Team leader jobs near Islington, Greater London

Contract: Permanent, Full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary: £43,138 - £45,296 per annum

Location: London (Nationwide applicants will be considered)

New opportunity not to be missed! Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, is looking for a Housing Manager (Legal) to join our Legal Team based in London (Nationwide applicants will be considered). In return, you will receive a competitive salary plus excellent benefits.

This is a permanent opportunity with a closing date of Monday 22nd August 2022.

As well as helping vulnerable young people, Centrepoint is a provider of social housing. We are looking for a flexible and innovate candidate with a passion for supporting vulnerable young people.

The successful candidate will take a lead on providing a dedicated in-house housing management service to colleagues across our services, relating to all aspects of housing and leasehold management (contentious and non-contentious).

The candidate will report to the Head of Legal and be responsible for leading housing management and decision-making on complex cases. The candidate will line manage a Housing Management Advisor (rent maximisation) and will work alongside a part-time assistant, who will report into the Head of Legal. 

What you’ll be doing…

• Primary point of contact with frontline service staff on housing management legal issues where required
• Lead on sourcing or procuring specialist advice where required (e.g. external advisors)
• Running own caseloads and supervising non-legal staff caseloads, with the support of Centrepoint’s legal advisors
• Overall responsibility for complex housing management case management
• To support in the creation and delivery of training workshops where necessary
• Liaising with a wide range of internal stakeholders and staff: lead individual on regular communication tools, working with internal stakeholders and developing suitable content as necessary
• Line management of Centrepoint’s Housing Management Advisor (job description can be provided)

Please refer to the attached Housing Manager (Legal) Job Description which outlines the key deliverables of the role.

In return for your efforts you’ll receive a competitive salary, excellent training and development, and a host of staff benefits including:

- 25 days of annual leave per year, rising by one day per year to a maximum of 27 days

- Excellent training package to ensure you have the skills and knowledge to build a new career

- Employer pension contributions of 4%

- Clear career progressions, linked to portfolio work, that enables movement up the pay scale

- Access to Cycle 2 Work loan scheme

- An interest-free travel loan

At Centrepoint we challenge the discrimination within society that contributes to youth homelessness, and we are just as committed to fairness and equality within Centrepoint itself. We are passionate about ensuring all of our colleagues are made to feel included in the work we do and that we value the rich diversity within the organization.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, belief in any religion and none, gender identity, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, nationality, appearance, unrelated criminal activities, disability, responsibility for dependents, part time or shift workers, being HIV positive or living with AIDS, lived experience of homelessness or using young people’s services and any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice.

Centrepoint’s policy is to recruit, employ and promote people on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed, and to this end, our aim is to ensure that all applicants, employees and volunteers receive equal treatment.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our team as a Housing Manager (Legal) click ‘Apply’ now!

About us

Crisis is the national charity for homeless people. We know that homelessness is not inevitable. We know that together we can end it. 

Crisis Skylight Brent works with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, supporting them with education and training, as well as advice on housing, employment, and health. Alongside our frontline service offer, we develop, support and lead strategic and partnership projects to deliver positive change for homeless people in Brent. 

We will be moving to new premises in Brent in Autumn 22 and after recent consultation, we are also planning to transform our services to align better with the evolving needs of the people we work with and with Crisis’ new vision for its services. Those changes will support our wider work around collaboration and partnership. It is therefore an exciting time to join our team and play a part in supporting this transition and strengthening the case for a housing-led approach to ending homelessness. 

About the role 

As Housing Led Practice Co-ordinator you will be responsible for co-ordinating our work with partners locally including our regular Homelessness Forum and Community of Practice meetings, contributing to more effective and impactful partnerships across statutory and voluntary sector agencies in Brent. 

This is a fixed-term role, for 6 months with possibility of extension.

