INTRODUCTION TO THE POST

Volunteer Support Worker

Introduction:

The project is female led and will offer a ‘Whole System Approach’, supporting women with a connection to Norfolk through their Criminal Justice System (CJS) journey. The case model our partnership will adopt will provide an individual support service to women presenting as vulnerable, with complex and multiple needs. We will provide a safe space where service users are confident in their options and choices, and ensuring that they have the opportunity to turn their lives around.

The service offers intensive support and works flexibly filling potential gaps, meeting and supporting the women with a service tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.

Support includes police station/court based assessments, local authority Homelessness Applications and access to supported housing. Service Users will also be diverted from homelessness applications into suitable private rented accommodation where appropriate. Other interventions will include access to drug and alcohol services and rehab programmes, support in accessing mental health services, referral to family support, and support around safe exiting from sex work. Through our partnership Service users will also have access to Sexual health screening.

The service will address mental health, homelessness, isolation, poverty, risk of (re) offending, drug and alcohol issues and unemployment. The service will offer opportunities for housing, work, prosperity, stability, belonging, aspiration and treatment.

Client Group:

The aim of this service is to provide emotional and practical support to females experiencing a range of disadvantages, typically:

  • supporting women coming into contact with the Criminal Justice System – court, PIC’s, Conditional Cautions
  • Women with children
  • Women with complex need (often mental health issues, substance abuse problems).
  • Women who identified as very vulnerable (to domestic abuse for example).
  • Women who are sex workers

Model of Support: The nature and length of the support is service user needs driven. Key support includes finding safe accommodation, helping women access key support agencies such as mental health, substance abuse and physical health agencies and where possible, supporting women to re establish contact with family and friends.

Peer Advisors Support

As with all of our services, the WONDER+team comprise of a small group of St Giles Peer Advisors and Volunteers. The peer advisors/volunteers will have either completed their Level 2/3 in Mentoring or Level 3 Advice and Guidance or are close to completing the vocational qualification through their practical work experience with the community team. We will also support them with their own needs, including sourcing paid employment.

Job Profile

Volunteer Support Worker

Title: / Volunteer Support Worker
Responsible to: / Contract Manager (Norfolk & Suffolk)
Days: / Ideally 2-3 days per week
Aim of the role: / To provide support to the Team and to work with clients to provide emotional and practical support.
Location: / Norfolk

Specific roles

  1. Providing support to females experiencing a range of disadvantages
  1. To meet clients and discuss support needs
  1. To discuss support needs and sign post if required to other agencies
  1. To build relationships with other agencies
  1. To support and help clients to reach specific goals
  1. To follow health and safety policies and procedures as instructed by placement and St Giles Trust. Promote the ethos of St Giles Trust
  1. Develop and maintain positive and professional working relationships with all members of staff at St Giles Trust, City Reach and Futures.
  1. Carry out similar duties which may be required by the Trust.

ESSENTIAL:

Experience, aptitude and knowledge

  1. Ability to work on own initiative and to follow instructions when required
  1. An understanding of the issues faced by our clients
  1. An understanding of providing support to our client group
  1. Ability to calculate risk and implement safety procedures when engaging with clients
  2. Good written and communication skills, including form filling
  1. Ability to assist in the running of groups and the willingness to work with clients one on one
  1. The willingness to undergo any training for the role of Volunteer Support Worker

Desirable

  1. Access to own transport would be an advantage

Please note this role will be subject to DBS checks.

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Wonder+ Link WorkerJan 2018