Duty Worker

Location: Waltham Forest

Salary: (Salary Band 2.1) Unqualified- £27,582.75 -£29,174.06 per annum pro rated to contracted months

(Salary Band 2.2) Qualified - £29,174.06 - £31,826.25 per annum pro rated to contracted months

(Please note, successful candidates are usually appointed at the bottom of the relevant band)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (Approximately 10-12 months; the exact duration will depend on the start date )

Closing Date: 17th September 2024 at 12 noon

Interview Date: 25th & 26th September 2024

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 Duty 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

Waltham Forest Advocacy & Support Services (SASS) provide free and confidential support to survivors of abuse within the community. The teams are made up of professional staff offering short to medium term support to women and men affected by domestic and sexual violence in the community. Our team offer information, advocacy and specialist services to increase safety and meet a range of needs – these can include ongoing safety concerns, emotional or housing support, legal options, reporting to the police, help around child contact, benefits and financial advice. As part of the support we also ensure survivors can access therapeutic support via the Waltham Forest Therapeutic Marketplace. 

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen in this busy team for a Duty Worker.  The successful candidate will be responsible in dealing with all incoming referrals and queries to the Advocacy Service. The role will involve processing all referrals, liaising with professionals, establishing initial contact as per the service’s contract requirement. The process of initial contact will involve completing a SafeLives risk assessment, assessing the service user’s practical and therapeutic needs and supporting with any urgent needs that arise during this contact. Additionally, the duty worker will make appropriate referral out, this includes MARAC and complete adult and child safeguarding referrals where required in line with Solace’s policies and procedures. The Duty Worker will maintain and manage any waiting list and will work closely with all members of the team in relation to the allocation of cases and case updates.

About You

Successful applicants will have in-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on service users and their children, and experience of working with women who have experienced domestic and/or sexual abuse. You will also have experience of using Office Excel and case management system. You will also have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

In return, we offer great employee 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.

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working
• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Employer pension contribution
• Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits and savings
• Eye Care Vouchers
• Flow & Restore yoga classes
• Meditation sessions
• Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

Please submit your CV and Supporting Statement through the recruitment portal. When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

• Values, Behaviours & Competencies
• Knowledge, Experience and Skills

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.

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.

No agencies.