Generalist casework co-ordinator

The postholder will be experienced, skilled and knowledgeable, with an essential interest in and experience of working with migrant and refugee clients with complex needs; and the post would suit someone with previous experience in the migration or advice sectors who is interested in working with a mixed caseload that includes needs around destitution, homelessness, immigration and NRPF issues. We actively welcome applications from those with lived and relevant experience.

The post holder will assess, prioritise and triage new enquiries and referrals and allocate cases as appropriate within the generalist team. You will also carry your own caseload and provide one-to-one generalist advice, casework and practical support to migrant and refugee clients on
issues including immigration status, housing & homelessness, welfare benefits, asylum support, community care and destitution; as well as signposting and referring to internal and external local services including support groups, wellbeing activities, digital inclusion, ESOL, training and employability.

You will oversee our phone and email advice provision and organise and take part in the weekly advice rota. You will administer our destitution hardship grants and liaise closely with our food bank staff in relation to destitute clients in need of food bank support. You will attend and participate in local migrant sector meetings and networks as appropriate and, along with all staff and volunteers, you will have responsibility for identifying and raising any safeguarding concerns. You will jointly oversee and supervise casework volunteers and provide support and advice to our current generalist caseworker where needed.

The advice & casework team supports clients holistically on a range of different matters and our core caseload includes refugees, asylum seekers, those with NRPF, complex EUSS cases, spousal visas and undocumented migrants. Many of those we work with are homeless or precariously housed, destitute, and/or struggling to access support through statutory services for mental health, housing, welfare benefits and children’s services. The balance of time spent between different client groups and cases will need to be responsive to the ongoing demographic changes we see in the city and region, and the post holder will be expected to provide casework management and co-ordination of relevant services, liaising closely with other providers and with interpreters.

You will work as part of a small, supportive team that currently includes one other f/t generalist caseworker, one f/t immigration caseworker and a number of active casework support volunteers. The wider frontline staff team includes four refugee resettlement caseworkers; our group work facilitator; a skills & employability caseworker; an ESOL tutor; a food bank co-ordinator; and a volunteer co-ordinator.

Regular supervision and support and in-house and on-the-job training will be provided, as well as external training on specific issues where needed. However you will need to be ready to step immediately into a busy advice environment with the necessary confidence, skills and knowledge to begin to deliver advice and casework and take over an existing caseload.

On rare occasions you might be required to work out of hours where there are emergencies or if and when there are new arrivals in need of immediate support.

Postholders will need to have the right to work in the UK.