Trauma‑Informed Helpline Support Specialist in City of Westminster

Emotional Support Workers provide valuable support to survivors of sexual abuse and their loved ones, through our helpline service. Last year, around 2,400 people contacted us via this crucial service. Our helpline is a starting point for support, as men and boys take their first steps reaching out for help. We are also integral to the SurvivorsUK eco‑system, providing support to clients on our counselling waiting list and helping survivors navigate the different support options that are available.

Responsibilities

• Provide high‑quality emotional support, information and signposting via webchat, SMS, email, telephone, WhatsApp and other methods.
• Assess risk and safety of callers when necessary.
• Escalate risks and ensure all safeguarding concerns are handled swiftly and in line with SurvivorsUK Safeguarding Policy and the Helpline's Safeguarding procedure.
• Accurately record all helpline contacts on our helpline system for monitoring, and participate in overall service monitoring and evaluation.
• Operate in a private, confidential environment.
• Adhere to the service's remit, all relevant SurvivorsUK policies and procedures, and the BACP Code of Ethics.
• Attend group supervision, team meetings and line management meetings, and participate in ongoing training.
• Ensure all clients are aware of and have access to the organisation's complaints policy and terms of use.
• Support training for newer emotional support workers and any emotional support volunteers.
• Triage non‑helpline enquiries to appropriate colleagues.
• Maintain good working relationships with other support services.
• Collaborate with colleagues and specialist agencies to promote our work, and share learning and best practices.
• Actively contribute towards the development of the service.
• Participate in all staff meetings and team meetings, support the Communication Manager and the Helpline Manager, to provide content for the promotion of the service via the website and social media.
• Assist with research and development of resources and informational material for colleagues, survivors and professionals working with survivors.
• Ensure that the standards of service delivered comply with the organisation's mission statement, values, business plan and other related guiding principles at all times.
• Fully engage with professional development, as required by SurvivorsUK.
• Adhere to company policies, including safeguarding and confidentiality protocols.
• Attend regular general and clinical supervisions.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with survivors of sexual violence.
• Experience supporting vulnerable people with complex needs, including mental health, substance use, and/or disabilities.
• Experience of providing trauma‑informed emotional support, ideally on a helpline.
• Strong understanding of the experiences, needs and impact of rape, sexual abuse or assault on men, boys and non‑binary people aged 13+.
• Compassionate manner: able to empathise and engage with clients who have challenging needs and manage highly emotional and stressful situations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and proactively.
• Demonstrable commitment to equal opportunities, with a non‑judgmental approach to helping male, trans and non‑binary people.
• Ability to adhere to boundaries and confidentiality policies and practices.
• Good organisational and ICT skills.
• Ability and commitment to maintaining accurate client records and reporting.
• Flexible approach to working with clients and the wider team.
• Positive attitude; willing to contribute to developments, improvements and changes within SurvivorsUK.
• Experience of providing written emotional support (e.g. by web chat).
• Experience of providing information, guidance and signposting to relevant services.