Drop In / Helpline Support Worker With Language Specialism Jobs

Location:   Hybrid working: a combination of working from home and being based at Rising Sun Offices in Canterbury

Responsible to: Head of Adult Services

Probation Period:   6 months

Benefits:   25 days holiday pro rata, bank holidays, plus 3% matched pension contribution, employee health cash plan and discounts scheme

Please note: This post is restricted to women under schedule 9, Part 1, Equalities Act 2010.

OVERVIEW

Rising Sun Domestic Violence and Abuse Service (the Rising Sun) is an independent charity in Kent working to prevent domestic abuse and improve the lives of survivors and their children suffering from its effects. We have an ambitious vision for a world in which women and children live free from actual or threatened domestic abuse and all forms of violence.

Our team provide a range of services to adults and children who’ve experienced domestic abuse. We understand the impact of domestic abuse on survivors and so we listen to individual needs and respond in a trauma informed way. We provide one-to-one support and also deliver therapeutically informed group programmes to help survivors to recognise healthy/unhealthy behaviours in relationships and to understand the impact of domestic abuse. Bringing survivors together validates experiences and enables them to draw strength from one another.

We are looking for a creative and proactive individual who has experience of supporting survivors of domestic abuse. Working with survivors of domestic abuse as an outreach worker, you will play a crucial role in advocacy, risk assessment, safety planning and empowerment.

As part of our passionate and committed team of approximately 45 staff, our aspiration is that you will thrive and develop in this varied role. You will be contributing to the invaluable work of the Rising Sun and making a lasting difference to the lives of those who are impacted by domestic abuse.

JOB PURPOSE

• To provide practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse, including crisis intervention, risk assessment and safety planning.
• To develop individual support plans, which address the risk of harm and offer information, advocacy, advice and signposting to survivors, underpinned by individual risk and need.
• To empower survivors, thereby increasing self- esteem, reducing isolation and helping survivors to keep safe.
• To provide survivors with information relating to their rights and ensuring survivors are empowered to make decisions based on their options.
• To work in collaboration with the adult team and wider Rising Sun team to support other programmes delivered within the organisation.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Service delivery

• Work as part of a team providing high quality support, advice, advocacy and information to survivors of domestic abuse.
• Manage a caseload in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and adhere to confidentiality.
• Work in a needs led way with a specific focus on a trauma informed approach, which recognises domestic abuse and its impact.
• Work holistically with survivors, recognising individual needs, and help survivors to recognise and build on their strengths and abilities to build self-esteem and resilience.
• Offer support face to face or remotely, via phone or video call, depending on the needs of the survivor and current guidance around social distancing.
• Attend regular supervision and appraisals with line-manager.
• Work effectively in partnership with other agencies and refer on appropriately, dependant on need and risk. This may include referral to specialist agencies, to other specialist DVA services or other external processes (for example MARAC).
• Assess risk to individuals on a regular basis using the DASH risk indicator checklist.
• Work with survivors to develop tailored support plans with a focus on reducing the risk of harm, increasing their personal safety (and that of any children) and responding to their individual needs.
• Support survivors to be able to identify and manage the risks to themselves and their children
• Provide information to survivors in relation to their options, including guidance in relation to their housing, legal and welfare rights and advocate on their behalf as required.
• Encourage service users’ participation in service development, continuous improvement and feedback exercised.
• Represent the Rising Sun at relevant community meetings and forums.
• Support Rising Sun’s community services including our One Stop Shop drop in service and group programmes.
• Maintain up to date and accurate records and ensure, reports and evaluations are completed as required.
• Work as part of a team, supporting colleagues and building positive working-relationships with team members.
• Contribute to wider team meetings and discussions to share learning and feed into organisational developments.
• Be willing and available to work some evenings and weekends as required to support wider team activities such as representing Rising Sun at events (time off in lieu can be taken by arrangement with your line manager).

General

• At all times work professionally and to a high standard, setting an example to the wider team and external partners.
• A good knowledge and understanding of using IT programmes such as Word and Excel.
• Complete administrative tasks and ensure paperwork and evaluations are kept up to date.
• Demonstrate a commitment to continued professional development, being responsible for personal learning and keeping up to date on research, relevant legislation, policy and practice, and other literature relevant to the role.
• At all times protect the safety and security of the Rising Sun, service users, staff, volunteers and buildings, and the confidentiality of records and other information.
• Uphold the rights of women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse, and proactively assess the gender specific, trauma informed needs and the safety of children and women to ensure that any risks/needs identified are addressed, having full regard to Rising Sun Safeguarding Children policy and Safeguarding Adults policy.
• Be proactive and solution focussed while paying attention to detail.
• Participate in supervision, training and meetings as required.
• Ensure the effective implementation of Rising Sun’s policies and procedures and uphold the core values of the Rising Sun.
• Work across teams and undertake such other duties, appropriate to the grade and nature of the work, as may reasonably be expected.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time when it was drawn up and will be reviewed from time to time. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Knowledge and Qualifications

• An accredited VAWG/domestic abuse qualification, e.g. IDVA / DAPA (Desirable).
• Good understanding of the impact of domestic violence and trauma on survivors, children and young people, families and communities. 
• Knowledge of issues affecting survivors, and an understanding of the barriers they may face in accessing support.
• Thorough knowledge of safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation.
• Good understanding of the operation of the agencies working together to support survivors such as social services, police etc.