About you 

To be successful in this role you will have

• Good understanding of what is essential in developing effective and positive collaboration with internal and external partners

• A high level of experience and understanding of the provision of services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and how housing led approaches will help to end their homelessness 

• Ability to communicate effectively when addressing a variety of audiences in person, on the phone via email and when giving presentations to groups 

• Be flexible and adaptable in response to changing organisational needs and priorities

We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities and backgrounds.

Working at Crisis

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

- Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy

- Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%

- 25 days’ annual leave which increases with service to 28 days and option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave

- Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay

- Flexible working around the core hours 10am-4pm

- And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How to apply

If this sound likes the opportunity for you, please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below.

Closing date: Monday 29th August 22 (at 23:59)

Interviews will be held on Friday 9th September

Accessibility

We welcome applications from people who identify as neuro diverse and want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Recruitment team, contact details can be found on our website.

Do you have lived experience of spinal cord injury? Are you passionate about making sure people get the support they need to transform their lives?

If so, Back Up could offer you an inspiring and fulfilling role making a significant difference to the lives of people affected by spinal cord injuries.

About the role:

When someone sustains a spinal cord injury, it is a life changing experience.

Back Up’s Services are there for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. The team are based across the UK working directly with spinal cord injury centres’, hospitals – or indeed anywhere that people affected by spinal cord injury may be.

As our Services Support Assistant, you will be a key point of contact for our staff, volunteers and many of the people who use our services. You will love being busy, will be highly organised and able to keep an overview of activity to make sure the team are able to provide the highest quality support at all times.

Whether it be making follow up calls to those already using our services or responding to incoming requests for support and setting up new referrals – you will be passionate about being able to demonstrate the impact of what we do, and will see for yourself how Back Up quite literally transforms lives.

About us:

At Back Up, we have big ambitions. Over the next few years, we’re going to be transforming the lives of even more people affected by spinal cord injury.

Together we’ll be working hard to make sure everyone affected by spinal cord injury has access to the support they deserve; and we are the only spinal cord injury charity in the UK providing specific services to children and young people.

Back Up has been voted one of the top ten charities to work for (Third Sector Best Charities 2020). The enthusiastic, inclusive and supportive spirit of our very skilled staff ensure excellence in the services we deliver.

Job Title: Volunteer Manager
Reporting To: Strategic Volunteer Lead
Salary: £24,000-27,000 per annum
Contract type: Full-time,  Fixed Term Contract, 6 months
Location: Enfield

About The Felix Project

The Felix Project is London's biggest food redistribution charity and the largest end-to-end food redistribution charity in Europe.
Our vision is a London where no one goes hungry and good food is never wasted.
We rescue surplus food from businesses, supermarkets, restaurants and farms. This food is nutritious, in-date, and safe and includes a high proportion of fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. If we did not rescue this food, it would be at risk of going to waste. Instead, we deliver it free of charge to London charities, schools, food banks, COVID food hubs and other organisations serving people in need. Our food is a vital lifeline for children and families, people on low incomes, people who have lost their jobs, the homeless, refugees, domestic abuse survivors, the elderly and keyworkers.
We were founded in 2016 in memory of Felix Byam Shaw, by his father, entrepreneur Justin Byam Shaw.

Purpose of the Job

Volunteers play a central role in every aspect of The Felix Projects work, and we work hard to build a happy and positive environment for all our volunteers. The Volunteer Manager position is therefore a key role at The Felix Project, supporting our volunteers at our well-established North London (Enfield).
You will be accountable for recruiting and inducting new volunteers to the operations you are responsible for, and with supporting teams to create a highly positive volunteering experience and implement a quality volunteer journey. The ability to manage data and analyse and report on volunteering metrics is also a key requirement of this role.

