Brief
Employer: Ashiana Network. A Company limited by guarantee and a registered Charity
Post: Senior Housing Support Worker (Maternity Cover)
Reports to: Director of Services - Housing
Supervises: Housing Support Workers
Grade: NJC Scale Point 29
Working Hours: 35 Hours per week
Overtime: Will not be paid. Time off in lieu will be granted for any hours worked in excess
Annual Leave: 25 days per annum plus public holidays
Background
Ashiana is a 'by and for' women's led BME VAWG service with 30 years' experience in delivering a holistic range of specialist services to South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern women affected by VAWG.
Our services
Ashiana runs three refuges with a total of 29 bedspaces; specifically for women aged 16-35 fleeing forced marriage. This multi award winning project is the only service of its kind in the UK and is highly innovative in terms of addressing an area of significant need not met in other refuge provision. Within these refuges we designate a number of bedspaces for women with no recourse to public funds. We offer an advice and support service to women and girls who are experiencing VAWG, enabling them to make informed decisions and exit violent relationships. We provide a legal service supporting women with no recourse to public funds to help resolve their immigration status.
Counselling is offered for women and girls affected by VAWG. The counselling service works from an integrative stance, with the focus of providing a holistic service whereby we also work alongside other services and provide specialist domestic violence group work. The emphasis of therapeutic work with our clients is from a trauma informed model.
We also deliver an education programme for young people in secondary schools in East London aimed at preventing domestic violence and enabling young people experiencing domestic violence to access appropriate services. The prevention service includes delivering a whole school approach in schools to young people as well as group work to women and girls across North East London boroughs as well as community engagement activities and delivery. We deliver a range of awareness raising workshops for young people in the community and training on domestic violence for professionals in the voluntary and statutory sector.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Employer Ashiana Network. A Company limited by guarantee and a registered Charity
Post Senior Housing Support Worker (Maternity Cover)
Reports to Director of Services - Housing
Supervises Housing Support Workers
Grade NJC Scale Point 29
Working Hours 35 Hours per week
Overtime will not be paid. Time off in lieu will be granted for any hours worked in excess
Annual Leave 25 days per annum plus public holidays
BACKGROUND
Ashiana is a 'by and for' women's led BME VAWG service with 30 years' experience in delivering a holistic range of
specialist services to South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern women affected by VAWG.
OUR SERVICES
Ashiana runs three refuges with a total of 29 bedspaces; specifically for women aged 16-35 fleeing forced marriage.
This multi award winning project is the only service of its kind in the UK and is highly innovative in terms of addressing
an area of significant need not met in other refuge provision. Within these refuges we designate a number of
bedspaces for women with no recourse to public funds. We offer an advice and support service to women and girls
who are experiencing VAWG, enabling them to make informed decisions and exit violent relationships. We provide
a legal service supporting women with no recourse to public funds to help resolve their immigration status.
Counselling is offered for women and girls affected by VAWG. The counselling service works from an integrative
stance, with the focus of providing a holistic service whereby we also work alongside other services and provide
specialist domestic violence group work. The emphasis of therapeutic work with our clients is from a trauma
informed model.
We also deliver an education programme for young people in secondary schools in East London aimed at
preventing domestic violence and enabling young people experiencing domestic violence to access appropriate
services. The prevention service includes delivering a whole school approach in schools to young people as well as
group work to women and girls across North East London boroughs as well as community engagement activities
and delivery. We deliver a range of awareness raising workshops for young people in the community and training
on domestic violence for professionals in the voluntary and statutory sector.
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PRIMARY TASK
The post is instrumental in overseeing the delivery of a comprehensive package of services and care for women in
our refuges. To provide a safe environment and a service that is appropriate to the needs of young BME women
particularly those from South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern communities and to support ex-clients following
resettlement.