Experience

• Experience of working with survivors affected by domestic and sexual abuse.
• Experience of managing own case load, working under pressure and prioritising workload.
• Experience of risk assessment and management, and safety planning.
• Experience of multi-agency partnership work.
• Experience of facilitating group programmes. (Desirable)
• Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation. (Desirable)

Skills

• Excellent listening, written and verbal communication skills.
• Non-judgemental and non-directive approach to empowering survivors along with the ability to understand the individual needs of clients.
• Effective crisis management, negotiation, advocacy and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work well within a team and responsibly on own initiative.
• Good task management skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
• Good data collection, monitoring and IT skills, including word processing and using databases and Excel spreadsheets.

 General

• Able to work co-operatively with colleagues, statutory and non-statutory agencies.
• Able to set clear boundaries and a willingness to accept line management and make effective use of clinical supervision.
• A good understanding of the importance of confidentiality, safe practice and health and safety procedures.
• A good understanding of cultural issues, and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.
• A firm commitment to women, children’s and young people’s rights and to work within Rising Sun framework and its core values.
• Able to travel independently across East Kent to meet survivors and attend meetings.
• Willingness to carry out the policies and procedures of the Rising Sun and to work to agreed guidelines and codes of conduct.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Rising Sun is an equal opportunities employer. We recognise intersecting identities, and value what having a diverse team brings, both in terms of effectively responding to client needs, and engaging with each other at work. We encourage applicants from all sections of the community; especially from minority groups/groups with a protected characteristic such as B.A.M.E., who are currently underrepresented at Rising Sun. We are disability-friendly, and flexible working is available in the majority of roles. We strive to offer accommodations to all applicants who need them.

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a real difference, every day, to people from all walks of life? This is an exciting opportunity for someone already working in an advice role and looking to take the next step in their career to join the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) as Advice Manager.

The Advice Manager will take the lead on BIAS’s day-to-day advice services, managing a small team of advice specialists to ensure that we provide the highest-quality service to our clients. You will need to have strong people skills and the ability to build good working relationships with staff and clients, along with excellent organisational abilities to ensure that projects are delivered on time.

This role will also involve working with the leadership team to help identify areas for future development and support grant applications and reporting, which will give you the opportunity to have a direct impact on shaping the organisation’s future strategy and direction.

If you are an experienced advice specialist and are looking to step up but don’t have all the skills required, please consider applying as we are willing to consider appointing the right candidate as a training and development role.

KEY WORK AREAS AND MAIN DUTIES

Staff management

• Managing a small advice team, ensuring the quality of the advice provided.
• Providing support and supervision to staff on the delivery of advice services, ensuring that appropriate advice is provided and casework deadlines are met.
• Ensuring good teamwork and lines of communication between staff, volunteers and partner agencies.
• Creating a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are promoted and staff can do their best.

Quality and service delivery

• Leading the welfare advice services, including contributing to possible future expansion.
• Maintaining a small personal caseload (approximately one day’s work per week).
• Working with the Operations Manager to ensure that BIAS maintains the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and is successful in AQS renewal.
• Leading on monitoring service delivery, recording outcomes and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Managing all aspects of risk relating to advice delivery, complaints handling, safeguarding and GDPR.

Operational support

• Working with the leadership team as required on operational matters, including planning, strategy for future development and grant applications and reporting.

For more information about the role and who we are looking for, please see the attached job pack.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. This role will be based in our advice offices but there may be some options for flexible working (i.e. one or two days per week).

WHAT DOES BIAS DO?

BIAS is a local charity which has supported England’s largest Irish community in Brent for over forty-five years. We deliver our support through our welfare advice drop-in service, our Active Ageing Clubs and our Be-a-friend volunteer scheme. We raise over £1 million in extra income for the most vulnerable every year and have over 3000 attendances at our club services. BIAS has exciting plans for possible further expansion in 2024 and has a range of medium- to long-term grant funding, including from Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme.

These two new posts will be responsible for supporting the successful initiation, deployment and development of our early intervention and prevention service for autistic and neurodiverse young people and their families across the whole charity.

Key Accountabilities

To work with all the charity’s projects with a focus on providing support to Autistic and Neurodiverse children and young people so that:

a) the local community significantly benefits from a new specialised and responsive frontline service offering high quality advice and intervention

b) you enhance local resources that better wraparound the needs of the autistic community

c) you help build a sustainable model of delivery that directly addresses Autism

Why work for us?

We are a team of creative, committed colleagues dedicated to improving emotional health and challenging social injustice wherever & whenever we can and with whatever resources we have to hand.