Duties and Accountabilities

* Responsible for recruiting, training and motivating volunteers in Enfield.
* Administrative tasks, including managing the volunteer databases (Better Impact, Dynamics Marketing) and becoming a super user on key volunteer management systems
* Produce regular reports and metrics on volunteering, for our trustees, volunteers, and other key stakeholders
* Alongside other Volunteer Managers, develop and deliver volunteer recruitment campaigns
* Develop and support volunteer events for recruitment and recognition
* Support on communications to volunteers
* Deliver volunteer inductions and training
* Handling individual volunteer queries and issues
* Liaise with external organisations to recruit volunteers, and network with local volunteer centres
* Acting as a local ambassador for The Felix Project
* Alongside other Volunteer Managers, development and implementation of all volunteering policies and procedures

Person Specification

The Felix Project recognises the positive value of diversity and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified or experienced individuals, regardless of their race, gender, biological sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
You will love working with a wide variety of people and be able to quickly build strong and positive relationships in a volunteer-centric organisation. You are highly organised, data and IT savvy, and efficient with your time, and you are used to prioritising and making a difference wherever you go. You have a passion to be in a charity that is expanding rapidly and thrive in a busy environment. You will have a desire to help reduce food waste and/or fight food poverty.

Essential skills/knowledge relevant to this role

* Experience of working with volunteers and/or volunteering
* Experience of recording data, reporting, monitoring and evaluation processes and maintaining databases including the production of accurate and timely reports
* Evidence of providing appropriate support and supervision to volunteers
* Project management experience, including setting and meeting clear targets and outcomes and working with colleagues to achieve outcomes
* Strong interpersonal, networking and facilitation skills
* Proven track record in improving and embedding processes and procedures
* Ability to work with a diverse range of people
* Digital savvy, with a track record of learning new systems quickly
* Problem solving skills
* Desirable skills/knowledge relevant to this role
* Experience volunteering with The Felix Project
* Experience using volunteer management software such as Better Impact
* Strong data analysis skills
* Committed to reducing food waste and fighting food poverty
* Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, as required

What you'll get in return
You will be working in an upbeat, innovative charity with strong vision, ambition and a fantastic culture and leadership team. This role at our located in our Enfield depot (EN1 1SH), but you may be asked to occasionally work in one of our other locations as part of your duties. The salary is c£24,000-27,000 per annum (dependant on experience), 25 days annual leave + bank holidays.

Contract Type: Fixed-term Contract: 6-months
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday Friday, with occasional need for working outside of regular hours.

Application procedure

Please apply via our recruitment portal.
Please upload your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role
Please make sure that they're both uploaded before you submit your application. After you have submitted your application, you have 24 hours in which you can access your application and make edits. We suggest that you complete one last proof-read after submission and double check that your CV etc. uploaded correctly.

Recruitment timeline

Applications close: 23:30 Sunday 21st August
Interviews: Early September

RedbridgeCVS is the local umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in Redbridge. We are a small, friendly team based in central Ilford - just 20 minutes by train from Liverpool Street station. Every year we support over 350 voluntary and community groups, helping them to flourish and make a difference in their communities.

We are looking for a dynamic and strategic leader to join the team as our Head of Community Development. This is a varied and exciting role which will involve leading and developing our work with and for the local VCS, including:

- Practical and developmental support

- Voice, advocacy and influencing

- Building partnerships and supporting collaboration

- Nurturing an environment in which volunteering can thrive

You will lead across the programme to ensure synergy, leading to greater impact and stronger support for the local sector. The ideal candidate will be an ambitious leader with the drive to develop and build our work to meet the needs and aspirations of our members and the communities they serve.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

The closing date for applications is midnight on Thursday 25th August 2022. Interviews are expected to take place on Wednesday 31st August.

Please note that the role will be based at RedbridgeCVS, 103 Cranbrook Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 4PU; however, consideration can be given to a hybrid working pattern to enable working from home. Any hybrid working arrangement will be subject to a trial period and will be reviewed during the probation period.

