Job Description

• Restore Women’s Aid
• Address: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3FT
• Salary: £16,480 - £17,113 actual per annum (£27,693 - £28,142 pro rata)
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent. Required as soon as possible
• Reference: 0838

Restore Women’s Aid is looking for a Domestic Abuse Outreach Support Worker

Location: Restore, Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.

Responsible to: Support Services Manager.

Scope of the job

Using your communication skills and proactive attitude you will empower survivors of domestic abuse to live a life without fear. Working in our community-based service you will provide emotional and practical support to those who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse. Enabling clients to reach informed decisions about their future, you will undertake risk assessments, produce safety plans, and liaise with statutory and other agencies. In addition, you will facilitate group work programmes and take calls on our specialist helpline.

You must be well organised and have a professional and flexible approach to your work along with a calm and re-assuring manner.

Purpose of the post

To provide a specialist and confidential domestic abuse service to clients in the community that ensures those who have engaged with Restore:

• are safer

• feel safer

• feel more empowered and confident

• have an increased understanding of domestic abuse and risk factors

• are more aware of safety measures

• have an increased understanding of the abuse they are experiencing.

Direct work with clients:

• providing skilled practical help and emotional support to enable clients to reach an informed decision regarding their future including conducting risk assessments, producing emergency safety plans, writing support plans and liaising with statutory and other agencies.

• informing clients of their rights and options – giving safety planning advice and explaining the effectiveness of criminal and civil court sanctions that may be available to them

• enabling and encouraging clients to access relevant services to ensure their safety and wellbeing e.g. legal services, housing and benefits agencies, education, health, counselling etc

• assessing risk and the implications of this, involving other agencies as appropriate

• being mindful at all times of the safety of clients, volunteers, colleagues and yourself

• working within national and county guidelines especially in relation to good working practices

• facilitating group work programmes in the community

• taking part in the provision of the helpline service.

Inter-agency work:

• work with Police, the local authority, children and adult social services, Education, Health, Youth Services and the voluntary sector to ensure clear referral pathways and to support multi-agency working

• support the local MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference) through appropriate information sharing, referral and research

• deliver presentations /workshops to clients and work creatively in order to raise awareness of Restore services and the issues around domestic abuse with other agencies, organisations and professionals to improve responses to victims.

Administration:

• maintain relevant records for clients and ensure such records are kept up to date. Adhere to the requirements of the Data Protection Act and Restore policies and procedures

• undertake general office duties, e-mails and correspondence commensurate with the role

• maintain relevant service user statistics as required by the organisation’s leadership team, colleagues, funders and others

• ensure continual awareness of developments in legislation and policy which are relevant to the needs of clients and have a commitment to continual professional development.

Health and safety:

• at all times to work in a safe and efficient manner, be aware of the organisations health and safety policies

• where appropriate, participate in addressing the risks identified in the health and safety annual audit.

Internal participation:

• regularly attend and participate in staff and client review meetings and inform colleagues who cannot attend of agreed outcomes and actions

• supporting colleagues sharing information and mentoring where necessary.

Performance and development:

• be individually responsible for achieving measurable quality in designated areas of performance as allocated by the Principal Operations Manager or Manager

• identify possible areas of development within the service and bring these to the attention of the Principal Operations Manager or Support Services Manager, assisting with their creative development and implementation as part of the outreach team.

Other duties:

• support frontline public relations service by answering and dealing with/forwarding telephone calls and post for the organisation

• undertake any other duties as required commensurate with the post

• provide continuity to all our services in the case of staff absences.

Benefits:

• monthly clinical Supervision

• monthly wellbeing hour

• regular team wellbeing days

• long service annual leave increase

• a Healthshield Membership (on completion of probation period)

• real living wage accredited.

To find out more

To find out more, please email Stephanie on peopleteam@restore-wa.org.uk

To apply, please request an application pack by emailing peopleteam@restore-wa.org.uk

Previous applicants need not apply.