ROLE BACKGROUND:

Youth Enquiry Service (YES) is a charity that has supported young people in High Wycombe and the surrounding areas for over 40 years. We have an established reputation for offering accessible, friendly, and safe services for young people, which includes one-to-one counselling, sexual health information, and drop-in information, advice, and guidance.

This is an exciting time for YES, as we have recently been awarded funding to expand our services as an early-intervention mental health support hub for young people. This expansion will enable us to significantly increase capacity within our pre-existing services, as well as set up several new services including schools-based counselling, peer support groups for young people and for their parents/carers, and a young person’s advisory board who will help shape YES services.

As part of our planned service expansion, we are seeking to recruit Support Workers who will be the first point of contact for young people visiting our drop-in centre, and who can provide a range of information, advice, and guidance, to young people aged 13 to 25 years.

Hours: 37 hours 

Location:The post holder will work primarily from Whitehawk and/ Hollingdean Food banks, as well as CABH offices in Hove.

Contract: Fixed term until September 2025 with possibility of extension

Application deadline: 5th June 2024 at 9am

Expected interview date: 12th June 2024 

Job outline:

Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove is seeking a dedicated adviser to establish and deliver our outreach project with Trussell Trust Partners Whitehawk and Hollingdean food banks.  The postholder will be primarily based within the two food banks providing drop in services and one-to-one one-to-one appointments for advice on income maximisation. They will need to deliver services in line with funder requirements, maintain our high quality of advice and make sure clients get the best advice and outcomes available.

We are looking for an experienced benefits adviser with a commitment to tackling food poverty. The ideal candidate will also be trained to deliver full debt casework to FCA standards. We will provide training to fully equip the adviser to deliver high quality advice and casework, as well as an ongoing focus on continual professional development.

For more details about this rewarding opportunity and how to apply, please read the full job information pack, application form and guidance notes on our website via the apply button.

Appointment to this role will be subject to successful references and a  basic DBS check. 

Thanks to Move+ I’m more confident dealing with the day-to-day things I used to find daunting. I’ve grown, I have more belief in myself. Now I’m working towards goals I would never have dreamed of going after.

MJ – Move+ member

Based at the 999 club in Deptford, a safe and welcoming space for those experiencing homelessness Move+ is the latest of the 999 club’s service offerings which also include a drop-in day centre, employment & training support, advocacy & advice, a women’s space and the Bridge, our evening service for people in mental health crisis.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a cutting-edge service within the sector. The overall aim of Move+ is to enable people who have been homeless to draw upon their shared experiences and support one another to escape homelessness for good. Move+ empowers people to live independently, to set up and maintain a stable home, while working towards long-term goals and aspirations enabling them to move forwards with their lives. This is achieved through a combination of peer coaching, personalised support and an exclusive program of workshops and activities.

Working closely with the Coproduction Manager as part of the Specialist Services team, you will oversee all aspects of the day-to-day delivery of Move+. This includes line management of a team of Peer Coaches, focusing on support, personal and professional development. You will conduct assessments and manage referrals, build and maintain relationships, as well as promote the service, both internally and externally. Overall, you’ll ensure a high quality of service delivery that meets or exceeds targets and, most importantly, supports and empowers all participants.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about empowering and motivating others. Prior experience, lived, management or other is great, but attitude is key. If you have a positive, pro-active approach take a look at the Job Description / Role Profile. and get in touch to let us know why we should hire you.

The ideal candidate will have: 

· Great people skills, the ability to communicate effectively with a compassionate, non-judgemental approach

· A proactive approach, always looking to support the team in achieving positive outcomes

· A genuine interest in people, their innate strengths and their capacity to change

· Excellent organisational skills and the ability to oversee complex projects

· The ability to work without close daily direction and the ability to think outside of the box

· A positive, ‘can do’ attitude and above all, a good sense of humour to survive our fast-paced environment

Staff benefits include

· 27 days annual leave increasing each year to a maximum of 30 days 

· Occupational sick pay - 10 days per year full pay 

· 3% employers pension contribution 

· Employee Assistance Programme 

· Cycle to work scheme 

· The opportunity to be part of a truly amazing team 

Move+ has been made possible by the generous support of the National Lottery Community Fund

Knowsley Carers Centre, a network partner of the Carers Trust, is a registered charity providing information, support, advice, and a voice for carers living and caring in the Borough of Knowsley.

Knowsley Carers Centre is a growing charity, established in ~October 1997 to support the borough's 16000 unpaid/family carers.

A highly motivated and experienced person is required to identify and support unpaid carers.

Proven experience of the sector and an understanding of unpaid carers’ issues are essential along with the ability to work independently.

Job Purpose: To find and assist Carers in the Knowsley area by providing advice, information, drop-in sessions, facilitating support groups, home visiting, training and a variety of other methods highlighted by Carers in Knowsley.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information and Support

All staff are expected to be familiar with the range of services and events provided by Knowsley Carers Centre.

