Action For Refugees Jobs

About The Connection at St Martin’s

We believe that no one should have to sleep rough on London’s streets, and that everyone should get the support they need to find a place to call home. We get to know every person we work with, understanding what they need to recover, helping them build on their strengths, and supporting them to find their own way home. Help us make London a city where no one sleeps rough on our streets.

London’s diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London’s diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience of homelessness who we believe are an essential asset in our sector.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome the opportunity to consider flexible working arrangements.

About the Role

• You will have substantive experience in providing immigration advice and casework, with the relevant Level 2 OISC qualification (or OISC level 1 working towards Level 2). Please note only candidates with the relevant OISC qualification and legal experience will be considered.
• You will be part of a specialist team that provides a migration service within a centre for people experiencing homelessness and interconnecting needs.
• You will have experience of working jointly with other agencies and building strong, effective partnerships internally and externally.

Full job description can be found on our website.
 

Salary: £36,159
Closing Date: Sunday 19th May
Interview Date: Friday 24th May

Our Benefits

· 30 days holiday plus bank holidays

· Generous training budget, plus an annual personal training budget

· Enhanced Sick Pay Policy

· Enhanced family friendly policies

· Day off for moving house

· Hybrid working (depending on role requirements)

· Pension – 5% Employer, 3% Employee

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Season Ticket Loan

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Reward Gateway (access to discount vouchers and cashback at the UK’s favourite retailers)

We are a London Living Wage employer

Ashden boosts climate innovation in the UK and the Global South. Our support brings clean energy to villages and refugee camps and fixes up cold and draughty homes. It makes schools more sustainable, helps communities protect and restore the nature around them.

Let’s Go Zero is a national campaign uniting teachers, pupils, parents and their schools as they all work together to be zero carbon by 2030. We’re also working with national government to ensure the right support is in place to help all schools reach this goal through seven policy actions. This initiative will link thousands of schools across the whole of England with advice and support from a network of 31 local climate experts.

We are looking for advisors based in Yorkshire and The Humber, North West and North East to support school leaders, local authorities and others to carry out projects that reduce emissions and inspire students and the wider community. We know schools are eager to take climate action, but often lack the information to do so.     

Do you have a passion for climate action? Are you confident engaging with external stakeholders? You will play an important role helping them develop their plans, secure funding, and work in partnership to achieve their goals. You will support future new initiatives announced by our coalition members, the Department for Education, or other organisations working in schools, to ensure a smooth flow of information, enabling schools to transition to zero carbon. 

This is an exciting and varied role, with the potential to support thousands of schools on their journey to zero carbon.

Kent Refugee Action Network are looking for an exceptional individual to join KRAN’s senior management and be the full-time lead on advocacy and support, managing a team to deliver effectively for our service users.

Role Summary

You will lead KRAN’s strategic direction and delivery of a variety of advocacy and support services, ensuring safe and effective operation through your Advocacy and Support Team.

The team offers a range of services and interventions to support and empower young refugees and asylum seekers. Services include casework, mentoring partnerships, volunteer support, wellbeing activities, Youth Ambassadors and engagement. A central goal is to amplify the voice of young people with lived experiences.

As a member of KRAN’s senior management team, you will work with service users and the wider team to help shape the overall direction of KRAN, attuned to the evolving needs of young people and sector developments, while deputising for the CEO as necessary.

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Monday 27 May 2024.

Salary: £32,076 starting salary (salary range will increase due to max £34,834 via the length of service) per annum (pro rata where applicable). 

Contract: Full-time, fixed-term basis until 30 April 2025, with the possibility of further funding.  

Hours: Full-Time 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks), although there may be some flexibility around this for the ideal candidate.

Location: The post holder will be based in the Refugee Action Manchester office with regular travel across Greater Manchester. Flexible home working will be considered on non-client facing days.

About Refugee Action

Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them.

 To succeed in the role you will need to demonstrate:

• Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices.
• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it. 
• Experience and understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with people from a range of different cultures.
• Understanding and experience of working with and supervising volunteers.
• Experience and understanding of how to provide high quality face-to-face group information sessions with the ability to collate information and present in different ways in order to reach different target groups.
• Excellent liaison and networking skills and the ability to work in partnership with external agencies.
• Knowledge of the asylum process and the barriers faced by people going through this process.
• Understanding of and commitment to key advice principles such as confidentiality, impartiality and non-directive approaches and a commitment to equality of opportunity.
• Excellent written communication skills and experience in presenting clear and accurate written documents to present evidence and advocate.
• Understanding of the impact of working with people in a situation of transition and uncertainty, and of appropriate ways of handling that impact at work.
• Ability to plan and manage workload within tight timeframes including the ability to record the data for monitoring purpose.
• Understanding of Safeguarding policy and good practice and experience of working with clients with complex needs according to these policies.
• Ability and commitment to reflect on your practice and a commitment to continual professional development and learning.
• Ability to plan and carry out monitoring and evaluation processes on an ongoing basis and to present the findings in a clear way.
• OISC accreditation is desirable but the post-holder will be supported to qualify at OISC 2 if not already accredited.

