Dorset advocacy jobs
Participation and Engagement Officer
£34,893 - £41,050 + benefits
Fixed Term Contract (up to 2 years)
Hybrid/Poole, Dorset
Ref: 21128
About us
Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.
We’re looking for a passionate and experienced Participation and Engagement Officer to join the Volunteering Development and Inclusion Team at the RNLI. The role will support in creating welcoming, inclusive environments that enable underrepresented groups to thrive in lifesaving roles.
This is a unique opportunity to influence change across a large, complex charity and make a meaningful impact on the future of lifesaving.
Some of the benefits
- Flexible working
- 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Outstanding pension scheme
- Life assurance
- Health and dental cash plan option
Your role
You will lead the development and delivery of practical toolkits, resources and initiatives that support inclusion across the RNLI, with a particular focus on attracting, retaining and supporting underrepresented groups in operational and frontline roles.
Working closely with regional teams, the support centre and volunteers, you will develop and lead a national volunteer network and help embed inclusive practices across the volunteering lifecycle. Your work will directly contribute to breaking down barriers to participation and ensuring everyone can flourish within our lifesaving communities.
As Participation and Engagement Officer, you will:
- Drive forward the RNLI’s ambition to increase engagement with underrepresented and minoritised groups, including women, in lifesaving roles
- Design and implement practical inclusion toolkits and resources for volunteer managers
- Provide hands-on advice, guidance and support at a local level to embed inclusive practices
- Use data and insight to develop targeted inclusion plans aligned to wider people strategies and identify and address barriers to participation
- Deliver workshops and support the implementation of inclusion policies and toolkits
About you
We are looking for the following essential skills:
- Proven experience developing and delivering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion plans within a large, complex organisation (ideally a charity)
- Strong collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
- Understanding of volunteering and inclusion at a community level
- Experience of driving improvement, delivering results and measuring impact
- Experience volunteering or working in a frontline or operational role is also desirable
This role is ideal for someone who:
- Is a natural collaborator and relationship builder
- Is an excellent communicator who can adapt their style to different audiences
- Is service-focused, pragmatic and solutions-oriented
- Thrives in a busy environment, balancing competing priorities with a calm, results-driven approach
- Enjoys working as part of a team to deliver meaningful, lasting change
If you have the skills and experience to be our new Participation and Engagement Officer, and the passion to help our organisation save lives at sea, apply today!
Closing date: 27 January 2026.
Interview date: 4 February 2026.
The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).
Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.
Thank you!
Interviews will be held the w/c 9th February
Come and join us
We’re looking for passionate individuals with personal experience of homelessness, bad housing, which may include other related disadvantages such as substance misuse and mental ill-health; to come and join us and make a difference to the way we do things. If you believe that people should have a say in their own support and that they should be at the front of making meaningful change then this could be the traineeship for you.
About the role
This is a great opportunity to work with a lead provider of homelessness and housing advice and support and gain invaluable experience while being part of an exciting employability programme centred on lived experience. The traineeship lasts up to 12 months, and you will receive personalised training and support to help remove some of the barriers that may have prevented you from getting meaningful employment.
This role will work alongside our community services support teams, based in Weymouth. The main purpose of this will be to learn support skills and how to use your lived experience to actively engage with people recovering from homelessness. To do this you will work alongside members of the support team. You will be supported and guided by the services team leader and senior support worker. A key part of the role will be to support people as they move further into independent living, encouraging them to into learning, social activities and personal development.
You'll support local campaigns and strengthen connections between the lived experience involvement group and the Hub, making sure lived experiences are valued and included.
Role specifics
We are looking for people who are passionate about the opportunity to use their own life experiences to help make positive change for others.
You’ll also need a commitment to equality and a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and exclusion.
Good communication skills and the ability to make people feel heard will also be essential.
Basic computer skills, e.g. word processing, the internet and email would be useful, but support can be provided.
Above all, we need people with a real desire to develop personally and learn new skills.
Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
About the team
The team in Dorset is well-established and has been providing housing advice and support services within Dorset for over 20 years. With office bases in Bournemouth and Weymouth, we have contracts to deliver Housing First support in the Dorset Council area and offer Legal Aid Advice, including a court desk service at Bournemouth and Weymouth County Courts.
We are active in our communities and strive to understand what housing issues people are experiencing, providing advice and advocacy to individuals and groups to empower them to resolve their situation.
We work across Dorset with partner agencies including Julian House, Lantern, Dorset Council and drug and alcohol services to support individuals to access housing and support and prevent repeat homelessness.
How to Apply
Email and phone number details can be found on the Shelter advert found by clicking 'Redirect to Recruiter' on this page.
To apply you need to submit a copy of your CV and a completed application form (attached), this can be submitted either online, by email or you can submit a paper copy to the Shelter Weymouth, Lynch Lane Offices, Weymouth DT4 9DW. Please don’t worry if your CV has gaps or limited work experience, this is not a problem.
When completing your application form please make sure you give an example for each of the criteria listed in ‘About You’ section. If you need support to create a CV, please contact Katie by phone or send her an email.
We will be holding support sessions at our hub in Dorset and online to give people practical support and advice on how to complete an application, or to pick up a paper application. These sessions will also give you the chance to find out more about the role as well as other opportunities at Shelter Dorset. These will take place on the following date:
Friday 23rd January, 13:30 – 15:30 at Shelter, Lynch Lane Offices & Wellbeing Centre, Lynch Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9DN
Monday 26th January, 13:30 – 15:30 Via Microsoft Teams: Join the meeting now , Meeting ID: 340 436 596 662 97, Passcode: hJ64fX2N
We operate Fair Chance Recruitment practices and will not ask for any information about convictions during the application process. This role is subject to a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We are open to and inclusive of applicants with criminal convictions for this role; having a criminal conviction will not prevent us from considering you.