At RedbridgeCVS, we recognise that our team is our greatest asset. We aim to create a culture where everyone feels valued, supported and fulfilled. We offer the following benefits to all our team members:

• A supportive learning culture and opportunities to develop in your role
• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata)
• A range of workplace wellbeing initiatives
• Flexible working opportunities
• Employer pension contribution
• Season ticket and cycle to work scheme

Receptionist/Telephonist

Contract: Permanent, Part Time
Location: London, Finsbury Park
Hours: 17.5 hours per week (1/2 day Wednesday, full day Thursday & Friday, shift rota)
Salary: £24,710 - £28,664 pro rata per annum. Please note the starting salary is £24, 710 pro rata per annum (actual salary £12,355 per annum) with an opportunity to progress up the scale over time. Salary is inclusive of London Weighting.
Closing Date: 4 September 2022
Expected Interview Date: W/C 12 September 2022

We have an exciting opportunity for a receptionist to join our team in London. This role is responsible for providing a welcoming and efficient reception service for the centre, whilst maintaining effective administrative systems as required, supporting the successful running of the centre. This includes monitoring the mailbox and responding to messages, assisting with petty cash and providing assistance for special events.

You will have a good understanding of health and safety and data protection legislation, and have experience of working within a confidential environment, with knowledge of reception systems within a welfare or clinical setting. Having a high level of written and verbal communication skills are key to this role, in addition to the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.

To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please click see the attachment. 

Please note CV and cover letter addressing the JD and Specification of the role are mandatory to be considered for the position.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Chantal Harrington on the number provided on the apply link. 

In return, we offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement, and 6% employer pension contribution.

About Freedom from Torture

Freedom from Torture is dedicated to healing and protecting people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, we medically document torture, and we provide legal and welfare help. We expose torture globally, we fight to hold torturing states to account and we campaign for fairer treatment of torture survivors in the UK.

We campaign for national and global change, using evidence from our services and survivor voices to protect and promote survivors' rights and hold torturing states to account. We are proud to play a significant role in the global anti-torture movement. Survivors, active and empowered, are at the centre of all of our work.

Freedom from Torture is committed to its responsibilities under safeguarding, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory DBS disclosure, as well as a need for full employment history and up to date employment references.

Freedom from Torture is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of torture or asylum, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

No agencies please.

We are seeking a proactive individual with a keen interest in social welfare law and access to justice. 

You will have at least three years' experience delivering specialist welfare benefits advice, an understanding of housing and homelessness advice as well as safeguarding protocols and have experience supervising staff or volunteers. 

You may be looking for a progression opportunity to a more senior role whilst continuing to deliver some frontline casework.

You will be committed to working with communities who are highly disadvantaged and a passion for helping people to overcome homelessness and poverty. From time to time, you may be asked to work outside of usual working hours.

Z2K is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of poverty, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome evidence of experience from both work and non-work settings such as volunteering and personal life.

Interview & Assessment date: to be confirmed

Closing date: 25/08/2022, Interview date: 01/09/2022

Our vision is to end street homelessness. At Thames Reach we are committed to helping homeless and vulnerable people to live in decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives.

We are looking for an organised, motivated and engaged Lead Manager for the Hillingdon Street Outreach Team. This is a great opportunity for a manager with some experience to move into a busy, exciting frontline service vital to efforts to reduce rough sleeping in Hillingdon. 

You will:

• Be responsible for managing the services performance against its contract, monitoring and regularly reporting to funders on performance in meeting its targets. 

• Be responsible for directly managing the staff team.

• You will ensure the finances of the service are well managed and it is compliant with all relevant HR policies and legislation.

• Foster a culture of high performance and continual striving to improve upon successes throughout your team. 

• Take a lead in developing and managing partnerships with key agencies across London.

To succeed as Lead Manager, you will be:

• Outcome focussed.

• Able to organise the operations of a complex, busy service.

• A decisive and effective leader.

• An excellent communicator able to form and maintain effective working relationships with all partners.

• Able to directly manage staff, oversee the management of others and ensure the services finances are well managed.

We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2022 in the UK. As part of a commitment to our employees we offer: 

• Generous holiday allowance – 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).

• Pension – we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%. 

