JOB TITLE:Project Worker

TEAM:Resettlement Team

GROUP:Operations

LOCATION:Sheffield

REPORTS TO:Team Manager

GRADE:5

HOURS:14

Context and Purpose of the Job

The Refugee Council is the largest charity working solely with asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, and provides services to clients from offices in London,, Leeds, Sheffield Hull Birmingham Luton Maidstone and Croydon.

The UK government has committed itself to a refugee resettlement programme whereby people fleeing persecution are selected and processed in the region of origin and brought to the UK with their status already determined. Under this scheme called Gateway Protection Programme, a specific quota of refugees will be coming to the UK for permanent resettlement. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum act 2002 contains provision for this programme and civil servants have been developing proposals for the pilot phase. The scheme began formally on 1st April 2003 with the first arrivals in Yorkshire and Humberside arriving in March 2004.

The resettlement team provides advice and support for resettled refugees to help them access services and mainstream provision, and establish community links. Based in Sheffieldand Hull with varying amounts of outreach, you will assist families in settling in the UK. Working closely with local stakeholders and in partnership with other voluntary sector agencies running similar services across the UK, the Refugee Council resettlement team in Yorkshire and Humberside promotes both the integration and independence of this group. The Integration potential of new arrivals is often directly linked to their English language abilities. The resettlement team delivers the service in a way that promotes English language learning. To this end you will work with managers, colleagues, volunteers and stakeholders to develop innovative ways of delivering the resettlement programme and improving client independence through improved English language skills.

The post holder will be based in Sheffieldand will be required to attend team meetings inSheffieldor Hull and may occasionally be required to cover for colleagues in Hull.. Staff members will be required to a use a mobile phone.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  1. To provide a safe and welcoming environment for refugees ensuring that standards are maintained, monitored and that the service meets all statutory and other requirements.
  2. Assess English Language level for each new refugee arrival using recognised toolkits.
  3. To assess need for interpretation, taking into consideration complexity of information or advice. If interpretation deemed necessary, provide interpretation (either directly or by arranging interpretation through others who are appropriately qualified to meet agreed standards).
  4. To assist refugees who may be in a confused or distressed state in understanding systems in the UK.
  5. To source appropriate English language support materials to assist clients to become independent.
  6. To provide advice and support to refugees on benefits, statutory, voluntary and mainstream services
  7. To assist clients into English Language Provision formal and informal.
  8. To provide refugees with information about refugee community organisations and agencies for longer term support.
  9. To assist with the integration of refugees into their local community.
  10. Assist volunteers to set up conversation classes, English at home classes or other volunteer projects.
  11. To assist refugees in accessing services e.g., benefits, education and health services.
  12. Help devise interactive language learning material for refugees to assist orientation in their new city
  13. To assist refugees in making contact with family and friends in the UK.
  14. To maintain confidentiality in all dealings with refugees.

Additional Information

Health & Safety

The post holder is responsible for:

Cooperating with the Refugee Council in delivering all legal responsibilities in respect of your own and your colleagues, volunteers, clients and others health and safety whilst at work.

Becoming familiar with the Refugee Council’s Health & Safety Policy and procedures including evacuation procedures at your workplace.

Carrying out risk assessments of your own work and especially of your own workstation to ensure that you do not expose yourself or others to unnecessary risk.

Flexibility

In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post-holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties will, however, fall within the scope of the job, at the appropriate grade. The job description will be subject to periodic review with the post-holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties of the job.

Equal Opportunities Statement

As part of its recruitment policy, the Refugee Council intends to ensure that no prospective or actual employee is discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation, employment status, class, disability, age, religious belief or political persuasion, or is disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which is not demonstrably justifiable.

Working at the Refugee Council

A commitment to the work of the Refugee Council.

This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check. Repeat checks are initiated every two years.

JOB TITLE:Project Worker - Resettlement Team

Experience

Essential

  1. Experience of direct client work sufficient to advise vulnerable service users on a range of immigration, resettlement and welfare related issues.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

  1. A good general knowledge of the following: Social Security, homelessness, immigration law and practice and an understanding of how these affect refugees.
  2. Knowledge and understanding of the difficulties faced by newly arrived refugees, including language and the ability to adapt service delivery to address this need. Knowledge of the difficulties refugees have in accessing services in the UK and the role refugee community organisations, refugee assisting agencies and the wider voluntary sector have in addressing these.
  3. Ability to negotiate clearly and sensitively with statutory agencies on behalf of clients.
  4. Ability to communicate complex information to confused and distressed clients.
  5. Excellent listening skills and the ability to empathise as well as establish boundaries to avoid emotional over-involvement.
  6. Sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural organisation and the ability to work with colleagues from other cultures.
  7. Good command of spoken and written English.
  8. Basic word processing and database skills, or the willingness to learn.
  9. Ability to prioritise and manage own workload within a pressurised environment.
  10. Understanding of basic health and safety requirements.
  11. Ability to take a flexible and creative approach to the demands of the post, working on own initiative as well as within a structured team work plan.
  12. Ability to work effectively with interpreters, colleagues in the team and to establish good working relationships with other teams in the Refugee Council, other refugee agencies and community groups.
  13. Commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities and its practical applications for own working practice.
  14. Ability and willingness to work flexible hours and travel within the region.

July 2014

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You can apply for this job at

Registered charity no. 1014576 Registered company no. 2727514 Registered address: Gredley House, 1-11 Broadway, Stratford, E15 4BQ