Caseworker

We have an exciting opportunity for an Independent Stalking Advocate Caseworker to join the Lancashire team based at Preston working 37.5 hours a week.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it? Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care? If yes, then we'd love to hear from you.

What we offer:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday & options to buy or sell annual leave
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced sick pay allowances, maternity & paternity payments
• High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment & leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
• Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
• Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes
• Cycle to work scheme & season ticket loans
• Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression

About the role:

This role is based at our Preston Office. This role involves regular travel and due to the location, a driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement. If you are unable to drive because of a disability please indicate this in your application in your personal statement so we can explore the feasibility of alternative arrangements.

As an ISAC you will be:

• Focusing on victims at high risk of harm from stalking and harassment & will provide a pro-active, short to medium term crisis intervention service through individual safety planning, advocacy, emotional and practical support.
• Supporting victims face to face or by telephone to access services to keep themselves & family safe.
• Developing individual safety plans to meet client's needs as identified in the needs & risk assessment.
• Providing advocacy, emotional and practical support and information to victims including legal & civil options, housing, health & finance as well as support through the criminal justice system.
• Participating in multi agency meetings providing the voice of the client & ensuring actions are followed up.

You will need:

• A good understanding of stalking, harassment & domestic abuse
• Knowledge of domestic abuse related harassment and stalking & its impact
• Experience of risk assessment, safety planning & risk management
• Knowledge of Safeguarding & the legal responsibilities surrounding this
• Theoretical, practical & procedural knowledge of civil and criminal justice remedies
• Experience of working within a multi-agency & legislative framework
• The ability to manage a complex caseload & prioritise effectively
• Strong crisis management skills & the ability to deal with stressful & difficult situations
• Excellent communication, negotiation and advisory skills, both written and verbal.
• Good IT skills, able to use various IT applications competently including, Microsoft Word, Excel etc. and Case Management systems.

About Us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Victim Support strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need. As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.

If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria. We look forward to hearing from you.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.