Independent Domestic Violence Advocate

About us

Changing Lives is a nationwide charity helping people facing the most challenging of circumstances to make positive change - for good. We believe that everyone deserves a safe home, a rewarding job and a life free from addiction or abuse. We know that given the right support, anyone can change their life for the better.

Our services across the country help thousands of people each year who are experiencing a wide range of complicated challenges, including homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, unemployment, involvement with the criminal justice system, sexual exploitation and domestic abuse. By focusing on their strengths, potential and opportunities, we support the people we work with to overcome their problems and live safe, successful, independent lives.

Our charity is powered by over 600 passionate colleagues who bring a diverse and inclusive environment for our colleagues to grow. We are proud to say that many have actual lived experience of the challenges faced by those we support. We are looking for committed and compassionate professionals to join our team, who share our enthusiasm for changing lives.

About the Service

NIDAS is an independent support service and is jointly delivered by Changing Lives, Action For Children & Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland. Changing Lives provide specialist support and accommodation across the country. This includes refuge provision for women escaping domestic abuse, as well as community support from our specialist team of independent advocates.

We work with Action for Children, as a leading service in Newcastle supporting and promoting the wellbeing and development of children. We recognise the impact of domestic abuse on children and look at how we can support the family as a whole, providing parental support as well as one to one therapy for children.

We work with Rape crisis, as leaders in providing support to women who have experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. Rape crisis provide women and girls accessing NIDAS with specialist trauma informed counselling when appropriate.

We work with a wide range of partners agencies, as well as local connections & networks to help anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse to access the right support to meet their individual needs to help them and their families live safely and free from abuse

About the Job

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit a full time Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) to our established team in Newcastle.

Our IDVA team works with people who are referred to our service who are survivors of domestic abuse and violence. Offering support and guidance on how to find safety, how to build confidence and supporting them through the steps they take to creating a safer and healthy future for themselves.

We are the main contracted service within Newcastle and the IDVA team works as part of our Integrated Care Service, offering support and guidance at point of crisis. Our team is made up or experienced and training IDVAs alongside our ISVA, Outreach and refuge staff. You will have a base with the team in our Newcastle based refuge however there is a lot of travel for appointments to meet the people you are supporting.

his is a high caseload and demanding job, a need for resilience, compassion and empathy is essential. You will receive training, regular line management, case management and clinical supervision to support you in every step of this role.

This is an extremely rewarding role and significant in making positive changes into a number of peoples lives and we would love to hear from you if you have experiencing of supporting survivors of domestic abuse and want to work for our amazing service.

Please note due to the nature of this role we can only accept female applicants.