DESTITUTION SERVICE COORDINATOR

About the role

Are you a service coordinator or a frontline caseworker with demonstrable organisational skills and the ability to develop, deliver and monitor the impact of food based destitution services? Are you highly organised and responsible? Are you passionate about supporting asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants to rebuild their lives in our community?

If so, this key project management role in our charity might be for you! 

Reporting to the Director, AFRIL's Destitution Coordinator will coordinate the delivery and development of our work to alleviate destitution. You will coordinate a fortnightly referral only food bank in partnership with St Peter’s Church in Lee; secure gifts in kind, manage the distribution of small grants, and work together with our Casework team and partner Immigration Solicitor to support people to engage in the complex process of improving their circumstances. You will supervise volunteers and lead on professional relationships for AFRIL’s destitution work, including influencing local policy. We are a friendly and supportive team and the existing postholder is moving internally so you will have a thorough handover period.

About us:

AFRIL is a growing, dynamic charity that supports asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants, and refugee families in south east London. We support our clients to lift themselves out of poverty and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle underlying issues, supporting people to integrate, contribute and thrive. We engage in policy and legal interventions to influence positive change. Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, inclusivity, and solidarity, and our approach to service delivery is one of co-production and empowerment. We are 15 staff (7.3 full time equivalent) and over 100 volunteers.

AFRIL delivers the following core services: 

• Rainbow Club Supplementary School - providing weekly supplementary education in  English and Maths, arts, music and sports activities to children from refugee, migrant  and asylum seeking backgrounds from 4-11 years old, plus youth volunteering programme and Youth Council (NRCSE and Sanctuary Status)

• Casework and Advocacy Service: providing AQS accredited advice, casework and legal interventions in asylum support, community care, housing, welfare benefits and related matters. Pre-Action Protocol letters to challenge unlawful public law decisions.

• Destitution Support - a fortnightly Food Bank in partnership with St Peter’s Church providing food, food vouchers, toiletries, and other essentials, alongside a warm hub with free cafe, information and support. Small grants for essential items and cash payments for food in emergencies. Securing and distributing gifts in kind, e.g. winter coats, laptops and data. 

• Allotment of Refuge - a welcoming community of food growers that supports improved health, wellbeing and integration of members, whilst protecting the local environment. 

• Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre, providing free legal advice and representation to support people to regularise their immigration status. 

AFRIL is an equal opportunities employer. We are a diverse staff team and particularly encourage applications from BAME candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and those with lived experience of asylum/irregular migration. We welcome applications from candidates of all ages and are committed to supporting qualified people to re-enter the workplace after periods of unemployment for example because of homemaking, redundancy, mental health or previous immigration restrictions. Our office is on the first floor of a community centre. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support our staff to flourish.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview on 23rd April 2025. 

Terms and conditions:

Hours: Part time 17.5 hours (2.5 days per week) to include every other Saturday morning

Salary: £32,980 - £34,644 pro rata (points 13-16). New employees normally start at the bottom end of this scale, with an annual salary review process.

Location: The office base for this post is the Leemore Community Centre in central Lewisham with service delivery at St Peter’s Church in Lee every other Saturday morning. We have a hybrid working model and the post holder can work from home for part of the week, as agreed with line manager.

Benefits: 

• Annual leave 25 days per annum plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff); 

• Pension scheme: 5% employer pension contributions; 

• Flexible working: we do our best to accommodate your preferred working style

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, including access to advice and 121 support

• Clinical supervision: monthly small group reflective practice with clinical provider

• Training and development: access to good quality training and budget 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Annual salary review

See full Job Description and Person Specification. Applications accepted through charityjob only.