Sexual violence advocate jobs in Milton keynes

Are you passionate about supporting victims of domestic abuse and making a real difference in their lives? Join our dedicated and compassionate team as an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA).

In this role, you will provide high-quality, survivor-centred support to standard and medium-risk victims of domestic abuse, helping them to increase their safety, navigate their options, and make informed choices about their future.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, trauma-informed, survivor-centred support to high-risk victims of domestic abuse
• Carry out comprehensive risk assessments and safety planning, using tools such as DASH
• Advocate on behalf of survivors with statutory and voluntary agencies, including police, social care, housing, health, and legal services
• Represent and support clients through the MARAC process, ensuring risks and actions are clearly communicated and followed up
• Support survivors to understand their options around criminal justice, civil remedies, housing, and welfare
• Maintain accurate, confidential case records in line with GDPR, safeguarding, and organisational policies
• Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving adults and children
• Build strong multi-agency relationships to improve outcomes and reduce risk for survivors
• Empower survivors to make informed choices and increase their safety and independence

You will need to be a compassionate and resilient professional with:

• A minimum of an A level, NVQ3 or equivalent, a degree or SafeLives (Desirable not essential)
• IDVA qualification (Desirable not essential)
• Comprehensive knowledge of domestic abuse, it's impact and relevant legislation
• Excellent communication, advocacy and problem solving skills
• Experience of working with victims of domestic abuse
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable individuals
• Able to travel across Bedfordshire

We welcome applications from candidates who are either qualified IDVAs or those who do not yet hold the formal qualification but have relevant experience supporting survivors of domestic abuse. If you have demonstrable experience working with high-risk victims, strong safeguarding knowledge, and the skills to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centred support, we would be keen to hear from you. We recognise the value of lived and professional experience and are open to supporting the right candidate to achieve the IDVA qualification as part of the role

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship accept applications from individuals who already have the right to work in the UK for the position applied for

As some of our roles involve working with vulnerable members of society, this position may require a Basic or Enhanced Criminal Disclosure, which will be conducted once a conditional offer is made

Previous Applications: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. However, if you have applied for a similar role within the last 6 months and were not successful, please consider whether your experience has developed further before reapplying

Accessibility & Adjustments: We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and will strive to be as accommodating as possible. Please inform us in advance of any arrangements you may need to fully participate in the process.

At One YMCA, we are an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, welcoming the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We are committed to creating a working environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds, communities, and industries, and are committed to building a diverse workforce made up of a wide range of skills, experiences, and abilities.

This is a  Full Time role.
Hours per week: 37.5
Working Pattern: Monday-Friday

Job Title: Advocacy and Research Officer

Department: Advocacy Department

Reports To: Senior Advocacy Officer

Location: UK Based, remote

Compensation: £32,000 per annum

About Humanists International:

Humanists International is the global representative body of the humanist movement, uniting a diverse range of non-religious individuals and organizations committed to reason, compassion, and human rights. We work to build and strengthen the humanist movement worldwide, advocate for secularism and human rights, and promote humanist values in public life and at international institutions.

Humanists International’s advocacy programme promotes human rights priorities based on humanist values at the global level and represents a core role and function of organization. We do this by: advocating directly at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, New York, and Paris, advocating at regional institutions, including the European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights, and African Commission for Human and People’s Rights; supporting and training our members to engage with, and advocate at, relevant regional human rights bodies. 

This work relies on having an advocacy team that can; (1) communicate and lobby in a clear, focused, and convincing manner, informed by high-quality and professional research; (2) can understand the dynamic international landscape on core human rights priorities and produce documentation and briefings on the organization's position; and (3) train and work with members to support their human rights advocacy at the regional and international level. The Advocacy and Research Officer will be instrumental in contributing to these areas.

Duties:

1. Advocate on behalf of Humanists International, by:
1.1. Drafting written and oral statements and submissions for the UN Human Rights Council;
1.2. Analyzing and summarizing complex legal / policy documents, such as International Conventions or UN reports, or jurisprudence at international courts and tribunals;
1.3. Undertaking research tasks and producing pieces of comprehensive legal research, and providing briefing or meeting notes for the Senior Advocacy Officer;
1.4. Representing and speaking on behalf of Humanists International at meetings of different sizes, including at the UN Human Rights Council;
1.5. Preparing and delivering presentations (often with the use of powerpoint);
1.6. Working with other civil society actors to lobby on common causes and mobilize on issues of concern;
1.7. Writing news stories for the website and contributing to the media output of the organization;
1.8. Undertaking administrative tasks to support the Senior Advocacy Officer in their work.

2. Supporting Humanists International's members in advocacy, by:
2.1. Developing and implementing trainings sessions for members and associates, including our annual UPR training, and others which leverage the expertise of the Advocacy and Research Officer;
2.2. Liaising with Humanists International members to enable and support them to make statements at the UN Human Rights Council, including with technical assistance;
2.3. Providing advocacy updates and briefings for Members and Associates;
2.4. Liaising with Humanists International members to use their knowledge and experience to feed into advocacy output;
2.5 Collaborating with the European Advocacy and Research Officer to forward advocacy priorities at European institutions.

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent understanding of, interest in, and demonstrable commitment to human rights and equality issues - particularly in the areas of freedom of religion or belief, gender equality and non-discrimination, reproductive and sexual rights, LGBTI+ rights, populism, democracy, and secularism. 
• Good knowledge and background in international human rights law, international law, or global justice. 
• Experience in the area of advocacy and/or of advocacy-related training. 
• Familiarity (academic and/or practical) with the international human rights systems, particularly the United Nations and any regional human rights bodies. 
• Good research, analytical and writing skills, and an excellent command of English.
• Well-organized, efficient and able to work independently. 
• A clear and convincing communicator. 

Desirable:

• Excellent understanding of, and sympathy with, the philosophy and policies of Humanists International. 
• A good knowledge of other international NGOs and their role and scope. 
• Knowledge of other languages (especially Spanish, French, or Arabic) would be an asset. 
• Prepared to travel, and do so alone, including to United Nations headquarters in Geneva and to Humanist International’s annual World Humanist Congress, as well as to London on a quarterly basis.

If selected for interview, candidates will be asked to complete a short assignment, and interviews will be conducted on 30 March 2026. The successful candidate will also be asked to provide contact details for two references.