The post holder will have a caseload of clients and be responsible for providing advice, advocacy, casework and
support to women and girls, advocating on behalf of these women and making others aware of their particular
needs. The post-holder is required to demonstrate sensitivity and an awareness of the culture and needs of
minoritised communities in all aspects of their duties and responsibilities.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:
Staff
❑ Ensuring Line management, support and regular supervision is provided for Housing Support Workers
assigned to each refuge
❑ To ensure a thorough housing services induction is carried out with new staff and ensure this is signed off
❑ To be responsible for being involved in the appraisal structure of Ashiana
❑ Assist the Director of Services with the oversight of the refuges, including supporting with complex cases,
leading on support and safety planning.
❑ Be both a role model and leader to the housing team
❑ To develop a teamwork approach in every aspect of work at the refuges
❑ To ensure staff gain a thorough knowledge of each client and assess, with other staff members, what work
needs to be undertaken
❑ To ensure that all Housing Support Workers are familiar with, and follow, policies and procedures
❑ To ensure rent arrears and voids are maintained to the agreed performance standards and to take necessary
action where these are not being achieved
❑ Motivating staff and provide peer support on the day to day running of a refuge
❑ Participating in the out of hours emergency on-call rota
Case Work
❑ To have a caseload of clients across the schemes and enable them to set & achieve realistic goals
❑ Oversee the day to day running of all Ashiana refuges
❑ Attending refuge sites 4 days per week
❑ Have an oversight of the progress of each client
❑ To ensure all client inductions has been completed and signed off within the required timeline in line with the
service standards
❑ To form a professional relationship with clients to enable them to develop their own self-awareness,
confidence, responsibility and independence
❑ To support and where appropriate, accompany clients to external appointments, i.e., the Housing
Department, DWP, Police, Solicitors and Courts
❑ To ensure Clients are welcomed to the Refuge and receive appropriate support during their stay
❑ To ensure that necessary advice and support is available to clients on their housing, legal, financial, and where
appropriate marital situation
❑ To encourage clients to consider employment, training, and further education options
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❑ To encourage clients to integrate into the community and local faith-based events
❑ To ensure that clients are consulted and encouraged to participate in the daily running of the Refuge
❑ To encourage clients to think about their future housing needs and assist with nominations and
accommodation search
❑ To support ex-clients during the period following their resettlement from the refuge in accordance with the
resettlement policy. This will entail maintaining contact and providing all necessary after-care support
❑ To develop and implement a model of tenant participation which best meets the needs of the client group
❑ To carry out work under MVDAC adhering to IAA level 1 guidelines or under immigration solicitor's
supervision
❑ To attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) when needed
❑ Update vacancies on Routes to Support on a daily basis
Agencies
❑ To establish and maintain contact with relevant pan-London statutory and voluntary agencies and organisations
❑ Taking part in stalls and events with team members to represent the organisation
Peer Support
❑ To support the Director of Services in ensuring that the referral, admission, eviction and move-on procedures
are properly managed
❑ To work alongside the Senior Advice workers to develop volunteers in a refuge setting by providing
mentoring/coaching in order to gain refuge experience
❑ To work with other Senior Workers on processes around referral pathways to ensure the smooth running of
services
❑ To support the Director of Services in ensuring all Health & Safety is being carried out and to be involved in
monitoring checks accordingly
❑ To ensure effective and positive communication with all teams within Ashiana
❑ To maintain positive working relationships with the Senior Staff and within the Advice, Legal and Counselling
teams
General
❑ To share in the consideration of referrals and assessments of prospective clients
❑ To support the Director of Services in planning the programme of induction for new staff
❑ Support client's during mental health crises and emergencies
❑ Ensure collection of rent & banking is carried out on a monthly basis across all refuges
❑ To ensure all maintenance issues are responded to and resolved in a timely manner
❑ To collate Housing Services Team's residents list
❑ Deal with clients' complaints as and when required
❑ Collate Housing Services Team quarterly updates
❑ Collate monthly good and bad practice logs
❑ To set up and maintain information, record keeping and monitoring systems in line with agreed practices and
procedures
❑ To maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to the organisation and clients
❑ To support Director of Services and Housing Support Workers with all aspects of monitoring