Those with lived experience as a refugee are particularly encouraged to apply

Closing date: 23:59 on 28 April 2024

Interviews: 8 May 2024 (on Zoom)

Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.

This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List.  If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.

You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations 
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education

We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.

Salary: £32,076 starting salary (salary range will increase to a max £34,834 via the length of service) Plus £4,087.65 Inner London Weighting if based in London per annum pro rata.

Contract: part-time fixed term basis until 31st December 2024.

Part-Time: 21 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks)

Location: Any Refugee Action office – London, Manchester, Bradford, or Birmingham. We will consider UK-based hybrid working options.

About Refugee Action

Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them.

Our vision is that refugees and asylum seekers will be welcome in the UK. They will get justice, live free of poverty and be able to successfully rebuild their lives.

To succeed in the role you will need to demonstrate:

• Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices.
• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it. 
• Experience of development work that is empowering, preventative and / or asset-based; enabling communities of people or organisations to gain confidence, skills and resilience.
• Excellent networking, facilitation and partnership-building skills, with the ability to initiate and maintain effective networks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, develop positive relationships and maintain flexibility and open-mindedness.
• Excellent team working skills, with the ability to collaborate and enable others to thrive.
• Ability to use your own initiative to work through challenges or problems or to see an opportunity and take steps to improve something.
• Ability to reflect on your own work and role, ask for help, identify strengths and challenges, be open to giving and receiving feedback and work towards professional development.
• Insight and experience or interest in developing skills in: research, Human Centred Design / service design, coproduction, programme management, monitoring evaluation and learning
• Excellent project management skills and ability to plan and manage your own workload.
• Experience or ability to issue and monitor expenses and project agreements ensuring that they comply with the terms and conditions of grant funding.

 We want to make sure that we reach to as many potential candidates as possible and that we make the process accessible so we will be running an information session where interested people can come and find out more about the role, the work of the GPP team and the application process.

For the online Information Session via Zoom, please register via the link below:

Monday 22nd April – 3:00 – 4:00 pm

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-mhrz0uG9Hd5dCbFCjI_aV9Mf2UbcbC

For further details, and to apply, please visit our website.

Those with lived experience as a refugee are particularly encouraged to apply.

Closing date: 23:59 Sunday 5th May 2024

Interviews: Thursday 23rd May 2024 – online via Zoom

Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.

This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List.  If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.

You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations 
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education

We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.

Salary: £34,834 starting salary (salary range will increase to a max £37,336 via the length of service) per annum pro rata plus £4,087.65 Inner London Weighting if based in London per annum pro rata. 

Contract: Permanent basis

Hours: Full-time. 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks). Some evening and weekend work may be required for which time off in lieu should be claimed.

Location: Any Refugee Action Office: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford.  We will consider UK-based hybrid working option. (Some travel in the UK with occasional overnight stays away from home may be required).

Our vision is that refugees and asylum seekers will be welcome in the UK. They will get justice, live free of poverty, and be able to successfully rebuild their lives. 

Applying for this role – please read:

Applications for this role are only* open to people who identify as having lived experience of forced displacement due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses

(This also includes British nationals living/working overseas who have been forced to leave due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses)

*Current Refugee Action employees with and without lived experience, are eligible to apply.

About Refugee Action

Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them.

About the post 

This exciting role would mean joining Refugee Action at a crucial point in the charity’s 40-year history, full of opportunity and potential. You will use your creative skills to support the creation of innovative digital content to engage and mobilise existing supporters and add to Refugee Action’s rapidly growing audience. Working between the fundraising and campaigns team, this role will support the Digital Communications Manager to deliver our ambitious digital strategy, focusing on the development of engaging digital content, the management of one of our key supporter databases, and will lead on the engagement and retention work which supports Refugee Action’s fundraising and campaigning.

We are looking for candidates that can demonstrate:

• Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices.
• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it.
• Passion and motivation to raise vital funds to support refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
• Strong understanding of how campaigning can achieve change and shift power.
• Strong understanding of the role of digital tactics in the development and execution of campaign strategies.
• Strong writing, editing and proof-reading skills, with experience of using these within a fast-paced environment and adapting content for difference audiences.
• Experience of maintaining and nurturing social media communities and creating impactful digital content.
• Desirable: knowledge of Facebook advertising, including the set-up, management and analysis of ad performance.
• Experience using Adobe creative software – particularly InDesign and Premiere.
• Experience of using Engaging Networks or similar system or proven ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Experience working with website content management systems.
• Experience of using Google AdWords, and of using reporting and analytics tools, such as Google Analytics.
• Understanding of the digital landscape, and emerging trends in web and social technology and digital fundraising.

Closing date: 23:59 on Sunday 28 April 2024

Interviews: Monday 6 May 2024 (on Zoom)

 Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.

This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List.  If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.

You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations 
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education

We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.

