We are looking to fill 3 positions of Project Workers for our Westminster Service. Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as Project Worker at Solace Women's Aid. We exist to end the harm done through gender-based violence. Our aim is to work to prevent violence and abuse, as well as providing services to meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children. Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives, free from abuse.
Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.
About the Service
Housing First is a new approach to supporting the most entrenched, excluded and hard to reach service users. It focuses on finding permanent housing as quickly as possible and then addressing the issues that have contributed to an individual’s homelessness. Support is provided through assertive outreach.
‘I want someone who I can do nice things with, too, not someone who just talks about what has gone wrong, or drugs and other things……I think about those negatives all the time anyway and I want a worker who I can feel positive with, happy’ (service user supported by another Housing First Project).
About the Role
* Assist in the day-to-day delivery of the service, managing a small service user caseload with the overall goal of supporting these women to sustain a (new) tenancy.
* Provide trauma-informed, solution-focused support to service users, tailored to individual needs and aspirations, with service users being able to choose as far as possible, what, how and when support is delivered.
* Advocate where appropriate on behalf of service users with external agencies regarding their welfare rights, Primary Health Care needs and other issues affecting their health and well-being.
* Promote social inclusion, encourage independence and develop personal resilience of women with multiple needs affected by violence.
* Maintain accurate case notes and up-to-date records.
* Attend and contribute to multi-agency safeguarding meetings e.g. MARAC, as appropriate.
About You
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Some experience in providing emotional and/or practical support to women who have experienced VAWG, homelessness or multiple disadvantage.
* Knowledge of the particular needs of women from diverse communities and the barriers to accessing support faced by black and minoritized women.
* Experience of working in partnerships with other agencies e.g. signposting, making referrals, supporting with appointments.
* An understanding of the impact of trauma on women experiencing abuse.
* Awareness of the intersection between severe and multiple disadvantage and VAWG, and an understanding of how the intersection of these issues can make it difficult for people to engage with support.
* A good knowledge of safeguarding practice and procedures.
* Ability to provide strengths-based support.
* A resilient and assertive approach to reaching out to and building trust and positive relationships with women who have complex/multiple needs and who may present as reluctant to engage and/or may be presenting in crisis.
* Excellent organisational, ICT, written and verbal communication skills.
* Committed to the purpose of Solace Women’s Aid, ensuring that the service user is at the heart of service delivery and development.
* Feminist in understanding ‘Violence against Women and Girls’.
* Committed to fostering innovation and continuous improvement in working practice.
* Flexible and open to new challenges, ideas and experiences, and able to be self-reflective.
* Committed to understanding diversity and ensuring anti-discriminatory practice is applied in all forms of our work.
* Non-judgemental with a commitment to self-care within the team.
* Collaborative, building relationships with internal and external partners.
We understand that you may not have all the knowledge, experience, and skills mentioned in the Job Profile Document. However, your interpersonal skills, passion to have a positive impact, commitment to our purpose, and ability to learn quickly and collaborate effectively will be equally important. If you wish to learn more about the role or if you are unsure about whether to apply, we encourage you to contact our recruitment team at hr.team@solacewomensaid.org.
What we can offer you
We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:
* Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training).
* Generous holiday entitlement.
* Employer pension contribution.
* Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay.
* Inclusion Networks.
* Daily clinical debriefing.
* Employee Assistance Programme.
* Flow & Restore yoga classes.
* Meditation sessions.
* Cycle to Work Scheme.
How to apply
Please send your CV and Supporting Statement outlining your interest in working for Solace via the recruitment portal and explain how you meet the criteria set out in the Job Profile Document.
Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work. If you require any support to apply for this role, please email us at hr.team@solacewomensaid.org.
This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.
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