The Carers Support Officers specifically: -

1) Provide Carers with advice and support to improve the quality of their lives and the person they care for:

This will include:

a) Completing current procedure for Carers’ Assessments and to support Carers through the Assessment process.

b) Offering Carers the opportunity to take up other services offered by KCC such as coffee mornings and Holistic Therapies.

c) Providing an empathetic and supportive ear to Carers about the difficulties they may be experiencing. Remind carers that we are here to provide a listening ear and offer our counselling service if appropriate.

d) To signpost Carers to relevant voluntary and statutory organisations.

2) Keep up-to-date with services, benefits and organisations relevant to Carers.

3) To assist in the promotion of the work of the organisation by use of media, talks, presentations, displays etc.

4) Make links with relevant statutory and voluntary organisations.

5) Use any of the above opportunities to identify hidden Carers and

Casework

1) Work on behalf of Carers both by phone and in writing to help them to obtain the services they need.

2) Make home-visits as necessary to carry out this aspect of the work and initial support to new carers via home visit with the agreement of line manager.

3) Liaise with other advice/advocacy organisations to develop and maintain referral systems.

4) Complete all the necessary administrational tasks related to the role including updating all contacts on the database.

Groups and Events

1) Setting up, administering and facilitating Carers Support Groups.

2) Organise outings and events for Carers. To liaise with the manager to raise small funds to assist with one to one support or group support.

3) Work with other members of the Knowsley Carers Centre staff team to plan, organise and facilitate special events and activities e.g. During National Carers Week.

Administration and Monitoring

1) Complete contacts on the database for every interaction with each carer. All phone calls, drop ins, home visits letters, emails and texts to have a separate contact.

2) Ensure attendees at group events whether in house or at another venue complete the signing in sheet. Complete the register for these events on the database if requested to do so. 

3) Add names to waiting lists for trips and events following the standard procedure. Make appointments for carers to attend holistic therapies following the standard procedure.

4) Write up case studies and other reports as requested by line manager.

5) To be primarily self-servicing including word processing letters, keeping appropriate records of work undertaken, write reports and complete monitoring forms.

6) All of the above are necessary for management to produce statistics and other monitoring reports to comply with funders requests outlined in the main contract and other sources of funding.

General Tasks

1) To work as part of a team contributing to the smooth and effective running of Knowsley Carers Centre.

2) To produce articles for the Carers Centre newsletter and to distribute

to various establishments around Knowsley.

3) To attend and actively participate in regular supervision, team meetings and annual appraisal sessions.

4) To undertake relevant training and staff development activities as required.

5) To undertake occasional evening/weekend work where necessary.

6) To undertake any other duties as reasonably requested by the Centre Manager.

7) All employees are expected to read and abide by the organisations policies and procedures.

Benefits of working for Knowsley Carers Centre:

22 days annual leave plus bank holidays per year (pro rata)

Bonus 3 days of annual leave per year over the festive period (subject to Trustee approval)

6% Workplace Pension Scheme with The Pensions Trust

Are you looking for a new opportunity?

We are seeking to recruit a On The Water Project Assistant to join our team based in London, on a full time, 11 week fixed term contract, starting on 8 July 2024. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of £27,250 per annum, pro rata.

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is a vibrant and growing charity delivering life changing nautical adventure for young people through the Sea Cadets to give them the best possible head start in life. We also provide personal and professional development opportunities for seafarers with the Marine Society. Working with our staff, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a vision and five-year strategy to take us forward and further improve the astounding contribution already made through our work to the lives of thousands of young people and seafarers, while fully supporting our volunteers who are vital to our success.

The On The Water Project Assistant role:

The On The Water Project Assistant will support the delivery of the On The Water project at one of our boating stations in Birmingham. The project provides young people from outside Sea Cadets, age 9-14, the opportunity to get on the water, learn new skills and build confidence through boating activity. This is a very varied and rewarding role that requires someone who is self-motivated, inspiring, organized, creative, tenacious, positive, IT competent and with a real interest in people with a attention to detail and real enthusiasm for the project.

Responsibilities as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:.

• The welcoming and registration of participants for the On The Water project
• Collecting and uploading daily statistics and figures that show how the project is progressing
• Making new and repeat bookings
• Talking to participants and their parents/carers about the opportunities within Sea Cadets
• Managing a waiting list and reducing drop-outs
• Responsible for the safety and wellbeing of participants alongside the Boat Station staff
• Ensuring that participants complete surveys to share their experience of the project and encourage adults to feedback on their young people’s experience
• Attending any meetings as required by the project
• Assisting with the evaluation of the On The Water project

Requirements needed to become our On The Water Project Assistant:

• Previous experience of working with volunteers
• Experience in a customer facing role
• Experience working with young people
• Experience working with diverse community groups or working in outreach
• Experience of tracking targets and managing data
• Self-motivated and able to manage your time and workload effectively
• Flexible and enthusiastic
• Able to work as a team player with creative ideas and solutions who will empower our volunteers to make a difference to the lives of even more young people across the UK
• Satisfactory DBS

Benefits as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:

• Flexible Working hours and a hybrid culture
• Cycle to work scheme and Season Ticket Loan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Life assurance (4x salary) for those that join the pension
• Private medical insurance
• Pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
• Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
• Employee development: We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.
• National staff conference: All employees come together once a year to reflect on the past year and celebrate success at our offsite staff conference. This is a great opportunity to listen to employees' views, and for employees to network, share information and socialise.

