Female* Trainee Safe House & Community Support Worker - Next Link

Candidates, please note that this is not a North Somerset Council vacancy and as such all correspondence must be made directly to Next Link. The successful applicant will not be employed by North Somerset Council., We are looking for highly motivated women to work as a Trainee Safe House & Community Support Worker within a dynamic fast paced team. You will be supported to develop the skills, knowledge and competencies to contribute to and assist in providing high quality safe house accommodation and support to women, men and children who have experienced domestic abuse, with a victim centred approach, focussing on safety and recovery.,

• Assist with the assessment of women / families referred to the service


• Working alongside colleagues help carry out risk assessments including DASH, co-produce safety plans with the client's, regularly review the plans, enabling women to assess and manage risk to their own and their children's safety


• Working alongside colleagues help carry out needs assessments which effectively establish the support needs of families and enable support to be offered as quickly as possible


• In conjunction with the service user complete the empowerment star and draw up a support plan.


• Advise women on personal safety and safety procedures regarding the safe house


• Enable and encourage families to take advantage of all services relevant to their safety such as legal advice, housing and benefits rights, education, medical treatment, counselling etc.


• Work in partnership with other agencies e.g. the police, local authority, health, social services, education, youth service and the voluntary sector to ensure efficient mechanisms for referrals and to advocate for survivors to ensure their needs are met


• Safeguard the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk; working within Missing Link's safeguarding policies, South West Child Protection Procedures and local procedures for safeguarding adults at risk


• Advise and support service users with the range of move on options available, draw up and deliver move-on plans


This is not an exhaustive list of your duties and outlines the general ways in which it is expected you will meet the overall requirements of this post.


• Numeracy and literacy to NVQ 2 or equivalent


• Empathy with the needs of victims of domestic abuse and vulnerable women with complex needs and the barriers they face


• Ability to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of contact with service users on a case management system, other related information and to communicate with colleagues and stakeholders using common Microsoft Office packages, e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook and other IT software


• Ability to adhere to and set professional boundaries and recognise the need for personal safety, whilst establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with service users (training will be provided)


• Be available and committed to be part of the out of hours on call rota and work regular shift patterns during weekdays 9am - 8pm and some Saturdays


• A current, full driving licence and access to appropriate motorised transport


If you are passionate about ensuring vulnerable women have a safe, comfortable place to live, please apply now to join us as our Trainee Safe House & Community Support Worker and contribute to the valuable work Next Link and its wider services, delivering hope and support to survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

We have a rewarding opportunity available for a Female Trainee Safe House Support Worker to join our team based in North Somerset. The head office is in Bristol and you will join us on a part-time, permanent basis working 18.75 hours per week (this includes participation on out of hours telephone on-call rota and some evening and Saturday working on a rota basis). In return, you will receive a competitive salary of Point 7 £24,294 pro rata per annum and benefits.

Established in 1999, Next Link is the leading provider of domestic abuse services to women and children in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. At Next Link we are committed to providing holistic, empowering and personalised support and advocacy to women and children experiencing domestic abuse. With a focus on survivors' safety and recovery; we believe the provision of flexible support tailored to survivors' needs can be transforming, helping to maximise independence and self-determination so survivors can make informed choices.

In return for joining us, we will offer you:

• Up to 30 days annual leave (depending on length of service)


• 3 extra holidays including International Women's Day


• Excellent development and training opportunities


• Employer pension contribution (minimum 5% of your gross salary)


• Mindful Employer Plus Scheme


• Cycle to Work Scheme


• Long Service Awards


• Wellness Awards