Refuge Worker (Domestic Abuse Support Service)

We are Hestia. We make a difference. 

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. We provide a range of services, including Domestic Abuse support, Modern Slavery assistance, Mental Health & Complex Needs care, and Criminal Justice. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence.

The service you will work in….

Merton Domestic Abuse service emotionally and practically supports service users who live in our accommodation based refuge provision and the local borough. 

A day in this role looks like….

As a Refuge Worker at Hestia, you will play a crucial role in our Domestic Abuse service. Your contributions will directly influence the lives of our service users, guiding them towards a path of empowerment and independence. A day will never look the same and some of the things you can expect to do/be responsible for are:

• Develop positive relationships with women and their child(ren) in order to enable them to work towards and achieve their goals, using a strengths based approach.
• Advocate on behalf of families, and where appropriate accompanying them to relevant agencies in order to formulate, implement and review support plans with the participation of the service user themselves.
• Support families with issues and concerns surrounding domestic abuse.
• To develop a robust SUI package including promoting events, networking, fundraising and carrying out service users' consultation and obtaining feedback.
• To report any safeguarding related incidents immediately to line manager.
• Contribute positively towards five key outcome areas - Being healthy, Staying safe, Enjoy and achieve, Making a positive contribution and Achieve economic wellbeing.
• To provide intensive casework, support, and monitoring of general, and support needs, facilitated by key-sessions, community meetings, and general day-to-day contact
• To provide advice, information, and support to the service users on safety – including around domestic abuse and independent living, as required
• To work with service users in co-producing a ‘Safety Plan' and ‘Strengths and Aspirations Plan', with a focus on the individuals' strengths to meet their chosen goals
• To fulfil our obligations and responsibilities to inform, and work with any relevant statutory bodies, for example, Social Services in regard to Child Safeguarding issues/concerns and to follow the Hestia Safeguarding policies and procedures at all times
• To provide casework which identifies and builds in appropriate support of the individuals housing needs, including supporting them in establishing move on accommodation
• To help facilitate, promote, and evaluate social activities and workshops for service users which may focus on, and encourage empowerment, for example self-esteem and confidence building and assertiveness training

Why Hestia?

Joining Hestia means more than just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of something bigger. We offer a supportive, inclusive and resolution driven work environment where your contributions are recognised and valued. As a member of our team, you will have the chance to grow both personally and professionally while making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

We are looking for candidates who bring a combination of passion, expertise, and dedication to the table. To excel in this role, you should possess:

• • Experience of working with people with a range of different support needs, aspirations for their future and associated risks
  • Experience of delivering high quality accommodation-based support services to people with a range of needs and risks
  • Good knowledge of welfare benefits and housing options and legislation related to statutory duty
  • An ability to undertake client-focused key working, support planning and risk assessments to maximise Service Users' independence
  • Good understanding of the range of issues, diagnoses, and treatment relevant to the client group including mental health and substance misuse
  • Commitment to equal opportunities and to promoting service users' rights, privacy, dignity, choice and control
  • Ability to liaise with external professionals to inform and develop Service Users' support package
  • Willingness to actively engage in undertaking relevant personal development and training
  • Ability to travel throughout the Borough of operation
  • Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and ability to address them appropriately Schedule 9 (1a) of the Equality Act 2010 applies to this position – (Only Female applicants please)

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.