Closing date: 3rd June 2024

Interview: Interviews to be held virtually 11 June 2024

If you are interested in this On The Water Project Assistant, please apply now!

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo a criminal record check.

Knowsley Carers Centre, a network partner of the Carers Trust, is a registered charity providing information, support, advice, and a voice for carers living and caring in the Borough of Knowsley.

Knowsley Carers Centre is a growing charity, established in ~October 1997 to support the borough's 16000 unpaid/family carers.

A highly motivated and experienced person is required to identify and support unpaid carers.

Proven experience of the sector and an understanding of unpaid carers’ issues are essential along with the ability to work independently.

Job Purpose: To find and assist Carers in the Knowsley area by providing advice, information, drop-in sessions, facilitating support groups, home visiting, training and a variety of other methods highlighted by Carers in Knowsley.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information and Support

All staff are expected to be familiar with the range of services and events provided by Knowsley Carers Centre.

The Carers Support Officers specifically: -

1) Provide Carers with advice and support to improve the quality of their lives and the person they care for:

This will include:

a) Completing current procedure for Carers’ Assessments and to support Carers through the Assessment process.

b) Offering Carers the opportunity to take up other services offered by KCC such as coffee mornings and Holistic Therapies.

c) Providing an empathetic and supportive ear to Carers about the difficulties they may be experiencing. Remind carers that we are here to provide a listening ear and offer our counselling service if appropriate.

d) To signpost Carers to relevant voluntary and statutory organisations.

2) Keep up-to-date with services, benefits and organisations relevant to Carers.

3) To assist in the promotion of the work of the organisation by use of media, talks, presentations, displays etc.

4) Make links with relevant statutory and voluntary organisations.

5) Use any of the above opportunities to identify hidden Carers and

Casework

1) Work on behalf of Carers both by phone and in writing to help them to obtain the services they need.

2) Make home-visits as necessary to carry out this aspect of the work and initial support to new carers via home visit with the agreement of line manager.

3) Liaise with other advice/advocacy organisations to develop and maintain referral systems.

4) Complete all the necessary administrational tasks related to the role including updating all contacts on the database.

Groups and Events

1) Setting up, administering and facilitating Carers Support Groups.

2) Organise outings and events for Carers. To liaise with the manager to raise small funds to assist with one to one support or group support.

3) Work with other members of the Knowsley Carers Centre staff team to plan, organise and facilitate special events and activities e.g. During National Carers Week.

Administration and Monitoring

1) Complete contacts on the database for every interaction with each carer. All phone calls, drop ins, home visits letters, emails and texts to have a separate contact.

2) Ensure attendees at group events whether in house or at another venue complete the signing in sheet. Complete the register for these events on the database if requested to do so. 

3) Add names to waiting lists for trips and events following the standard procedure. Make appointments for carers to attend holistic therapies following the standard procedure.

4) Write up case studies and other reports as requested by line manager.

5) To be primarily self-servicing including word processing letters, keeping appropriate records of work undertaken, write reports and complete monitoring forms.

6) All of the above are necessary for management to produce statistics and other monitoring reports to comply with funders requests outlined in the main contract and other sources of funding.

General Tasks

1) To work as part of a team contributing to the smooth and effective running of Knowsley Carers Centre.

2) To produce articles for the Carers Centre newsletter and to distribute

to various establishments around Knowsley.

3) To attend and actively participate in regular supervision, team meetings and annual appraisal sessions.

4) To undertake relevant training and staff development activities as required.

5) To undertake occasional evening/weekend work where necessary.

6) To undertake any other duties as reasonably requested by the Centre Manager.

7) All employees are expected to read and abide by the organisations policies and procedures.

Benefits of working for Knowsley Carers Centre:

22 days annual leave plus bank holidays per year (pro rata)

Bonus 3 days of annual leave per year over the festive period (subject to Trustee approval)

6% Workplace Pension Scheme with The Pensions Trust

Are you looking for a new opportunity?

We are seeking to recruit a On The Water Project Assistant to join our team based in Birmingham, on a full time, 11 week fixed term contract, starting on 8 July 2024. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of £27,250 per annum, pro rata.

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is a vibrant and growing charity delivering life changing nautical adventure for young people through the Sea Cadets to give them the best possible head start in life. We also provide personal and professional development opportunities for seafarers with the Marine Society. Working with our staff, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a vision and five-year strategy to take us forward and further improve the astounding contribution already made through our work to the lives of thousands of young people and seafarers, while fully supporting our volunteers who are vital to our success.

The On The Water Project Assistant role:

The On The Water Project Assistant will support the delivery of the On The Water project at one of our boating stations in Birmingham. The project provides young people from outside Sea Cadets, age 9-14, the opportunity to get on the water, learn new skills and build confidence through boating activity. This is a very varied and rewarding role that requires someone who is self-motivated, inspiring, organized, creative, tenacious, positive, IT competent and with a real interest in people with a attention to detail and real enthusiasm for the project.

