Year fixed term independent domestic violence advocate jobs

Overview of Calan DVS: 

Calan DVS is one of the largest domestic abuse charities in Wales and we are committed to working in partnership to end domestic violence and abuse. Our staff are passionate about what they do and deliver much needed services to support some of the most vulnerable people in society. 

Our service was formed in 2012 as a result of a merger between Neath & Lliw Valley Women’s Aid and since 2012, other Women’s Aid organisations have also joined the group including Brecknock Women’s Aid, Bridgend Women’s Aid and Ammanford Women’s Aid. 

Our vision: 

At Calan DVS, our vision is to work towards safe and resilient communities free from domestic violence and abuse. To achieve this, we aim to relieve the distress, suffering and poverty experienced by families exposed to domestic violence and abuse. We also aim to educate the public regarding the causes and effects of domestic abuse along with prevention methods 

The Lotus Project:  

The Lotus Project is a new service within Calan DVS which has been co-produced with survivors and stakeholders.  The new service has been implemented to support individuals who are accessing Calan Domestic Abuse services and who have also experienced Sexual Violence.

The service will operate from a trauma informed, strengths based perspective in order to ensure each survivor has consistent yet individualised support throughout their recovery journey.

Each survivor who accesses the service will have the opportunity to receive specialist support through our Sexual Violence Counselling service, tailor made group work program and one to one support.  Survivors will have regular strength based goal setting sessions with their Sexual Violence Support Worker.

Consultations and collaborative working are at the heart of working in a trauma informed way, therefore the Lotus Project will continue to be developed alongside the support staff and survivors who access the service.

Purpose of the role: 

• To provide consistant, psychosocial, trauma informed support for survivors of sexual violence. 

• To ensure each survivor accessing The Lotus Project is informed and empowered on the ways in which to access therapeutic support after experiencing sexual violence.

• To deliver sexual violence specific group work and one to one support. 

• To work in a multidisciplinary manner to ensure each survivor is linked with the appropriate external support services (such as ISVA services, SARC, substance use services) 

Key Accountabilities: 

Sexual Violence Support 

• To provide one to one emotional support for survivors of sexual violence who would like to access The Lotus Project. 

• From the point of receiving the referral, the SVSW will create a collaborative safety and support plan to help inform the person accessing the Lotus Project of what support is available to them either from the group work program, one to one support session, counselling or ongoing telephone support.

• To link in with external agencies so that the survivor accessing the Lotus Project has access to a full range of support (for example, SARC, ISVA, Substance support, Sexual Health, GP). 

• To have a strengths based, trauma informed approach to working with survivors of sexual violence and to ensure that suvivors are at the center of their own recovery journey.

• To work alongside the professional making the referral to ensure all risk and support needs are considered and actioned in a fair and consistent way.

• To attend professional review meetings with other Calan practitioners who may be supporting the person accessing the Lotus Project.

• To report any safeguarding concerns to their line manager and follow Calan’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. 

• To deliver online and in person sexual violence group work programmes (as appropriate). 

• To support delivery of group therapeutic activities such as yoga, self care, art therapy, creative writing, nature walks and document feedback. 

• To provide one to one support for those who are unable to attend the group work program, using the group work program as a structure for those support sessions.

• To work alongside the person accessing the Lotus Project to dispel any rape myths, self-blame and pathologized attitudes towards sexual trauma.

• To have regular case review meetings with their line manager and supervision sessions. 

• To empower and encourage those accessing the Lotus Project to sustain ongoing peer support groups. 

• To support those accessing the Lotus Project to understand techniques to cope with anxiety, flashbacks and other symptoms of trauma. 

• To explore areas of self care with those accessing the Lotus Project and encorperate this into each individuals safety and support plan.

• To write supporting documents for GP’s or other relevant professionals so that the person accessing Lotus Project doesn’t have to retell their story.

Health and Safety 

• To work at all times in a safe and efficient manner and be aware of the Lone Working Policy / Health and Safety Policy and Procedures. 

• Participate in the Risk Assessment processes. 

• Ensuring the safety of the survivors accessing The Lotus Project through ongoing risk assessments and monitoring. 

• To actively engage with their own self care to minimise the impact of vicarious trauma and burnout. 

• To work alongside their line manager to identify their own areas of support in regards to their mental and physical wellbeing.

Organisational 

• Participate in relevant training and opportunities to increase and develop knowledge. 

• Follow Calan DVS Equal Opportunity Policy and Diversity Strategy and observe the standard of conduct which prevents discrimination taking place. 

• Attend and participate in team meetings.

• Prepare for and participate in supervision, appraisals and team reviews. 

• Conduct administrative duties relating to the Lotus Project e.g.  maintain support plan records and reviews, record statistics and provide reports as required. 

• Promote public awareness of the work of The Lotus Project and trauma informed approaches to working with survivors of sexual violence.

• To support the development of The Lotus Project in collaboration with the Sexual Violence Service Development Manager.

• Ensure that all work is conducted to the highest professional standards and complies with the DA Support Services and Calan DVS Policies and Procedures. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities 

• Assist with organising and take part in promotional, educational and funding activities as required.

• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, local strategies, policies and procedures. 

• Ensure that all activities are within Calan DVS budgets. 

• Work flexibly to provide the service which may include weekend and evening work. 

• Work flexibly to cover for other posts as required/appropriate. 

• Work within Calan DVS Codes of Practice. 

• Maintain confidentiality in relation to service users, staff and projects. 

• To undertake any other duty reasonably requested by their Manager/Management. 

• To partake in Calan’s on-call service. 

This job description is indicative of the range of current duties and responsibilities of the post, it is not comprehensive.  It is inevitable that the duties will change as the role develops, and it is essential, therefore, that it should be regarded with a degree of flexibility, so that changing needs and circumstances can be met, all changes will be discussed fully.  

Personal Specification 

Essential: 

You will be able to demonstrate the following key knowledge, skills, behaviours and experience: 

• Minimum of two years experience supporting survivors of sexual violence. 

• Demonstrable experience of working in a strengths based, trauma informed way. 

• Experience of building a rapport with survivors of abuse in an trusting, empathetic way whilst maintaining own personal boundaries.

• Knowledge and understanding of the impact of sexual violence and trauma on an individual. 

• Experience of facilitating support groups and structured one to one support. 

• To actively engage in your own self care and understand the role of self care in a persons recovery from trauma. 

• To identify coping mechansisms to trauma that may be detrimental to a persons recovery.

• Experience of working collaboratively with organisations in the community to raise awareness, network and build partnerships. 

• Proven experience of working in a non-judgemental way whilst understanding and respecting a persons individual boundaries.

• Experience of supporting people in crisis and those experiencing high levels of emotional distress 

• Commitment to ongoing professional development. 

• Proven experience of liaising and advocating for survivors with statutory and voluntary agencies. 

• Experience of strengths-based needs assessment, risk assessment, risk management and support planning. 

• Competency in Information Technology including internet and software packages. 

• Possession of a valid full driver’s licence and ability to use own car for work purposes. 

• Good verbal and written communication skills, including report writing. 

• Ability to work on own in an unsupervised setting or as part of a team. 

• Awareness of equal opportunities and ability to work in a non-discriminatory way. 

Desirable 

• Ability to speak Welsh.

• NVQ Level 4 or equivalent in a relevant field, i.e. social care or health. 

• Foundation counselling qualification