Following the interview stage, we will ask our preferred applicant to disclose any past unspent convictions. The information disclosed will be considered by a panel and a decision will be taken about making an offer.
This role is ring-fenced for those with lived experience of multiple disadvantage.
About Shelter
Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.
We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.
We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.
Safeguarding statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The role: This is a rewarding role where every day brings the opportunity to make a positive difference to people's lives. We regularly receive testimonials from service users describing the life-changing impact of receiving support from our caseworkers in the National Road Victim Service.
Working location: mostly remote work with some travel required. Based in the north/central area of the South West region you will deliver a face-to-face service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place across the Dorset, Avon, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area as well as providing support by Teams, phone, email or other means to suit the service user. We take a person-centred approach so the amount of travel will vary depending on your caseload at the time. You’re in control of your own diary.
Why this role is important: Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with some home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes.
About Brake: Brake is a renowned and respected road safety charity with a 30-year history dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets.
You'll join a closely knit team of fellow caseworkers, each using their individual experience and skills to provide person-centred support to victims. This provides a ready-made peer group who share best practice and knowledge and support each other so, in turn, they can best support road victims. There's no sugar coating it, this isn't an easy role, it requires a special type of person with strong resilience, but the reward is a strong sense of purpose, every day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so we have strong support systems in place to support our caseworker's wellbeing, including clinical supervision.
What we offer:
· A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day end of year shutdown)
· Birthday day off
· Flexible working (choose a working pattern to suit you between the hours of 8am-6pm Mon-Fri)
· Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave
· Death in service benefit
· Pension
· Employee Assistance Programme
· Clinical supervision and excellent support
· A rewarding role with purpose
· Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees
· Opportunity to attend prestigious events such as the Brake annual reception and awards (if you want to)
Who we're looking for
Full training will be provided under the guidance of our dedicated Training Officer. Our induction program has been developed to equip caseworkers with the skills they need to provide high quality support to road victims and covers topics such as being trauma-informed, safeguarding and risk management. We're open to candidates from all sorts of backgrounds, as long as you're a compassionate, self-starter with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the NHS, any health and social care, road safety, counselling, lived experience or any type of casework could make you an ideal candidate.
Essential Requirements:
- A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle (travel expenses are reimbursed)
- Resident in the north/central area of the South West Region.
- Experience delivering frontline support, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities.
· Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users.
- Competency in I.T skills to work remotely.
Desirable Experience:
Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a good work/life balance and flexible around caring commitments. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you.
Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now by sending your CV and cover letter. We'd like to get to know the real you through your application, not an AI version. If you do use AI to write your cover letter, please check it and make sure it reflects who you are. We encourage cover letters in alternative formats such as videos or presentations.
Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at screening/interview.
An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service.
Questions? If you would like to discuss the role further, please get in touch, we'd love to chat.
If writing a cover letter isn't your thing, why not send us a short video telling us why you'd be a great fit for our charity?
Registered Charity
51 - 100
We work to stop road deaths and injuries, support people affected by road crashes and campaign for safe and healthy mobility for all.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Our passionate Regional Casework Coordinators are SSAFA’s front line of support for members of the armed forces community in need. They are the first point of contact for all beneficiaries into the Regional Office, assessing needs and allocating the case to one of our volunteer caseworkers.
You will sometimes handle complex problems from individuals who may be distressed, identifying the presenting and potential underlying needs to determine the best way to support the beneficiary. You will have ownership of cases from beginning to end, coordinating the casework process in a timely manner and ensure that the beneficiary journey is at the centre of the Service. You will have the opportunity to shape processes and procedures within the office which will lead to improvements in the service offered to clients.
To help you establish yourself in this new post you will receive excellent training and induction to SSAFA.
Whilst the post is homebased, to be eligible for this role you are required to live in the South West region in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire or Somerset. There will be occasional travel around the South West Region, and you will be required to travel for quarterly face to face team meetings.
About the team
The team work remotely and pride themselves in maintaining a close working bond which ensures the smooth operation of the office. You will work closely with volunteers from the eight SSAFA branches in the South West, supporting them to administer casework for SSAFA beneficiaries. The successful candidate will work as part of a larger team of 10, which includes two Regional Casework Managers and a Regional Operations Manager.
About you
To carry out this role successfully you will have a track record of providing welfare advice in key areas such as housing benefits, debt, disability, mobility or immigration issues. You will have knowledge of safeguarding and GDPR and experience in dealing with sensitive information and people in vulnerable situations. You will be able to provide excellent customer service by telephone, e-mail and face to face. You will have used Microsoft Office 365 to a high standard. It is important that you have experience of planning and managing your own workload, with minimal supervision.
It would be advantageous if you have an understanding of the way of life for today’s Armed Forces, veterans and their families and if you have experience of recruiting and supporting volunteers. An understanding of the voluntary sector and preferably the military charity sector landscape across the South West would be valuable
About SSAFA
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing practical, emotional, and financial support to our Forces and their families since 1885. SSAFA, is a trusted source of support for the Armed Forces community in their time of need; last year our trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 53,000 people in need, including veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves) and their families.
SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. We are here for that person and their family – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us.
Diversity and Inclusion at SSAFA
SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.
SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.
No agencies please. Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable.
If you've applied for this role previously within the last six months, we encourage you not to reapply as we already have your details saved on our system and will contact you if a suitable position becomes available.
Closing date: Midnight on 19 January 2026. SSAFA reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Interviews: 28 January 2026
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