We are looking for an experienced leader with a strong track record in contract performance and people management to oversee our project activity at Action Foundation and join our Senior Management Team. We need an individual who is analytical, innovative, and able to undertake a collaborative and strategic approach to developing the charity’s services.

The successful candidate will demonstrate their experience in project management and leadership, developing networks and partnerships and have a strong awareness of the issues facing asylum seekers and refugees.

Action Foundation is an award-winning charity that supports and empowers asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the North East to overcome immediate barriers, integrate with the community, and build skills for the future. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community.

We operate hybrid working and flexible hours to accommodate a healthy work-life balance. Our offices at the CastleGate are situated close to Newcastle’s vibrant Quayside.

Essential information

Hours: 35 hours per week (full time)

Salary: £42,478 – £47,903 per annum plus 6% pension contribution

Annual leave: 28 days + English Bank Holidays

Contract: Permanent, subject to passing a 3-month probation

Application deadline: Midnight Monday 6th May 2024

Interview dates: Week commencing Monday 13th May 2024 at Action Foundation, Newcastle, NE1 2JQ

Pleaes refer to the attachment for the job description

To apply please submit:

• An up-to-date CV
• A supporting statement of no more than 400 words detailing your suitability for the role in reference to the Key Competencies in the Job Description

Details of email address to send completed CV and supporting statement is available on the Action Foundation website.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Duncan McAuley and provide contact details. Details available on Action Foundation website.

Joint Public Issues Team Internships 2024-2025

X2 Internships: 12 month fixed-term contracts beginning September 2023, for Christians aged 21-30.

-  Joint Public Issues Team Intern (Communications Support)

- Joint Public Issues Team Intern (Constituency Action Network Support)

Exciting Internship Opportunities with the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT)

Are you passionate about driving meaningful change in the world? Do you want to explore the intersection of faith, policy, and politics? The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) is recruiting to two internship positions: one focused on Communications and the other on supporting local churches to build relationships with their MPs.

You would be working as part of a small ecumenical team on a diverse range of tasks and initiatives including communications, policy, campaigning and supporter engagement, contributing to the public advocacy and political engagement work of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.

About JPIT

JPIT is a partnership between the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, and the Church of Scotland is an associate partner. Its purpose is to help the Churches to work together for peace and justice through listening, learning, praying, speaking and acting on public policy issues. It is a team which brings together around ten staff from across the denominations. In recent years it has focused on issues around poverty, the economy, refugees and migration, the environment, peace and conflict, and politics.

The Internships

These internships provide opportunities to develop skills in campaigning, communications, research, and policy within a dynamic team environment. There will be opportunities for professional and personal learning and development to equip the intern for employment after their time on the internship. Whilst we are looking for some evidence of certain skills and experience, candidates will have the opportunity to develop the relevant skills during their time in the role.

The roles are based in the Methodist Connexional Team.

These are full-time, paid posts for 12 months. They are aimed at young Christians who may have recently graduated, and are starting their career in an area such as politics, campaigning, policy or church engagement.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), TOIL, flexi-leave and an on-site Wellbeing Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. We also welcome applications from people living with disabilities.

If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us. Contact details are on our website. 

For more information about JPIT, visit www. jpit. uk. Join us in our mission to create a more just and peaceful world.

Are you passionate about welcoming refugees to the UK? Would you like to support refugees to get out of the city to enjoy the Cotswolds and meet local people?

Sanctuary Breaks is a new charity based in Stroud District, Gloucestershire, set up to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum to rural areas in the county, and enable social and cultural exchange between refugees and the resident population, especially with a view to supporting mental health. Your job would be to develop this charity, and increase refugee and asylum seeker opportunities for leisure, engagement and inclusion in the life of the area.

Sanctuary Breaks promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and requires employees to carry out their work in accordance with its policies on equality of opportunity in relation to staff, volunteers, promotion of the charity's policies and access to the charity's services. We particularly welcome applications from those with lived refugee experience and those with protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010.

Job:  £25k pro rata,  18 hours per week (initially fixed-term 12 month contract)

Hours: 18 per week, including occasional evening or weekend work

Location: flexible, at least one day per week in Amberley, Glos

Closing date:   9am Monday 13th May

Interview date:  Friday 17th May or Monday 20th May

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is a people power alliance of diverse local communities working together for the common good. Our mission is to develop leaders, strengthen civic organisations and make change. Our 550 member communities are deeply rooted in their local areas and connect every day to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Through the method of community organising we enable people experiencing powerlessness to develop their leadership and come together with the power and strategy to make change.  

This leads to hundreds of neighbourhood improvements - from zebra crossings outside primary schools to renovated public toilets in cemeteries. And it leads to some of the biggest campaign impacts in the UK, such as winning over £2 billion of wages through the UK Living Wage campaign, securing a legal cap on the cost of credit to control exploitative lending, and ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. We enable local campaigns to grow into large-scale social change projects such as the Living Wage Foundation, Parents and Communities Together (PACT), Sponsor Refugees, and Refugees for Justice, that form an integral part of our theory of change. The most prominent of these is the rapidly growing Living Wage Foundation with a network of over 14,000 accredited Living Wage Employers across the UK. 