• Excellent development opportunities – career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach. 

• Wellbeing support – our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL across all sites. 

• Life assurance – four times your annual salary with cover starting on your first day of employment.

• Critical illness – one year’s annual salary in the event you are diagnosed with a critical illness.

• Other benefits including interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.

Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.

To appy, please visit our website. 

We are looking for a supportive and motivating Progression Coach to join our established and respected Step Up project at Volunteer Centre Hackney and help people with mental health issues and other support needs progress towards their goals. These can include volunteering, training or paid employment. 

Step Up has been running successfully in Hackney since 2015 and works in partnership with statutory and voluntary mental health services.

Through workshops, training and individual support, people are supported to gain confidence, vocational skills and resilience with a reduction in social isolation. We conduct careful assessments of each person’s needs and interests, to create pesonalised journey plans that include interesting and relevant volunteering placements. 

We are seeking a candidate who has a real understanding of the barriers faced by people who have extensive mental health support needs, and by people who may have never worked in a paid role, to progress towards life goals. You must be very well practiced in delivering support to people with complex needs, be motivating and encouraging and able to work with partner organisations to ensure that people are placed into a safe and supportive environment.

Benefits of the role:
You will join a supportive environment with strong values of enabling people to progress in their lives. We offer flexible working, a generous annual leave allowance, monthly group therapeutic supervision and the opportunity to receive ongoing mentoring and training as you need. At VCH, all staff work closely together to tackle challenges. You will receive ongoing support and be given flexibility and creativity to develop your own working style, with the support of your manager and colleagues.

We are looking for 2 full time Community Engagement Practitioners of which one will be a Lead responsible for coordination and line management support.

This is an innovative new service, integrating the expertise, skills and knowledge of the VCS network in Enfield and Barnet with NHS Mental Health services. The purpose of the role is to provide psycho-social support to clients, working within specialist Mental Health teams and the partners within the VCS Barnet partners.

The role will carry an active caseload supporting access into services appropriate to their level of need, with a focus on recovery and independence, and improve self-management of their wellbeing through intensive support. CEPs will support the core community mental health teams working in alignment with Primary Care Networks as part of the new model.

The CEP team will focus on empowering clients to achieve socio-economic goals with clear mental health and wellbeing benefits, and team members will also have specific training in areas such as employment and housing to support the wider PSS service team. The post holder will help to facilitate and co-deliver recovery focused groups and contribute to the development of new community resources.

This role will be working as part of a partnership of Mind Enfield and Barnet (MiEB) and other local VCS organisations.

This role will be based in either the Enfield or Barnet branch.

Interviews: w/c 1/11

You will provide a full range of housing management services mainly to single people, working with general needs, shared, and supported housing schemes. Duties include rent collection, raising repairs, facilitating house meetings, voids & allocations. You will work in a small team alongside housing management and support staff.

Benefits include a four day week, six weeks annual leave and an ethical pension scheme. 

Activities & Events Assistant

Age UK Kensington & Chelsea is seeking an Activities & Events Assistant to join our Community Engagement Team.

Our activities and events projects actively combat loneliness by connecting isolated people with their community and supporting them to join group activities. Through our range of activities, courses and clubs we provide opportunities to meet like-minded people, take trips and learn new skills.

Purpose of the job: To support the Activities & Events Team Leader with providing a wide range of outreach services and creative opportunities to older people in Kensington and Chelsea.

Hours: 35 hours per week, including some evening and weekend work.

Salary: £23,500 per annum (pro rata) + up to 3% matching pension contribution.

Closing date: Friday 29th July, midday. We are expecting to hold interviews on Wednesday 3rd August 2022.

To apply: please send a completed application form to our recruitment email subject: A&E assistant.

