Independent Domestic & Sexual Violence Advocate
We have an exciting opportunity for a Independent Domestic & Sexual Violence Advocate (IDSVA) to join the team in London, working 37.5 hours a week.
Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it?
Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?
If yes, then we’d love to hear from you…
County/Borough Kensington and Chelsea Office location 2nd Floor, Whitecross Studios, 50 Banner Street, London EC1Y 8ST Full time/Part time Full time Hours per week 37.5 Work schedule Monday to Friday but may be required to work flexibly over 7 days a week dependent on service delivery and client need Basic Salary Qualified Total- £30,850.00 per annum (FTE £28,050.00 per annum plus £2,800 per annum London Weighting Allowance) Unqualified Total- £28,810.00 per annum (FTE £26,010 per annum plus £2,800 per annum London Weighting Allowance) Allowances London Weighting,Travel expenses Contract type Fixed Term DBS required? Yes End date (if fixed term) 31/03/2025 Police vetting required? Yes Closing Date 12/06/2024 Ref No 5582
What we offer:
At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:
1. £500 bonus paid on successful completion of probationary period (pro-rata for part time roles)
2. Flexible working options including hybrid working
3. 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
4. An extra day off for your birthday
5. Pension with 5% employer contribution
6. Enhanced sick pay allowances, maternity & paternity payments
7. High Street, retail, holiday, entertainment & leisure discounts
8. Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
9. Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
10. Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression
About the Role:
You may be a qualified IDSVA or a Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker wanting to work alongside health professionals in a hospital environment, although we will consider applicants from other fields providing you are able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of both domestic and sexual violence.
This role involves both face to face and virtual support in a hybrid model of working. There is an expectation that you will do a mixture of working from home, our office in Old Street and in co-location at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
As a Hospital Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocate you will:
11. Implement effective ways of working with victims and those supporting them to increase safety and reduce harm.
12. Provide a high-quality, front-line service to victims of domestic and sexual abuse, delivering a premium service prioritised according to risk, primarily focusing on victim/survivors aged 16+
13. Work within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership responses to domestic and sexual abuse to keep safety central to all services for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.
14. Be comfortable with running group training sessions and be willing and able to share your specialist knowledge with acute staff across the hospital.
15. Have excellent communication skills, a proactive approach and the confidence to be able to influence the way in which this service is delivered are key.
Please note that the successful applicant will be required to sign an honorary contract with the Hospital Trust in addition to their contract of employment.
You will need:
16. Have a knowledge of help-seeking barriers and support needs of victims of domestic and sexual abuse (in heterosexual or same-sex relationships).
17. Have a good understanding of domestic and sexual abuse including the impact of abuse on victims and their children.
18. Understand the principles of risk assessment, safety planning and risk management for victims of domestic and sexual abuse and their children.
19. Understand safeguarding issues, and the legal responsibilities surrounding these issues.
20. Direct service delivery to victims of domestic and sexual abuse or other vulnerable people.
21. Have excellent communication, negotiation and advocacy skills, both written and verbal when interacting with a range of agencies and individuals. Understand and be committed to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.
22. Have a strong crisis management skills and the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations.