Group & Peer Mentor Coordinator (Young Women & Girls)

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

We are looking for a Peer Mentor & Group Coordinator

Salary: £30,000 - £32,000

Location: Hammersmith and other London centres

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term Contract until 31/01/2026

Direct reports: Up to 10 volunteer Peer Mentors

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check. This role is also subject to Police Vetting.

About us

Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending. We believe in empowering women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community.

We are a community-based organisation who lead in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community. We achieve this by being available to meet and support women in local settings and at our women’s centres, and by working in close partnership with other agencies.

Our values are to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

About the role:

The Peer Mentor & Group Coordinator will play a pivotal role in the design, delivery and project management of the Maia group programme and Peer Mentor offer. This role combines the coordination of the Maia Peer Mentor service and the design and delivery of Maia’s group programme and activities. The post holder will work closely with the Maia Service Manager and Advocates in the team to create a supportive environment for participants to build resilience, develop skills and access pathways to a safer and more stable future.

About You:
To be successful as the Peer Mentor & Group Coordinator (Young Women & Girls) you will need the below experience and skills:

You will bring at least one year’s full-time experience of supporting/working with women and girls at risk of violence and abuse, mental ill-health and/or contact with the criminal justice system. A proven track record of proactively reaching out to young people, including girls and young women, in innovative ways and successfully engaging “hard-to-reach” service users.

You will have knowledge and understanding to create and manage a programme of inclusive, strengths-based, prevention and awareness-raising groups and workshops for YWG at risk, liaising with keyworkers and partner agencies to support YWG with their development and improve their relationships skills and the ability to proactively assess risks and safety concerns, liaising with YWG’s allocated keyworker, raising concerns with the Maia Service Manager and taking appropriate action to safeguard YWG whilst working within a model of empowerment.

You are able to learn from and engage with YWG to co-design groups and workshops programme and work closely with colleagues identify opportunities for YWG to make their voices heard and share their insights with a wider audience.

You will be able to effectively engage and recruit women with lived experience to act as Peer Mentors for the YWG engaging with the Maia service.

You will be able to develop resources and deliver a training package to Peer Mentors, including sessions on key topics such as safeguarding, data protection and confidentiality, building relationships and maintaining boundaries, active listening and risk and crisis management, as well as specialist workshops focused on the challenges facing YWG, including violence, abuse and exploitation and contact with the criminal justice system.

You will have experience in developing and maintaining links with partner agencies (statutory and non-statutory, including children and young people’s and women and girls’ voluntary services) across the six boroughs, raising the profile of the Maia service and developing specific referral pathways for Volunteer Mentors and the YWG they support where appropriate.

You will be knowledgeable and have a strong understanding of the challenges facing vulnerable young women and girls, including the impacts of domestic abuse, exploitation, mental health and contact with the criminal justice system, and of the practical and emotional support needs specific to this group, including education, confidence and relationship-building.

How to apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV with a supporting statement. Please note that only applications made via the job advert on the Advance careers page, and those that include a cover letter will be considered.

Closing Date for Applications:

Interviews are taking place on a rolling basis

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits:

A 35-hour working week

An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!)

Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home

Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more

Pension scheme

Enhanced maternity/adoption provision

Access to our Employee Assistance Programme

Employee eye-care scheme

Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles

Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation

Organisation wide away days

Thorough induction and training

Career development pathways

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. 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.

Safeguarding

Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.