❑ Collate all monitoring information relevant to the service
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❑ To prepare regular reports for the Board of Trustees and the Senior Management Team
❑ To attend Staff Meetings, Good Practice Meetings, Training Sessions, Supervision sessions and actively
contribute
❑ To attend training as and when required
❑ To be aware of and responsible for being involved for bringing own training needs to the attention of the
Director of Services as part of supervision and personal development
❑ Support Line Manager as and when required
❑ To be responsible for all aspects of Health and Safety of self, staff, clients and visitors
❑ To ensure the active promotion of and implementation of Ashiana's Equality & Diversity Policy
❑ To act at all times within the ethos, policies, and procedures of Ashiana Network
❑ This includes the Confidentiality Policy, Adult/Child Protection Policy, Health and Safety Policy, Diversity &
Equality Policy and Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
❑ To work at all times in the best interest of Ashiana Network and to avoid any action that may cast Ashiana
Network and or its activities into disrepute
❑ To carry out any other duties commensurate with the objectives of the post as requested by Ashiana
Finance
❑ To deliver financial procedures training within Housing Services Team
❑ To ensure that an efficient system of collecting rents is maintained
❑ Collate accurate rent sheets for all schemes and send to Finance Manager
❑ Attend regular meetings with Finance Manager to ensure the accuracy of refuge finances
❑ Regular liaison with the Housing Benefit departments in boroughs where our refuges are located to ensure
regular payment of Housing Benefit
❑ To keep up to date with Housing Benefit legislation
General duties for all staff
Please note that this list is indicative of the key responsibilities of this role but is by no means exhaustive. Ashiana
is an organisation responding to complex and challenging issues and a 'can do' attitude and flexibility to take on
other related tasks is essential.
In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is required, and the post holder may be required to
perform work not specifically outlined above. Such duties however will fall within the scope of the job. This job
description will therefore be subject to review with the post holder, to ensure it accurately reflects the duties and
range of the post; the aim being, to improve the quality of its services; for women and girls and all matters
relating to their wellbeing.
This job description does not form part of the contract of employment.
Employee's Name:
Signature of Employee:
Signature of Director:
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Your application should give clear examples of experience, knowledge, skills and abilities gained in both paid
and/or unpaid (volunteer) work for each of the Person Specification criteria.
EXPERIENCE
Essential
Substantial experience of working within an environment providing care and support
Experience of managing and supervising two or more staff
Experience of working with young South Asian, Turkish or Middle Eastern women
Experience of advice and support work
Experience of providing mental health crisis intervention
Knowledge of how local authorities and housing associations work
Knowledge of welfare benefits
Understanding of public policy issues concerning provision for victims of VAWG
Knowledge of legislations relevant to violence against women and girls and in particular, harmful practices
Knowledge of statutory social work legislation including Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, Housing Act 1996,
(HA1996) and the Homelessness Act 2002 and Domestic Abuse Act 2021
Experience of preparing monitoring reports for funders
A commitment to the principles of Equality and Diversity
Desirable
Experience of working with young South Asian women survivors of sexual abuse
Experience of working in a women only Network
An ability to speak at least 1 Asian/Turkish/Middle Eastern language and deliver support in one of these languages
Experience of fund-raising
SKILLS & ABILITIES
Essential
An ability to plan and develop own workload, work under pressure and motivate others to meet targets
Good verbal and written skills, interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate at a variety of levels in a
range of statutory and voluntary organisations
An ability to manage a budget
An ability to lead and work as part of a small team
An ability to take direction and also to work on own initiative
An ability to work independently, organise, prioritise, and manage change
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Experience of tenant participation within the supported housing field
To be able to form quick and effective working relationships with clients, partner agencies and other
professionals
AWARENESS
An understanding of the issues affecting young people
An understanding of the needs of young South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern women
An understanding of the impact of discrimination on the lives of South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern women
CIRCUMSTANCES
The post is not suitable for full hybrid working. It requires occasional evening and weekend work and ability to
participate in the on-call rota.
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