Independent Advocate

Hybrid working: working in and around Hillingdon, London

Full time: 37 hours, 5 days per week working Monday to Friday 9am-5pm

Salary: £21,715.00 to £23,292.00 per annum (dependent on experience) plus £3,182.00 per annum London Weighting

Benefits:

- 25 days annual leave

- Cash Wellbeing Healthcare Plan Cover

- Death in service benefit

- Option to buy up to 5 days annual leave

- Discretionary shut down days at Christmas

- 1 Community Leave Day per annum

- Bike to work scheme

We are looking for three Independent Advocate’s to join our London team working on our Advocacy contract based in the Hillingdon area of London. We have two permanent roles and one fixed-term contract for 14 months.

The Independent Advocate is an integrated role covering the Mental Capacity Act, Mental Health Act and Care Act statutory services, and also our Community advocacy service. Successful candidates will be expected to become proficient across all of these services so we are looking for people with a passion and willingness to build on current experience and strive to continually develop.

Our ideal candidates will have worked in advocacy, information and advice or similar role before, ideally in a health, social care or voluntary setting and will have strong experience of working with vulnerable adults affected by significant health and social care issues who find it difficult to speak up for themselves; and experience providing persuasive verbal and written representations.

In this role you will be supporting a wide range of vulnerable adults often with profound and multiple needs. The successful candidate will need a good working knowledge of public and voluntary organisations to enable them to work in partnership with clients and professionals, gaining an understanding of their issues by listening, exploring options and taking action as directed by them. Resilience will be one of your key qualities as well as experience of working with clients with learning disabilities, dementia, mental health, serious physical health issues, and experience of working within secure settings.

You will need to have a flexible attitude and must be comfortable handling highly sensitive information whilst able to work well independently and confidently on behalf of others. Strong communication skills and time management skills will be required and you will need to be computer literate.

Travel expenses will only be paid once in Zones 1-6.

As a minimum you should have:

• A good understanding of statutory advocacy under the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Mental Health Act 1983 (2007 Amendments)
• An understanding of relevant public sector complaints processes
• Experience providing written reports to a high standard
• Ability to form positive boundaried working relationships with a wide range of clients
• Ability to support clients who may have a range of particular communication and other needs
• Ability to provide non-instructed advocacy
• Ability to manage a complex caseload covering a wide range of subjects
• Ability to research options to ensure clients can make an informed choice
• Excellent communications skills, able to communicate sensitively and empathetically
• Ability to communicate effectively with professionals and other organisations
• Manage risk to self and others
• Good personal planning and organisational skills
• Good IT skills
• An effective team player
• Flexible positive approach

Ideally you will also have:

• An excellent working knowledge and experience working within the frameworks of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Mental Health Act 1983 (2007 Amendments)
• Knowledge of advocacy best practice and experience delivering advocacy to the highest standards
• Excellent knowledge of public and third sector organisations and processes
• Experience of using relevant complaints processes
• Completed the National Advocacy Qualification
• Knowledge of non-Instructed advocacy
• Experience of working with people with a range of needs including acquired brain injury, autism, learning disabilities, dementia, mental health problems (including diagnosed mental disorders)
• Willingness to work in a range of environments

How to apply

We’re keen to get someone started in this role. If you think this sounds like the ideal job for you, please apply as soon as possible as we may close this job advert early if we receive a high number of applications.

Please submit your CV and cover letter (cover letter no longer than 1 side of A4) before the application deadline. In your cover letter please indicate which role you are applying for and your reasons for applying for the role and how you meet the person specification criteria.

Closing date: 12th August 2022

Interviews: TBC

We are looking to recruit people who share our core values and can demonstrate that they apply and live those values in their daily working practice.

For an informal discussion please contact Mark Miles or Anna Duthie, Community Managers.

A DBS check will be required for this post.