Responsibilities as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:.

• The welcoming and registration of participants for the On The Water project
• Collecting and uploading daily statistics and figures that show how the project is progressing
• Making new and repeat bookings
• Talking to participants and their parents/carers about the opportunities within Sea Cadets
• Managing a waiting list and reducing drop-outs
• Responsible for the safety and wellbeing of participants alongside the Boat Station staff
• Ensuring that participants complete surveys to share their experience of the project and encourage adults to feedback on their young people’s experience
• Attending any meetings as required by the project
• Assisting with the evaluation of the On The Water project

Requirements needed to become our On The Water Project Assistant:

• Previous experience of working with volunteers
• Experience in a customer facing role
• Experience working with young people
• Experience working with diverse community groups or working in outreach
• Experience of tracking targets and managing data
• Self-motivated and able to manage your time and workload effectively
• Flexible and enthusiastic
• Able to work as a team player with creative ideas and solutions who will empower our volunteers to make a difference to the lives of even more young people across the UK
• Satisfactory DBS

Benefits as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:

• Flexible Working hours and a hybrid culture
• Cycle to work scheme and Season Ticket Loan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Life assurance (4x salary) for those that join the pension
• Private medical insurance
• Pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
• Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
• Employee development: We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.
• National staff conference: All employees come together once a year to reflect on the past year and celebrate success at our offsite staff conference. This is a great opportunity to listen to employees' views, and for employees to network, share information and socialise.

Closing date: 3rd June 2024

Interview: Interviews to be held virtually 11 June 2024

If you are interested in this On The Water Project Assistant, please apply now!

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo a criminal record check.

Job Title: Programme Quality and Policy Manager

Function: Strategy & Impact Team

Reporting to: Head of Programme Quality

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary: £29,500 (plus £3,000 Inner London Weighting where applicable)

Location: Remote (with regular travel to London Office as required)

Closing Date: Monday 26th May

About The Access Project

We support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring. We work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university. Our volunteers are trained and supported to be effective tutors who work with our students for an hour a week to raise their grades. In addition, a dedicated school-based staff member mentors the students so they have the knowledge and support to make strong university applications. Our results show this approach works.

The Access Project Values

Empowerment: We support students and our people to develop the skills and knowledge to accomplish their goals.

Courage: We encourage our students and our people to be authentic, innovative, and ambitious in order to reach their full potential and deliver our mission.

Impact: We evolve our programmes through an evidence-led approach, supporting our students to achieve their best outcomes.

Inclusion: We respect and value individuality and engage diverse voices to achieve our mission.

Ownership: We hold ourselves accountable in all our actions and efforts. We ask, “What can I do to improve my results?”

About the role

This role is available at an important time for The Access Project as we expand our mission, seek to pilot a new programme model, and move into new school contexts. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with the skills for programme improvement, a strong interest in research, and a deep passion for our mission to support students to place and succeed at selective universities.

The ideal candidate will be a strong leader who is comfortable working across teams to make change. You’ll be the lead and expert on The Access Project’s in-school university readiness work with responsibility for designing and quality assuring the provision, supporting the learning and development for our school-based staff to effectively deliver the programme content. This position is integral to ensuring The Access Project is delivering a high-quality programme that supports the needs of our students and drives the outcomes of the programme across all regions and schools. The postholder will also be responsible for amplifying The Access Project’s voice in the sector and responding to policy updates; with a focus on bringing their knowledge of the Higher Education sector and the experiences of our students to decisions about the direction of our own programme. They will also support further development of our programme-level Diversity and Inclusion work, to ensure that the programme is tailored where feasible to the needs of all students.

Duties and responsibilities

1) Design & Development

• Act as a senior collaborator to the annual programme design process. Work with the Head of Process Improvement & Programme Quality to incorporate University Access Officer, Programme Leadership, school, and student feedback on how best to drive our short term and long-term outcomes across our programmes.
• Project manage the implementation of changes driven out of programme design. This includes the creation of or changes to delivery resources and training materials, as well as to our university readiness framework and the Salesforce system that supports delivery.
• Work with Programme Managers to understand their delivery challenges, develop solutions and answer questions around university admissions, widening access and The Access Project’s own University Readiness Programme.
• Act as a senior contributor to the development of The Access Project’s programmatic Diversity and Inclusion work, working closely with the University Access Officer D&I Lead. This includes strong engagement with the D&I working group and designing and implementing systems and support to better serve our students with inclusion needs.
   

