JOB DESCRIPTION
POST: Refuge Support Worker
SALARY: £25,628 - £27,359 per annum pro rata
LOCATION: Based in Refuge, Mansfield.
HOURS: 18.5-hour post per week, flexibly over seven days, working 3 days a week.
The Refuge runs on a rota basis covering Monday to
Friday 9 am –7pm, Saturday 9 am to 1.00 pm.
Rota basis on call for out of hours' cover
RESPONSIBLE TO: Refuge Services Co-ordinator and Refuge Services Team Leader
This post requires you to work as part of the Refuge Team and alongside the services within the organisation.
The refuge offers safe, temporary 24-hour accommodation with an "out of office hours" on call system that responds to the needs of women, children and young people who have experienced or are escaping domestic abuse. The refuge worker must ensure she works in a sensitive, flexible and non-judgemental way in order to respond to the diverse needs of women, children and young people within the refuge setting and on the help line.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
· To offer practical and emotional support to women experiencing domestic abuse
· To key work and encourage regular one to one support sessions and group work
· To work alongside the Child Support Workers in ensuring that children's needs are met and that all House Guidelines, Health and Safety and Fire regulations are understood.
· Support the aims and principles of the project including to empower and support women and children in making decisions and taking control of their lives
· To accompany women to relevant appointments/social and leisure opportunities as necessary in line with Nottinghamshire Women's Aid Ltd policy and procedure and agreed with Refuge Service Coordinator.
· To respond to the needs of the service users on issues around:
o The provision of legal, housing and welfare rights advice and practical support
o Advocacy and liaison with other agencies e.g. housing departments, solicitors, courts, social services, schools, doctors, DSS etc
o Provision of information about local agencies and community resources
o Help with arranging furniture removals and storage and re-housing
o To ensure telephone support, information, resources, signposting and referring where necessary to families.
o Tenancy, license agreement, inventory and property review issues.
· Follow all procedures for the initial enquiry, referral and admission process
· To carry the Out Of hours On Call Emergency Phone on a rota basis as agreed with the Refuge Service Coordinator.
· Ensure the smooth running of the refuge to aid self-contained and communal living
· Completing with the client Tenancy, Licence agreements, flat or room inventories and full property reviews.
· Set up and maintain accurate client records
· To liaise and build up networks with other local agencies
· To attend external meeting as agreed with the Refuge Service Coordinator
· Be responsible for collecting accurate daily information for monitoring purposes and to ensure the information is passed to the relevant person for collation and distribution purposes
· Record all relevant financial transactions according to procedures for rent collection and other financial systems
· Take joint responsibility for the collection of mail and deal with relevant correspondence
· Be jointly responsible for the maintenance of the house, grounds and equipment
· To report all repairs to the relevant department or person/s
· To report on the relevant paperwork any damages and/or renewals to the Refuge Service Coordinator
· Facilitate weekly house meetings and refuge social events as and when required
· Ensuring wellbeing client checks are completed.
· In conjunction with the Refuge team, organise and facilitate groups, events, information sessions and leisure sessions for families on issues around Domestic Violence and/or any other related issues
· To participate and attend training as identified and agreed with the Refuge Service Coordinator
· Attend team, project and trustee meetings as agreed with the Refuge Service Co-ordinator
· To work on a rota basis to ensure that the Refuge Service is covered Monday – Sunday and to work flexibly as and when required
· Ensure that all health and safety regulations, policies and procedures are adhered to
· To take all possible steps to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the users and employees of the organisation
· To be aware of and implement policies and procedures as set out by Nottinghamshire Women's Aid Ltd
· Direct key work with individual clients
· To participate in regular supervision and appraisal to be agreed by Refuge Services Co-ordinator
· To follow child protection policies and procedure and liaise with Refuge and Children's Services Co-ordinators
· To take joint responsibility for the staffing of the helpline
· To work closely with external agencies and organisations
· To take joint responsibility to ensure the smooth efficient running of the refuge office eg filing, photocopying, stationery, inventories etc
· To ensure all weekly Refuge Timetable of events occur at appropriate and relevant times
· To work within the aims, objectives and principles of Women's Aid Federation England and ensure a high quality service is offered to women and children escaping domestic violence
· To work as part of Nottinghamshire Women's Aid Ltd Refuge Service Team in order to develop services and build relationships across the projects
· To carry out any other duties which may vary from time to time as may reasonably be required within the general level of responsibilities of the post
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £25,628.00-£27,359.00 per year
Expected hours: 18.5 per week
Work Location: In person