South London Citizens 

South London Citizens is a thriving chapter with a growing team of ~18 organisers and project staff. We are building the power of communities in South London through borough alliances (in Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Merton, Croydon) and the wider region by developing community leadership and supporting people to take action on what matters most to them. Over the past three years, we have worked in partnership with mental health trusts to deliver a pioneering organising project, South London Listens (SLL), to prevent mental ill-health, and more recently with wider South London NHS leaders to take action on a range of issues (from low wages to housing conditions) that impact our communities’ health.

Purpose 

We are looking for two Associate Organisers to join our thriving and dynamic team in South London building the power of local communities. These roles will support local organising, and have a specific focus on health and living wage organising.

In this exciting and innovative role, you will work with community organisations, including faith institutions, schools, universities, and community groups. Your primary responsibility will be to

1. build ‘Be Well’ teams to support the wellbeing of their communities, as part of the South London Listens partnership; 

2. find and develop new community leaders within their organisations; and 

3. take action to tackle the social determinants of health inequality (e.g. lack of migration status, racism, housing conditions, low wages and precarious work).

One or both of the roles will also include specific organising with low paid workers to lead the fight for a real living wage and living hours. 

With your passion, energy, and commitment to democracy, you will support communities to build the power they need to win justice and make a real and lasting impact. Join us in the fight for a healthier and more equitable future for South London.

A central focus of an Associate Organiser is their own development: learning the craft of Community Organising under the guidance of an experienced Community Organiser. An Associate Organiser is working towards becoming a competent practitioner of the craft of broad-based community organising methodology, and focuses on the building of relational power, the recruitment and retention of dues-paying institutions, the development of leaders, the strengthening of member institutions, leader-led public actions, and the winning of systemic change. Your learning and development will be paramount in the first few months as the responsibilities given to your experience and skills develop.

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel like you fit all the criteria. We are particularly interested in people who are angry at issues of injustice, who have demonstrated taking action on that in some way, who can communicate effectively, who can build relationships of trust with a diverse range of people, and who believe in the capacity of ordinary people to make extraordinary change! We are less interested in whether you understand every word in the responsibility list below or whether you have worked as a professional organiser before. You are also encouraged to reach out if you have any questions about whether you might be suitable for the role. 

Main Responsibilities 

Working as an Associate Organiser in South London for Citizens UK your main responsibilities will be to:

Grow and deliver on the priorities of South London Listens and our broader Health organising 

• Build and support new Be Well Hubs in a range of institutions in your allocated boroughs. Including identifying new institutions, delivering training, and supporting them once they are established.

• Work with other organisers to deliver on the priorities identified by communities that are part of the South London Listens project

• Ensure reporting and capturing of stories of the South London Listens project are captured and shared to celebrate and grow the project.

At least one of the roles includes supporting our organising efforts for more just work and wages 

• Identify and develop worker leaders

• Take action with South London Citizens leaders to increase the number of living wage and living hours employers in London 

• Develop and deliver community organising training for worker leaders 

Build relational power to further the goals of CUK 

• Actively participate in the development of a comprehensive power analysis appropriate to the desired sphere of influence for each project/assignment

• Establish working relationships with identified leaders and demonstrate ability to move them into action, including as part of the wider alliance; taking the initiative to establish new relationships as required

• Conduct one-to-ones to develop relationships with leaders and understand their concerns.

• Tell a wide range of Community Organising stories effectively to influence others and achieve CUK’s goals

Identify and develop relational leaders prepared to act with others for the common good 

• Identify and discern actual and potential leaders with the passion and ability to drive change in their borough alliance and through South London Listens.

• Proactively create opportunities for leaders to develop, in particular tertiary or new leaders; nominate for training on the core taster curriculum and Be Well Hubs training.

• Successfully deliver workshops in local institutions, South London Citizens community organising introductions and Be Well training.

Strengthen institutions and develop Broad Based Organisations 

• Ensure good understanding of the basic interests and traditions of typical member institutions

• Organise a small cluster of up to 5 standard member institutions or 1 strategic partner to work together for the achievement of common goals

• Support pre-existing core teams and create/develop new core teams to provide leadership at local level and in South London Listens

Support leaders through the Cycle of Action in order to create change  

• Support member institutions and Be Well Hubs in running listening campaigns

• Organise neighbourhood actions; demonstrating increasing independence in working without the need for close supervision

• Take the lead in supporting groups of leaders through the cycle of action on neighbourhood issues; aiming to achieve neighbourhood and health wins

• Evaluate the effectiveness of actions; demonstrating ability to incorporate lessons learned into future actions

Contribute to CUK’s financial viability through effective fundraising & financial management  

• Contribute to fundraising to the value of at least £20,000 per annum through one or some of the following: 

• WWritinge regular updates on the work to be shared with the funders and maintain a healthy relationship with them