POhWER is an equal opportunities employer, holder of the Investors in People Silver award and a member of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER scheme. We are a member of the Positive about Disability scheme and disabled applicants who meet all the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Independent Advocate

Hybrid working: working in and around Hertfordshire

Job reference: 102

Contract type: Permanent

Full time: 37 hours, 5 days per week working Monday to Friday 9am-5pm

Salary: £21,715.00 to £23,292.00 per annum (dependent on experience)

Benefits:

- 25 days annual leave

- Cash Wellbeing Healthcare Plan Cover

- Death in service benefit

- Option to buy up to 5 days annual leave

- Discretionary shut down days at Christmas

- 1 Community Leave Day per annum

- Bike to work scheme

We are looking for an Independent Advocate to join our Hertfordshire team working on our Advocacy contract based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The Independent Advocate is an integrated role covering the Mental Capacity Act, Mental Health Act and Care Act statutory services, and also our Community advocacy service. Successful candidates will be expected to become proficient across all of these services so we are looking for people with a passion and willingness to build on current experience and strive to continually develop.

Our ideal candidate will have worked in advocacy, information and advice or similar role before, ideally in a health, social care or voluntary setting and will have strong experience of working with vulnerable adults affected by significant health and social care issues who find it difficult to speak up for themselves; and experience providing persuasive verbal and written representations.

In this role you will be supporting a wide range of vulnerable adults often with profound and multiple needs. The successful candidate will need a good working knowledge of public and voluntary organisations to enable them to work in partnership with clients and professionals, gaining an understanding of their issues by listening, exploring options and taking action as directed by them. Resilience will be one of your key qualities as well as experience of working with clients with learning disabilities, dementia, mental health, serious physical health issues, and experience of working within secure settings.

You will need to have a flexible attitude and must be comfortable handling highly sensitive information whilst able to work well independently and confidently on behalf of others. Strong communication skills and time management skills will be required and you will need to be computer literate.

Because of the nature and location of the role, applicants must live within the area; have a full driver’s licence and access to their own transport. Travel expenses will only be paid once in the Hertfordshire area border.

As a minimum you should have:

• A good understanding of statutory advocacy under the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Mental Health Act 1983 (2007 Amendments)
• An understanding of relevant public sector complaints processes
• Experience providing written reports to a high standard
• Ability to form positive boundaried working relationships with a wide range of clients
• Ability to support clients who may have a range of particular communication and other needs
• Ability to provide non-instructed advocacy
• Ability to manage a complex caseload covering a wide range of subjects
• Ability to research options to ensure clients can make an informed choice
• Excellent communications skills, able to communicate sensitively and empathetically
• Ability to communicate effectively with professionals and other organisations
• Manage risk to self and others
• Good personal planning and organisational skills
• Good IT skills
• An effective team player
• Flexible positive approach

Ideally you will also have:

• An excellent working knowledge and experience working within the frameworks of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Mental Health Act 1983 (2007 Amendments)
• Knowledge of advocacy best practice and experience delivering advocacy to the highest standards
• Excellent knowledge of public and third sector organisations and processes
• Experience of using relevant complaints processes
• Completed the National Advocacy Qualification
• Knowledge of non-Instructed advocacy
• Experience of working with people with a range of needs including acquired brain injury, autism, learning disabilities, dementia, mental health problems (including diagnosed mental disorders)
• Willingness to work in a range of environments

How to apply

We’re keen to get someone started in this role. If you think this sounds like the ideal job for you, please apply as soon as possible as we may close this job advert early if we receive a high number of applications.

Please submit your CV and cover letter (cover letter no longer than 1 side of A4) before the application deadline. In your cover letter please include your reasons for applying for the role, how you meet the person specification criteria, if you hold a current driving licence and have access to your own vehicle and your notice period.

Please submit your CV and cover letter quoting reference 102.

Closing date: 22nd August 2022

Interviews: 7th September 2022

We are looking to recruit people who share our core values and can demonstrate that they apply and live those values in their daily working practice.

For an informal discussion please contact Martha Haruna, Community Manager.

A DBS check will be required for this post.

POhWER is an equal opportunities employer, holder of the Investors in People Silver award and a member of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER scheme. We are a member of the Positive about Disability scheme and disabled applicants who meet all the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.