Duty Independent Gender Violence Advocate in Sundridge

Based: Lewisham

Rate: £15.50 ph PAYE / £20 ph Umb

Start Date: ASAP

Duration: Temporary ongoing (likely to be other opportunities in the service)

Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week Monday – Friday 9-5 pm. Initially on site – opportunity for remote work after successful induction.

Our client is recruiting for a Duty Independent Gender Violence Advocate (IGVA) who will be working closely with survivors of domestic, and other gender-based abuse to provide high quality independent support to survivors at all risk levels and their children.

Synopsis of duties:

• The Duty IGVA will be responsible for overseeing the Helpline, managing email and telephone enquiries, recording cases on the case management system, and undertaking casework responsibilities.
• First point of contact for survivors who have been referred to the Lewisham Domestic Abuse Service.
• Providing practical and emotional support to women and advocating for survivors to ensure their needs are met, including housing issues, civil remedies, wellbeing, etc.
• Establishing the risks to and the needs of survivors of domestic abuse and other forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including sexual violence, stalking, trafficking, modern slavery, harmful practices (so-called ‘honour’ based violence) including forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and sexual exploitation.
• Identifying and prioritising those at the highest risk.
• Developing individual support and safety plans to address the risk of harm to survivors of domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG and their children.
• Working in partnership with other agencies to contribute to the design of interventions and plans which protect survivors and their children while maintaining an independent role on behalf of the survivors.
• Ensuring that any issues in relation to safeguarding children or vulnerable adults are brought to the immediate attention of a manager.
• Recognising, respecting, and addressing the needs of service-users who face barriers when seeking help to access the advocacy service, including those from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, LGBTQI+ communities, disabled people, and other hard-to-reach groups.
• Supporting the empowerment of survivors, assisting them to recognise the dynamics of domestic abuse present in their own situation, and helping them regain control of their lives.
• Reporting any problems/difficulties/complaints to the line manager and participating in follow-up investigations as required.
• Providing statistical monitoring or reports as required.
• Ensuring that the views and experiences of service-users and agencies are sought actively, recorded carefully, and inform the development of the service.
• Maintaining confidentiality and ensuring that professional boundaries are observed when working with clients, staff, and external bodies, and working within the Code of Conduct.
• Promoting and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of self and others in line with our Safeguarding Adult and Children Policies, Health & Safety Policy, together with any other requirements aimed at keeping people safe from harm in their interaction with Refuge.
• Ensuring that the confidentiality and security of information is maintained in accordance with our Confidentiality, Data Protection, IT, and Security policies.

Essential Requirements:

• Extensive experience working with women and children who have been/are victims of domestic abuse.
• Experience working with vulnerable adults and children, including those with complex needs.
• Experience in keeping written/electronic records and evaluations.
• DBS dated within the last 12 months or on the update service.