• Recruit new dues paying institutions; work together with a more senior Organiser to negotiate annual membership fees and letters of understanding

• Liaise with the Finance & Operations team to update the membership database and ensure timely invoicing and fee collection

Contribute to effective teamwork and live out our ‘Inclusion’ value 

• Be proactive concerning personal professional development and wellbeing: i.e. by reading widely, developing a healthy work-life balance and demonstrating ability to reflect on own organising craft & improve on self-identified weaknesses

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively with colleagues and participate in a team

• Produce all required reports and follow CUK’s procedures on time and to the required standards

• Contribute towards an inclusive environment for all colleagues and community leaders, so that our spaces are a place where all are able to participate 

Participate in the development of the craft of Community Organising and play a role in the Guild of COs  

• Schedule an average of at least three 1-2-1 relational meetings into your daily schedule as a core part of your professional practice

• Commit 10 working days per annum (pro rata) to the preparation, delivery, and evaluation of Citizens UK National Community Leadership Training or other local or regional trainings or other activities organised by the Learning and Innovation team.

• Participate in a Guild Team and help it develop as a Community of Practice that enables Organisers across the UK to develop their skills and experience.

Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

EXPERIENCE 

• Previous campaign experience (D) 

• Evidence of having acted in a leadership role with peers or in local community activities (e.g. within a faith institution or clubs/societies) (E) 

• Experience of project management; evidence of having delivered work on time and to standard (E) 

• Able to demonstrate previous experience of ‘learning by doing’ in a work or project environment; evidence of being open to feedback and comfortably coachable (E) 

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

• Ability to speak additional languages, especially Spanish for one of the roles (D) 

• Excellent interpersonal awareness – ability to listen well and appreciate a viewpoint or opinion that is different from one’s own (E) 

• Excellent concern for impact – ability to adapt own behaviour to address the needs or concerns of someone else (E)

• Good communication skills – able to speak with conviction and passion; and to make a logical argument (E)

• PERSONAL QUALITIES & VALUES 

• A self-starter with ability to take initiative and work independently (E) 

• A passion for justice (E) 

• A positive enthusiasm for working with faith congregations, trade unions, schools, and other community organisations (E) 

• An interest in and experience of politics and public life (E) 

• Able to work in a team (E) 

• Willingness to work within accountable relationships (E) 

• Self-motivated and adaptable (E 

The successful applicant will be required to undertake a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check. DBS checks are renewed on a 3-year cycle. 

Interviews are planned to take place on Wednesday, 12th June (subject to change).

Please note this is a 12-month fix term contract with a possibility to extend, funding permitting.

To be an effective lead on HR related matters, supporting the CEO and Management team, ensuring it is well-positioned to achieve its vision, current and future business operational plans and performance targets.

This is a key role instrumental in bringing the HR and Business administration functions together at an operational level.  The core purpose of the role will be to support and manage all People and Management related administration matters across the organisation.

To take the lead for data protection and champion compliance across the organisation.

New Routes Integration

Since 2003 New Routes has been working with, and supporting, refugees, asylum seekers and isolated migrants in Norwich to support their wellbeing and ambitions by providing skill-building and social programmes in a safe and welcoming environment. We promote cross-cultural integration and community awareness, working with individuals and families from over 60 countries of origin. We work closely with an extensive network of partner organisations, both third-sector and statutory. New Routes is one-third of the Norwich Integration Partnership (NIP), alongside English+ and the Bridge Plus+.

 Principle purpose of the post:

The Operations Manager will work closely with the Chief Executive supporting on contractual service delivery (including the management of risk), quality and improvement across the organisation and ensure quality services are provided. This will be informed and implemented by ensuring that our participants have appropriate methods to inform programme delivery routinely. 

The Operations Manager will support the Chief Executive in leading and monitoromg service and organisational quality, financial/income activity and expenditure, adherence to policies and procedures, and overall compliance with health and safety activity through a range of measures, including the use of reports and data to make critical and informed assessments.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing the Fundraising Strategy in order to diversify our funding streams enabling New Routes to develop exceptional services that meet our participants existing and emerging needs.

In conjunction with the Chief Executive, the Operations Manager will hold responsibility for ensuring all staff are effectively supported to undertake their roles, and will administer formal HR policies and procedures when standards fall below expectations.

The Operations Manager will provide support and deputise for the Chief Executive when required.  The postholder will be expected to demonstrate a high ability to be pro-active in anticipating and managing their workload, and work without high levels of direction.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.  If you are committed to improving the lives of marginalised communities, we would love to hear from you.  If you would like further details prior to submitting your application, please call our Chief Executive, Gee Cook, for an informal discussion.

RCLC is a passionate charity which provides education and support for migrant, refugee and asylum- seeking women from minority ethnic communities who may be unable to access more mainstream services because of the educational, social or cultural barriers they face.