2) Research and Policy

• remain critically engaged with the widening participation/social mobility sector, and able to synthesise key changes/challenges and ensure that they are applicable/actionable by the organisation.
• Ensure that any relevant widening participation sector developments and trends are fed into The Access Project’s way of working. For example, this might be changes to resources for the programme or working with colleagues to communicate with students (e.g. on plans for A Level Results Day).
• To be an ambassador of The Access Project’s work and impact externally in the widening participation sector, including speaking at conferences, writing articles on our work, and engaging in external relations.
• Holding responsibility for The Access Project’s policy and research workstream, including contributing to the strategic direction of this work and undertaking research to drive the delivery of this workstream to promote The Access Project’s voice in the widening participation sector.
• Liaising closely with the Communications team to ensure that The Access Project’s responses to sector information and updates are timely and relevant to our Mission.
• Provide nuanced insight about the widening participation/Higher Education sector, with a clear take / coherent view on the landscape and how it’s changing, which would then enable us to make informed choices about our programme.

3) Quality Assurance

• Take responsibility for the operational implementation of the university readiness strand of the quality assurance strategy, to drive the quality of the activities The Access Project delivers to young people in schools.
• Participate in The Access Project’s quality assurance processes, including performing drop-ins on University Access Officers’ programme delivery, and coordinating with other members of the team to perform drop-ins in an efficient and effective manner.
• Embed learning from The Access Project’s quality assurance process into our standard practice. This will include delivering training and development sessions for University Access Officers, updates to resources and guidance for what best practice looks like.
• Contribute research on wider pedagogical best practice into our quality assurance work to ensure the highest quality in our delivery of educational programmes.

4) Student Voice

• Maximising student voice within programme design through the organisation and facilitation of student Delivery Review Meetings.
• Lead the development and administration of The Access Project’s annual student survey, considering the needs of key stakeholders across the organisation.
• Hold and contribute to The Access Project’s overarching Student Voice strategy.
• Continue to drive improvements in The Access Project’s student voice work through research and engagement with sector leaders.

5) Any other duties as required

Person specification

Essential

• Confident leader and collaborator: ability to work positively and collaboratively across functions to drive continuous improvement.
• Strong communicator: demonstrable success at giving feedback and clearly communicating your perspective.
• Strong facilitation skills: an experienced and engaging meeting, training, and workshop facilitator.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills: and a proactive and creative approach to problem solving.
• Experience of programme design and development: committed to and confident in using data to make evidence-based decisions.
• Project management skills and experience, particularly in planning and monitoring.
• Deep knowledge of and passion for youth mentoring.
• Strong understanding of the UK education system and the challenges facing learners from widening participation backgrounds.
• Strong research skills in sector analysis and writing

Desirable

• Experience of using Salesforce (or another Client Relationship Management system) as a case/student management system.
• Knowledge of Diversity & Inclusion issues related to education and motivation to adapt The Access Project programme to make it more inclusive.
• Experience of project/programme evaluation.
• Line management experience.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata) plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure.

• PerkBox – offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more.

• Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff

• Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day.

• Interest-free travelcard loans

• Cyclescheme loans

• 3 paid Volunteering Days

• Employer’s pensions contributions (3%)

• CPD options

• The Access Project welcomes requests for flexible working arrangements

Safeguarding Statement

The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Equal Opportunities Statement

The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We are working towards improvements with equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Disclosure of a Criminal Record

The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 applies to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment that involves working with children and young people must disclose anything listed in their criminal record, with the exception of protected cautions and convictions. All Disclosures are carried out in the strictest confidence and are made only in connection with your application for employment and for no other purpose. The application for a DBS check at a level appropriate to the job role will be activated before your first day of work. Members of staff who are not eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check are required to undertake a basic DBS check only in line with legal requirements. If you are selected for appointment to the role, you will be subject to this procedure.

Present or most recent employment

It is important to give full information, including the organisation you work in, or most recent employment if not currently working, full dates, address and explanation of any gaps in employment.

References

All appointments are subject to verification of employment and suitability of the candidate for the post applied for. We reserve the right to approach any previous employer for a reference and to verify their identity but will request your permission before doing so. If you have experience of working with children, please include this as one of your references.

Education, Qualifications and Training:

● Ensure you give all the information requested, including dates, establishment where you studied and make clear the level of any examinations e.g., GCSE, GCE 'O' Level or 'A' Level or equivalents etc. and the grades you obtained. Also include any skills training you have had. You will be required to produce original documentary evidence of any qualifications relevant to the job, and these will be detailed on the person specification.

● Proof of qualification is required before the appointment is confirmed.

Are you looking for a new opportunity?

We are seeking to recruit a On The Water Project Assistant to join our team based in Liverpool, on a full time, 11 week fixed term contract, starting on 8 July 2024. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of £27,250 per annum, pro rata.

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is a vibrant and growing charity delivering life changing nautical adventure for young people through the Sea Cadets to give them the best possible head start in life. We also provide personal and professional development opportunities for seafarers with the Marine Society. Working with our staff, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a vision and five-year strategy to take us forward and further improve the astounding contribution already made through our work to the lives of thousands of young people and seafarers, while fully supporting our volunteers who are vital to our success.

