team to serve diverse ethnic, faith and belief communities in Somerset.

CCS has also recently secured funding for another 4 years for our work with our diverse communities. Alongside the “Welcome for All” Displaced people programme, this will allow us to build a strong community infrastructure to support individuals and communities across the county. Our work combines grassroots engagement, specialist support, and strategic influence to build a stronger, more connected, and inclusive Somerset.

This is a key strategic role in our organisation. You will lead and manage the Somerset Diverse Communities (SDC) team. Together with your team, you will listen to community needs, promote suitable responses and convene individuals and organisations to seek community-based solutions, supporting communities to thrive together.

As part of this role you will also be responsible for managing a varied programme of ESOL courses, groups and support in schools. In addition, you will manage the delivery of our support for Open Mental Health Alliance partners to provide programmes that integrate equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging into everything they do.

Our approach is rooted in trust, cultural humility, and lived experience. We work with, not for, our communities — creating space for voice, leadership, and influence. This has allowed us to surface sensitive and complex issues such as immigration, faith-based exclusion and rural racism, and work through them constructively with communities and institutions. 

Care about community? Good at making connections?

Community Catalysts CIC is a busy, buzzy social enterprise that tries hard to live up to its name. We’re extending a successful project that has been running for 3 years in partnership with Suffolk County Council and need an energetic, and imaginative person to help coordinate things for us.

We are looking for a person to join our existing team of Catalysts to support local entrepreneurial people and community organisations to offer new and creative care and support options for people who need help at home and in the community. In this way we will help people to get the support they need to live the life they want.

To do this job you must:

· Understand the world of care - but maybe feel it could do with a bit of a shake up!

· Be a real people person - able to work well with all sorts of folks with confidence.

· Instinctively make connections - and join up dots that are sometimes less than obvious.

· Be able to spot what people are good at and nurture it.

Have a look at our website and the job description and person specification for more information about us and the job. You will be employed by Community Catalysts and based in Suffolk.

Closing date for applications is on 23rd July at 1.00 pm and interviews will take place in Ipswich on 29th July 2025.

We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community.