We are currently looking for an experienced, empathetic, and motivated woman with an understanding of minority ethnic community issues to work in Reading. We are looking for applicants to work on a 1-year contract (14 hrs per week) who can fluently speak in a second language preferably in one of the following the following: Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Nepali, Hindi/ Urdu or Pashto or Tigrinya

The Outreach/Development Worker is accountable to the Centre Manager for:

1.  Outreach to identify service users/ learners and their needs.

2.  Working alongside service users/learners to motivate them to take action to improve their mental/physical health and access appropriate resources and services to meet their needs to improve their quality of life.

3.  Liaising and developing appropriate partnerships with community groups and other relevant organisations for referrals and signposting.

This role will require excellent communication skills, experience of giving advice and guidance, signposting vulnerable adults to access services and experience of working with diverse communities

Please note you may be able to work from home on occasion but outside of term times .

The Margins Project, Union Chapel’s Frontline charity, work with people who are homeless or who are at risk of homelessness and helps address pertinent social justice issues these communities face.

The charity runs three integrated programmes:

• a community drop-in programme providing access to nutritious hot meals, and limited access to showers & laundry services.

• advice and engagement programme providing one-to-one as well as group advice service on benefits and housing, and onward referrals to pertinent services.

• support employment programme offers a paid catering training to 10 people who have had experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill-health, and or imprisonment.

Our range of services are designed to help guests (service users) at varying stages, from having no roof over their head to getting back into employment.

This role offers an opportunity for an experienced adviser to help shape and evolve Margins services. Experiences on the ground at the drop-in programme inform the charity’s strategic direction. The role will involve expanding our partner network to link into pertinent statutory and other charitable organisations that provide services that will help our guests with their housing, substance misuse, recidivism, and mental health challenges.

We work closely with people on an individual case work basis to get guests off the streets, into hostels or temporary accommodation where possible, and work with private and social landlords on a range of issues. We support and represent the people we work with on the phone and in person, including at the council, the doctors, the job centre, and benefits tribunals.

Our drop-ins run on Mondays and Wednesdays 11:00am to 1:00pm where attendance is currently from 65 to 75 guests. The advice and engagement worker works more intensively with smaller numbers of up to 20. The demand for more follow up work and advocacy support has been increasing over the last two years and this in-house advice worker is critical for this demand.

Working collaboratively with the Drop-in Community worker (currently vacant), the head chef, and a small group of dedicated volunteers, you will be responsible for the support of a caseload of guests, some with complex needs, and will undertake key work responsibilities including registering the guests, identifying their housing, benefit and personal needs and conducting all necessary follow ups including occasional advocacy support, where deemed necessary.

Job Title: ADVICE AND ENGAGEMENT WORKER

Responsible to: Head of Margins

Location: Margins Offices at Union Chapel, Islington, London

Salary: £32,500 - £35,000

Terms: Full time 37.5 hours per week with 1 hour unpaid for lunch.

Three-month probation, two months’ notice.

23 days annual leave + bank holidays. Workplace pension scheme (NEST)

Start date: May 2024

Purpose of Job:

• To advise and assist guests (service users) with benefit claims and related issues, e.g., Housing Benefit, DLA, PIP, Income Support, ESA, Universal Credit, and other benefits. In particular, assisting them to claim Housing Benefit and UC to reduce risk of rent arrears.

• To develop significant contact and liaison with comparable housing and benefits advice organisations.

• To encourage guests engage with Margins activities, and where practicable, with the wider Union Chapel activities.

• To develop, facilitate and deliver group advice workshops/training programmes and open discussions forums to engage guests who historically do not engage with Union Chapel.

• To Refer Margins guests to relevant internal and external services.

• In liaison with the head of Margins and the chef to refer potential candidates to Margins’ Supported Employment Programme.

The Advice and Engagement Worker will have an active role in identifying and engaging guests as well as referring potential candidates to the Supported Employment Programme, a programme anticipated to expand beyond its current services in Margins catering.

Responsible For:

• Working with caseload of guests

• With the support of drop-in services community worker (currently vacant) to ensure the smooth running of the drop-in services

• Identifying opportunities to improve services both at a project and organisational level.

• Assist the Head of Margins in ensuring that the Margins Project remains GDPR compliant.

• Represent the organisation effectively internally and externally.

• Working in partnership with statutory and other charities to deliver co-ordinated support to guests.

• Identify relevant training opportunities in capacity building.

• Initial liaison with and acting as the first referral contact for the Supported Employment Programme

Key Duties:

• To encourage and assist guests achieve the maximum income from benefits to which they are entitled to, and to refer to relevant support services such as mental health, social services, community support.

• To advise guests on basic budgeting and where applicable to refer to Tenancy Support Officers or outside agencies for more complex help.

• To liaise closely with local authorities, social, and private landlords to try to achieve the best outcome for our guests.

• To identify if the guest is accessioning the right benefit that will support their long-term wellbeing.

• To support newly arrived refugees with their housing and benefit advice needs.

• To actively assist guests with formal appeals against Local Authority, DWP and HMRC decisions regarding benefit entitlement. Representing at Appeal Tribunals.

• To signpost guests to resources that can assist them in finding work.

