Mental Health Caseworker [for female survivors of exploitation] | CommunityNI

Position:
Mental health caseworker [for female survivors of exploitation].
Salary : £24,000
Hours:
Full time [35 hours per week]
Contract : Fixed Term – 3 years – extension subject to funding
Location:
Flourish Office, Room 101, 68-72 Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 1GW
Reporting to:
Senior Caseworker/Flourish manager
Flourish is looking for a mental health caseworker to provide support to predominantly young female survivors of modern slavery. Our work is challenging but immensely rewarding and we thank you for your interest.
If you are motivated and passionate about empowering and supporting survivors of exploitation, then this post could be for you. You must be able to provide person centred support and be aware of the benefits of trauma-informed and strength-based working environments.
In return, we will provide the opportunity to develop your skills, professional supervision, and support, along with being part of a team where your views count and where you can make a lasting difference to the lives of survivors.
Background:
Do not wait to apply after reading this description a high application volume is expected for this opportunity.
Flourish NI provides long term support to male and female survivors of human trafficking and their immediate families. Our aim is to empower survivors of human trafficking to be able to move on to lead independent and resilient lives which are not defined by their past – “a brighter future”.
We provide one to one casework support
that is tailored to meet the holistic needs of the individual and carried out by trained staff and volunteers.
We prioritise ways for survivors
to share community, learn new skills, build confidence, and improve their general well-being either through attendance at Flourish programmes, courses, and activities, through sign posting or partnership work.
We provide training
to case workers, befrienders, other organisations in areas surrounding
trafficking and long-term support for survivors.
Our Core Values:
Community:
We believe in and value every individual within Flourish.
Empowerment:
We believe in person centred support that is both professional and compassionate to enable survivors to take back control of their own lives with dignity and hope.
Excellence:
We will continue to pursue excellence in all aspects of the charity, going above and beyond just what is needed.
Accountability:
We value transparency and integrity in all of our actions.
Integrity:
We believe that truthfulness and honesty are key principles in all relationships within Flourish.
Partnership:
We believe in the value of working together with others to achieve our goal.
Main Purpose of the Role
To provide trauma-informed, strengths-based collaborative support to empower young women who have been victims of human trafficking to move towards their goals and break cycles of trauma, disadvantage and abuse.
This role will support young female survivors of modern slavery with casework and advocacy through 2 distinct pathways.
The
first
pathway
is to provide community-based support to females who have been trafficked to Northern Ireland from another country or trafficked on their journey to seek refuge in the UK.
The
second
pathway
is to provide support to a caseload of young women within the prison system who have been identified by prison staff as victims of human trafficking. This pathway will support women both within the prison system and also on release out in the community.
The postholder will take a whole person approach to ensure that every clients package of care encompasses all areas of their well-being to achieve the best possible outcomes for each person.
This post is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement as this post falls within exemption stated in Article 10 [2 b, 2e] of the Sex Discrimination [NI] Order 1976.
Main duties and Key Responsibilities
To provide intensive support that is, person centred and addresses a range of needs such as health, social and relationship needs along with providing interventions to support safety and stabilisation.
To adopt a trauma informed, therapeutic, strength-based approach recognising the woman as an expert of her own experiences but also enables each individual to address underlying psychological and emotional issues and build resilience.
To support women to engage with Flourish to build their confidence and self-esteem,
enabling them to develop coping strategies to put control, direction and purpose into their lives.
Work in partnership with Hydebank Wood College and Womens Prison or other commissioned services to develop integrated recovery infrastructures that engage, support and navigate individuals from their vulnerability of leaving custody provision to established wellbeing and meaningful activity in the community.
Build meaningful relationships with clients which are both compassionate and professional.
Hold a caseload, design and implement person-centred and holistic needs/risk assessments and journey plans, ensure regular 1 to 1 meetings and review progress towards goals.
To support clients in accessing other services by advocating on their behalf and giving practical and emotional support i.e., solicitors, Home Office, counselling, Law Enforcement agencies.
To provide information, advice and advocacy to clients across a number of different pathway needs, encompassing signposting and liaison with other services to ensure women can access support with: benefits, health treatment including primary health, mental health and drug and alcohol services, children and adult services and others.
Support the process of clients being able to obtain employment and housing.
To support clients to access and attend appointments, including medical and specialist needs.
Identify and build partnerships for referrals and nuture support networks in the wider community for individuals to access.
Support and signpost clients to refer, access and sustain engagement with other services to address their needs.
Identify barriers preventing clients from accessing support services and advocate on their behalf while raising awareness of their rights.
Have the ability to provide crisis intervention and prevention support.
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation
Maintain quality standards across all areas of work including keeping clear, accurate and timely records of handovers, case notes and databases etc.
Identify patterns, trends and strategic issues and share them as appropriate.
Set up, collate, evaluate, and report for both qualitive and quantitative data as required by funders and management.
Assist with internal and external research designed to contribute towards furthering best practice.
Ensure evaluation and feedback with clients is carried out, collated, and recorded.
General
Keep abreast of relevant developments in the sector including training and other opportunities specific to the role.
To work independently, both based in Flourish offices and co-located within other organisations.
Effectively manage time and meet deadlines while having the flexibility to meet the demands of the service and its’ users.
To maintain confidentiality and boundaries of the service and of Flourish. Work within and abide by the charity’s policies and procedures.
Ensure all vulnerable adults and children at risk are safeguarded appropriately. The role includes a duty to refer any safeguarding concerns to their manager.
Actively participate in training, supervision, appraisals, and team meetings.
Attend meetings as required representing the charity.
Maintain safe systems of work and a safe environment.
Undertake any other duties relevant to the post or the charity’s needs.
You will be required to support local and organisational fundraising and engagement activities and events.
This post is subject to satisfactory Access NI/ Enhanced Disclosure checks
This role is based at Flourish offices but will also include working within Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison and will also require some travel within Northern Ireland.
Role Development
Flourish NI values investing in the continuing professional development of staff and volunteers. There is space for development within this role.