Independent Gender Violence Advocate

As an IGVA you will provide a proactive service to South Asian women and girls survivors of domestic abuse identified as being at high risk of imminent harm. You will carry out risk and needs assessments, safety planning and support planning with survivors and advocate on their behalf with external agencies. A key part of this role involves contributing to the local MARAC processes; representing survivors at MARAC meetings and action planning alongside other agencies to improve South Asian femme survivor safety. You will be working from **Sussex and London**.

To this end you will:
Case Work
- Provide a high-quality case work support and information service to South Asian women and girls victims/survivors who have experienced domestic abuse
- Attend case review meetings and contribute to effective team communication.
- Provide information and advocacy support to women on issues such as housing, welfare, education, health, welfare benefits, counselling, legal rights and child protection.
- Provide referral pathways to relevant agencies and services on issues such as housing, welfare, education, health, welfare benefits, counselling and legal rights, and advocating on behalf of women on these issues where appropriate.
- Assist women and girls to make empowered and informed decisions, and to access and develop their own support networks.
- Support them through the Criminal Justice System, explaining procedures and their rights and role within the system.
- To develop and follow procedures and protocols with other services to ensure that the safety of women and children are paramount.

Partnership Working
- Advocate on behalf of service users with external agencies where appropriate, including at the MARAC.
- Work within the MARAC framework, attend the meetings and refer cases to the forum where appropriate.
- Co-ordinate risk management with external and community agencies to maximise women’s support, safety and well-being.
- Work in partnership with the local authority specialist VAWG and BAME services to improve referral pathways and raise awareness of the IGVA service.
- Ensure that creative and effective relationships are established with other teams, businesses and external organisations, particularly those that offer a service to our service users.
- Work with agencies to ensure all partner organisations co-ordinate their practices to keep women and children safe.
- Participate in and contribute to community awareness raising events pan Sussex.

Monitoring & Evaluation
- Ensure compliance with all legal and contractual reporting requirements in relation to service delivery.
- Keep and maintain accurate and confidential records of all work undertaken.
- Contribute to service user feedback and voice in service delivery and service development. Assist with reports as and when required by the line managers, funders, board of management advisors and directors.

General Duties
- Ensure effective implementation of Agal's Equality and Diversity policies and awareness and integration of an equalities and human rights agenda in all your work.
- Participate in supervision, training and meetings as required and work as a member of the team to ensure effective delivery of service and individual work plans.
- Be responsible for personal learning and development, keeping up to date on research, relevant legislation, policy and practice, and other literature relevant to service users and the domestic violence field.
- Carrying out your own administrative duties. Work across teams and undertake such other duties, appropriate to the grade and character of the work, as may reasonably be expected.

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Work from home

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ilford, IG1 4NH

Reference ID: IGVA_202409