• When needed, signposting guests to specialist providers in mental health or drug and alcohol support services.

• To Support guests on paying their rent, including providing advice on benefits and debt management.

• To Address breaches of occupancy agreements and develop strategies that would prevent and avoid eviction.

• To assist guests with backdated claims for Benefit by supporting their applications through to completion.

• To ensure all guests’ files are up-to-date and that data is captured on our management system.

• To provide written reports and statistics as and when requested.

• To attend supervision, training, and meetings as and when required.

• To provide advocacy support to guests as and when required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• Good knowledge of the benefits system, including Universal Credit.

• Experience of working with homeless and marginalised people and understanding of the issues that face them.

• Experience of working or collaborating with people with mental health issues.

• Experience of working with refugees and their needs.

• Ability to manage challenging behaviours.

• Embrace a strength-based approach.

• A clear understanding of professional boundaries.

• A knowledge of the best practice in Safeguarding Adult procedures.

• Excellent written and oral communication skill.

• Ability to work proactively as part of a team.

• Ability to plan, manage and action follow-ups on time and manage and contain workload.

• Proficient in IT skills and competence in Microsoft Office applications.

• Committed to personal and professional development through ongoing training.

Desirable:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of providing advice to vulnerable groups

• Experience of delivering provision for the benefit of vulnerable backgrounds

Equal Opportunities:

• Ensure consistent and effective implementation of Union Chapel Equal Opportunities & Diversity policy and procedures.

• Positively promote an environment which respects and values the diversity of staff, volunteers, and Guests.

This is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Advice and Engagement Worker. It is therefore not comprehensive or restrictive and may be reviewed with the postholder and the line manager from time to time. The post holder may undertake any other reasonable duties within the capabilities and scope of the post as specified by their line manager. In such circumstances appropriate training will be provided.

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and a support statement, both no more than two pages, outlining your skills and experiences to meet the criteria of the role, why you want to work for Union Chapel Project and your availability to start with “Advice and Engagement Worker” in the subject line. Please also complete our Equal Opportunities Form.

Closing date: Tuesday 30 April 2024, 8am

Interviews will take place w/c 13 May 2024

Citizens UK and the NRPF Partnership

Citizens UK

We are Citizens UK. We’re working together to make change on the issues that matter, from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign.

We bring together everyday people and local organisations to build a better, fairer society. Too often communities are left out of decisions that affect their lives, but we know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We develop local leaders who find solutions to problems big and small and hold power-holders to account. 

We work with hundreds of civil society organisations, who we call our members - schools, universities, faith groups, charities, unions and more - to help them win change. Over the last 30 years, we’ve worked in alliance with 500+ members, trained 4,000+ community leaders, accredited 13,000 Living Wage employers, and won hundreds of campaigns. 

NRPF Partnership

The NRPF partnership was set up in 2023 and is being developed by Citizens UK, Migration Exchange, and Praxis. We are working to build the necessary infrastructure for collaboration across a range of organisations, amplify their work, and build power to win change against the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition. You can learn more about the overall initiative via our FAQs page. 

Each partner contributes staff capacity and will work closely with the appointed person to ensure a positive, professional and supportive culture. The Partnership centres around: 

1)  Placing decision-making power and strategic vision in the hands of people doing the work 

(frontline staff and people with lived experience), via a steering group and working groups.

2) Establishing a strategic pooled fund so that the steering group has sufficient budget to guide the collaboration, act, identify and seize political opportunities, and facilitate active participation of everyone involved.

3) Expanding the movement and building power, using incremental wins to build towards broader change towards the goal of ending NRPF.

The Person and the Role

100,000s people in our communities have put down roots in the UK but are denied access to the welfare safety net (No Recourse to Public Funds).

Citizens UK has worked with Migration Exchange and Praxis to raise over £2m to develop a 5 year partnership to enable the movement to end NRPF.

This Senior Project role will be a core part of the support to the steering group of the partnership to make sure it runs effectively and achieves its potential.

If you're angry about injustice in the immigration system, have good communication and relationship building skills and self organised - apply below. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who have been through the immigration system themselves.

We are looking for a values-driven and experienced person with exceptional skills and knowledge in project management, relationship-building, and community organising. This role will lead and coordinate all project management and tactical activities necessary to support the day-to-day functioning of the NRPF Partnership. The right person will be highly motivated by joining the distinctive ethos of Citizens UK and the shared values of the NRPF Partnership, where local leaders and people experiencing injustice are in the lead, and where grassroots community organising is combined with strategies for social change. 