The On The Water Project Assistant role:

The On The Water Project Assistant will support the delivery of the On The Water project at one of our boating stations in Birmingham. The project provides young people from outside Sea Cadets, age 9-14, the opportunity to get on the water, learn new skills and build confidence through boating activity. This is a very varied and rewarding role that requires someone who is self-motivated, inspiring, organized, creative, tenacious, positive, IT competent and with a real interest in people with a attention to detail and real enthusiasm for the project.

Responsibilities as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:.

• The welcoming and registration of participants for the On The Water project
• Collecting and uploading daily statistics and figures that show how the project is progressing
• Making new and repeat bookings
• Talking to participants and their parents/carers about the opportunities within Sea Cadets
• Managing a waiting list and reducing drop-outs
• Responsible for the safety and wellbeing of participants alongside the Boat Station staff
• Ensuring that participants complete surveys to share their experience of the project and encourage adults to feedback on their young people’s experience
• Attending any meetings as required by the project
• Assisting with the evaluation of the On The Water project

Requirements needed to become our On The Water Project Assistant:

• Previous experience of working with volunteers
• Experience in a customer facing role
• Experience working with young people
• Experience working with diverse community groups or working in outreach
• Experience of tracking targets and managing data
• Self-motivated and able to manage your time and workload effectively
• Flexible and enthusiastic
• Able to work as a team player with creative ideas and solutions who will empower our volunteers to make a difference to the lives of even more young people across the UK
• Satisfactory DBS

Benefits as our On The Water Project Assistant will include:

• Flexible Working hours and a hybrid culture
• Cycle to work scheme and Season Ticket Loan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Life assurance (4x salary) for those that join the pension
• Private medical insurance
• Pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
• Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
• Employee development: We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.
• National staff conference: All employees come together once a year to reflect on the past year and celebrate success at our offsite staff conference. This is a great opportunity to listen to employees' views, and for employees to network, share information and socialise.

Closing date: 3rd June 2024

Interview: Interviews to be held virtually 11 June 2024

If you are interested in this On The Water Project Assistant, please apply now!

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo a criminal record check.

GMHAN Lived Experience Coordinator 

Do you have a personal understanding of how lived experience of homelessness can impact individuals? And a passion to help people share their experiences of homelessness so that we can come together and improve the system?

Then join the Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network as our new Lived Experience Coordinator.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has personally experienced homelessness or housing problems.
• Is good at talking to people and knowing how to communicate in different situations.
• Is willing and able to listen and help others share their stories and opinions.
• Is committed to working together with others to change things for the better.
• Can build good relationships with different people and groups.
• Can work both on your own and as part of a team.

Interested? Visit our website to download the information pack and find out more.

To apply, you’ll need to send us a CV and cover letter (either in written or video form) by 12 noon on Thursday 6th June 2024.

If you have any questions or need any help with your application, we’re running two drop-in support sessions:

Thursday 23rd May 3.30pm – 5.30pm

Online: visit our website for Zoom details 

Wednesday 29th May, 2pm – 4pm

In Person at Methodist Central Hall (Oldham Street, Manchester M1 1JQ)

If you need any other support with your application, or have any questions about applying, then please get in touch. 

Deadline for applications: 12 noon on Thursday 6th June 2024

Interviews: Tuesday 11th June 2024

About Us

akt is the UK’s national LGBTQ Youth Homelessness charity. We provide safe homes, mentoring, and support to ensure that no young person needs to choose between a safe home and being who they are. 24% of young people facing homelessness in the UK identify as LGBT (National Scoping of LGBT Youth Homelessness, akt, 2015) and 78% of LGBTQ+ young people cited an absence of family support (The LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness Report, akt, 2021). The charity was founded in 1989 and operates service centres in London, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol and works online through a Digital Service to offer support to young people outside of our four office regions. akt works with over 800 vulnerable young people a year providing both face to face and online assistance.

Job Summary 

Please note this is a part time temporary role, working between 21-28 hours per week on a one year contract. The pro rata salary for hours worked is between £14,145 to £21,527 per year. 

The role will involve providing Youth Engagement activities to trans and non-binary 18–25-year-olds who are facing homelessness or living in a hostile environment. This is an important part of our work supporting trans and non-binary young people into safe accommodation and work or education, supporting them to formulate and achieve their own life plans and preventing future homelessness.

Our Youth Engagement programme provides opportunities for young people accessing our services to:

• build skills and confidence to reach their own goals and objectives;
• access an affirming community of LGBTQ+ peers; and
• shape the work of akt.

The successful candidate will be working with a diverse group of trans and non-binary young people, therefore this role will require someone who has in-depth knowledge of the lived experiences of trans and non-binary young people.

For more information and a full job description please see the job information attached to this advert. 

Optional Drop-In Session

We'll be hosting an optional drop-in session with our Trans Pathway Project team at 6pm on Tuesday 14th May. We'll tell you more about the role and working at akt as well as answering any questions.

Please email to sign up and for more details.

You do not need to attend this session to apply for the role and we will not be using this session to inform any recruitment decisions.

Application deadline: midnight (12am) on Sunday 19th May 2024

First interviews: Thursday 30th May 2024

Second interviews (youth panel): Wednesday 5th June 2024