Job Description

To apply, please go to the Women's Aid Leicestershire Ltd. website to submit an application form for this role:

https://wa-leicester.org.uk/work-for-us/

Due to the nature of the role this post is open to women only under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1 and subject to enhanced DBS checks.

Please note that if you have previously accessed support from WALL, you will need to have completed your support two years ago or more before you can apply for a role.

1 CONTRACT

Fixed term until May 2027

2 SALARY

Starting salary 26,421 per annum (pro rata)

3 HOURS OF WORK

17.5 hours per week. working Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

(Occasional evening or weekend work may be required)

4 MAIN TASK

To provide practical, emotional and personal development support so that women, men and children are able to deal with the effects of domestic abuse in their lives.

To provide a safe and supported environment for women, men, and children living in dispersed refuge accommodation.

5 Key Responsibilities

Service Co-ordination. This includes ensuring the dispersed accommodation is of a high standard and well maintained. Service Development. This includes understanding the needs of clients and developing/improving services to meet those needs. Service Delivery. This includes directly delivering housing management services and support, accessing community support where appropriate and facilitating a prompt move on to future accommodation, via both temporary and permanent means as appropriate. General. This includes all duties that ensure the safety and effectiveness of Accommodation and broader responsibilities that contribute to the development of Women's Aid Leicestershire Ltd.

6 Duties

6.1 Service Co-ordination

To plan the programme of activities for clients and their children living in dispersed accommodation. To keep clear, accurate records and maintain confidential files on clients and their children within the service. To ensure monitoring is up to date, including the submission of case studies, supporting the management team with contract requirements. To liaise with colleagues in community-based services to ensure needs are met and help identify service gaps. In consultation with the management team, to liaise with outside agencies, organisations and individuals. To support clients across dual locations, as required. This may include providing support to other WALL refuges. Provide support to sessional staff and volunteers working with clients and their children in the refuge and in the wider accommodation services. To attend staff meetings, team meetings, and meetings of the management committee and its subcommittees as appropriate.

6.2 Service Development

To assess the needs of clients and make recommendations for improving and developing services for women, men and their children in accommodation services. To assist the management team in the collection of statistical information for monitoring, auditing and quality assurance purposes. To contribute, where appropriate, to Women's Aid Leicestershire Ltd volunteer training and domestic abuse awareness training offered to outside organisations, individuals and groups. To work with partner agencies in developing and improving services for women and their children in the refuge. To assist in the development of Women's Aid Leicestershire Ltd policies and procedures, and ensure all sessional staff and volunteers are able to apply to their own practice. To support the administrative systems and use effectively in providing high quality service. Maintain accurate and confidential case management records and data bases, and to contribute to monitoring information for the service. To keep up to date with policy and practice in your area of work and undertake staff development and training relevant to the post.

6.3 Service Delivery

To take referrals and deal with admissions to the dispersed accommodation service. To work as part of a team of staff and volunteers providing support services for clients and their children in accommodation services. To support individual clients, be responsive to their needs, and represent them at meetings with outside agencies as necessary. To complete weekly visits to dispersed properties to complete housing and utility check lists, undertake support sessions and safety planning with clients. Complete visits on individual addresses, as required, to ensure safeguarding and health and safety, in line with Licence Agreements and relevant policies and procedures. Ensure that all clients have their housing, support and tenancy needs, and risks, fully assessed, and regularly reviewed. Ensure that the dispersed accommodation for clients is well maintained, ensuring clients and their children are safe and comfortable. To ensure premises are maintained to a reasonable standard, including the reporting, actioning and follow up of repairs. In conjunction with the management team, keep accurate records and maintain confidential files on all residents. To liaise with other advice agencies and welfare services and provide advice and guidance on such matters such as safeguarding, housing, education and training opportunities, health and safety, benefits and welfare rights. To represent clients and their children at meetings with external agencies where appropriate. Understand multi-agency partnership structures and work within a multi-agency setting. When necessary, to be part of the rota of staff on refuge duty. This may include evenings and weekends, bank holidays and national holidays.

6.4 General

To protect the confidentiality of the addresses of the refuges and dispersed accommodation, and all matters relating to the residents and their children, and act in accordance with the policies of the organisation To act in accordance with the policies and practices of Women's Aid Leicestershire Ltd. In particular to maintain the strict confidentiality of the refuges and dispersed properties. To act in a fair and supportive way and positively promote equal opportunities and eradicate discrimination. To work in a safe and responsible way ensuring that safety procedures are followed and that you do not endanger yourself, your colleagues or clients. To be punctual and minimise absence from work.

6.5 Other duties commensurate with responsibilities

To attend all supervision, staff meetings, training days and fundraising events. To undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required, and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this role.

6.6 Line Management relationship

Post holder will be line managed by the Refuge Manager.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

- Good standard of general education.

Desirable Requirements:

- A recognised social work/housing/legal/counselling or other relevant qualification

- Counselling Qualification

- First Aid qualification

Method of Assessment: Application Form and copies of certificates taken.

Experience

Essential Requirements:

- Experience of working with vulnerable adults and children

- Experience of working in a refuge, hostel, or supported accommodation

- Experience of following safeguarding policies and procedures

- Experience of working in a multi-cultural context

- Experience of planning and evaluating own work

- Experience of liaising effectively with other organisations and agencies

Desirable Requirements:

- Experience of working in the voluntary sector

- Experience of supporting colleagues and volunteers

Method of Assessment: Application Form, Interview and References.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential Requirements:

- An understanding of domestic abuse and its effects on both women, men, and children

- Ability to organise, plan and evaluate own work

- Able to empathise and communicate well

- Working knowledge of equality and diversity

- Ability to assess needs, and provide support, including completion of support plans

- Good administrative skills, including ability to write computerised reports

- Working knowledge of ICT, including ability to uses databases, Microsoft Office packages, including Word and Excel, and use email

- Ability to maintain confidentiality, in particular to maintain the strict confidentiality of the address of the refuge, dispersed accommodation & all matters relating to the residents and their children

- Ability to work in a non-discriminative way, and promote equality of opportunity

- Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team

Desirable Requirements:

- Understand funding arrangements within the voluntary sector

- Ability to supervise the work of others

Method of Assessment: Interview and References.

Personal Attributes

Essential Requirements:

- Ability to work under pressure and cope with the stress of others

- Reliable and a good timekeeper

Method of Assessment: References

Other Requirements

Essential Requirements:

- These posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1976 under (Exemption Amendments Order 1986)

- Able to work to Policies and Procedures

- Available to work occasional weekends

- A willingness to be flexible and adapt to changing needs

- Access to own vehicle and a full driving licence

Method of Assessment: DBS Application, References & ID Documents

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: From 26,421.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Bereavement leave Casual dress Company pension Free parking On-site parking Sick pay Store discount
Ability to commute/relocate:

Leicester: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:

working with vulnerable adults and children: 1 year (preferred) working in a refuge, hostel, or supported accommodation: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person