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 Housing Floating Support Worker

Salary: £27,000 - £32,000

Location: Hammersmith (with some travel to Stratford and Finsbury Park)

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

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 Floating Support Worker will specialise in working with women for whom housing and risk of tenancy breakdown is a priority. You will provide specialist housing and domestic abuse support to women aged 18 and over. The accommodation needs of the women you support will require you to advocate and support for each woman efficiently and empathically, whilst liaising with providers and stakeholders to ensure her accommodation needs are met. The role is dynamic and requires the post holder to respond to women with effective crisis intervention, advocacy and support. They will be required to coordinate the provision of multi-agency support which focuses on working with clients to maintain their tenancies and prevent homelessness. The post holder will establish positive, proactive, and innovative working relationships with housing services and partner agencies.

About You:

To be successful as the Housing Floating Support Worker, you will need the below experience and skills:

Solid experience of supporting women who have experienced domestic abuse in all its forms, come from a sector with transferrable skills or possess a feminist/VAWG degree and be keen to learn and to train on the job

A good understanding of violence against women and girls with a particular focus on the dynamics of domestic abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, so-called ‘honour-based violence’, forced marriage, stalking and harassment) and its impact on women, children, families, and communities

Skills and experience in conducting comprehensive assessments of needs and risk for survivors experiencing domestic abuse, including carrying out short risk management and safety planning

Experience in assessing the needs and safety of any children that women using the service may have

An understanding of the criminal justice system and relevant legislation with regard to legal and civil options, housing, benefits, matrimonial and children

A good knowledge of safeguarding practice, procedures, and legislation

Other skills and experience:

Good data collection, monitoring and IT skills

A relevant qualification or training, for example in domestic abuse, criminal justice, law, social work, substance misuse or related area

Flexibility to work as part of Advance’s duty team on a rota basis which will involve completing intake assessments and providing crisis intervention support

We recognise that women often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the criteria. We encourage you to demonstrate how your skills and experience would make you an asset to the role, and if you don’t have the exact skills/experience, tell us in your cover letter how you think you might grow and develop in the role.

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.

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

Interviews are taking place on a rolling basis

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.