This role is a really exciting opportunity to forge real change and to shift the power dynamics in social change work. The successful candidate will be at the heart of making change happen on one of the most important social justice issues of our time. Top Priorities

• Building and maintaining relationships and communication – maintaining excellent working relationships and effective communications with the Coordination Backbone Group (CBG), Steering Group, working groups, wider community partners involved in the NRPF partnership, and the Citizens UK Migration Team 

• Managing and coordinating capacity-building and leadership development in support of the shared strategy set by the steering group– developing and maintaining the effectiveness of a capacity-building and leadership development inputs that enables everyone in the Partnership, especially those with expertise by lived experience, to fully participate across all levels of the Partnership

• Project managing all partnership implementation logistics and follow-up – managing meeting logistics from planning to scheduling to outreach to follow-up to ensure seamless participation of Steering Group and Working Group members and ensure that planned activities take place effectively in support of the goals and values of the Partnership

  The role will be reporting to Assistant Director, Migrant and Refugee Organising.

Main Responsibilities

Reporting directly to X with  oversight from the NRPF Partnership CBG, the post holder will be expected to manage their own independent workload, as well as support the broader CBG. The main responsibilities are outlined below:

Working with the NRPF Partnership’s key stakeholders

• Developing and maintaining relationships with Partnership stakeholders 

• Working with the CBG to update outreach strategy as new needs emerge

• Building and maintaining trust and relationships across the whole Partnership and more widely (within and across sectors from migration to anti-poverty to children’s rights, etc.)

• Supporting with the facilitation of Working Group meetings

• Develop and implement ideas for action that are consistent with the goals of the project

Strategic coherence

• Supporting the coordination of activities with partners to align strategies and actions and minimise duplication

• Working with the CBG to coordinate with other related projects and coalitions to maintain a full understanding of the current landscape of local and regional activities

• Maintaining understanding of current implementation challenges and developing comprehensive solutions to address them in dialogue with partners

• Developing, maintaining, and monitoring political opportunities to support Working Groups to develop and execute on their action plans

• In partnership with the CBG and steering group, providing support to partner organisations to coordinate and collaborate on joint initiatives

• Coordinating advocacy activities across stakeholders that support the wider aims of the Partnership

• Supporting the independent learning partner to deliver evaluation and learning activities

Communications

• Organising appropriate outreach and communications efforts across the Partnership (e.g. publishing a regular newsletter, email updates, insights from learning and evaluation etc.) 

• Ensuring effective internal communication with CUK organisers, leaders, and partners involved with the NRPF Partnership and with funders

• Facilitating on-going communication across the NRPF Partnership to ensure alignment of activity

• Supporting the development of any communications materials such as summary documents, brochures, FAQs, social media content, etc.

Build leadership development offer for the Partnership

• Working alongside CBG and the CUK Migration team, refine community organising and leadership development support for all members of the NRPF partnership especially those with lived experience of NRPF

• Ensuring that everyone in the group can contribute to the best of their ability by managing a training and external facilitation budget to build skills, confidence and trust

Fundraising and reporting 

• Working with the CBG to develop and support fundraising bids and support reporting requirements and funder relationships

• Contributing to the budgeting process and the effective management of financial resources in the project working closely with Global Dialogue who will hold pooled funds on behalf of the partnership

Managing meeting/event logistics 

• Planning and managing the logistics of all Partnership meetings and gatherings of the Steering Group, working groups and CBG (e.g., dial-in, attendance, cancellations, etc.)

• Consolidating Working Group updates for Steering Group, including summarising meeting notes and highlighting key outputs and decisions so they can be easily shared with others across the Partnership

Any other reasonable tasks as required by the line manager.

Person Specification

REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL (E)

DESIRABLE (D)

QUALIFICATIONS

Degree or equivalent professional qualification (D)

EXPERIENCE

Significant  proven, comprehensive experience in a project management role (E)

Experience of initiating new projects and developing them so that they become sustainable underpinned by strong values (E)

Experience of building consensus between diverse stakeholders and managing complexity in relationships (E)

Experience of organising and managing all aspects of community events, incl. logistics (E)

Proven experience of raising significant funds for charitable purposes (D)

A proven track record of delivering and reporting against targets and on budgets (D)

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge of No Recourse to Public Funds and working with individuals who have an NRPF designation on their immigration status (E)

Outstanding communication skills (verbally and written) combined with the ability to liaise with stakeholders (E)

Ability to work well as part of a team, and maintain effective communication with colleagues (E)

Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, lead, influence and motivate others (E)

Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new projects and systems (E)

Proven computer literacy to include MS Office (E)

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Exceptional leadership skills, with an ability to enthuse and inspire staff and volunteers (E)

A proactive approach to all areas of work with a flexible approach to work demands (E)

An appreciation and respect for different communities; including faith groups and different cultures. (E)

A strong commitment to the CUK values and the values of the NRPF partnership, which include: (E)

• Being open to new ideas (specifically ensuring that all our 121 conversations, small group discussions with the sector and funders create an environment that fosters creative problem-solving and innovation)

• Fostering connection 

• Championing co-design and co-production

• Being equity-focused and enabling any one interested to participate and feed into the design and development of this work

Please note there will be recruitment webinar on Tuesday, 7th May from 14:30-15:30. Please register via the following link if you are interested in attending: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpcO-rrzsoH9ecIXUaaFbqDjaVxVSvqJLq.

Interviews are planned to take place on Thursday, June 13th (subject to change.)