Specialist Support Worker
We are currently seeking a Specialist Support Worker to join the SARSAS team and work with women and non-binary people who are autistic and/or have learning disabilities that have experienced rape or sexual violence. You will deliver 1:1 support, carry out assessments for support and facilitate workshops and group work.
About the role
As our Specialist Support Worker, you will support and empower clients through advocacy and psychoeducational tools, enabling them to achieve positive outcomes in health and wellbeing, safety, interpersonal relationships, confidence, employment, and community integration. You will also carry out assessments for support and facilitate some group work.
Salary: £27,515 (full-time equivalent)
Hours: 22.5 hours per week. May require occasional flexible working
(for example, workshops/events/training)
Location: Taunton with travel required throughout Somerset. Up to 30% of hours per week working from home.
Benefits: 5% employer pension contribution, 27 days annual leave (pro-rata) plus bank holidays, paid sick leave
Contract: permanent
Closing date: midnight on Wednesday 27th November 2024.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1)
About you
You will have experience working with people who have experienced trauma. You will have an understanding of the complexities of working with clients with multiple support needs and the knowledge and skills needed to build positive and empathic relationships with autistic clients and clients with learning disabilities.
You will be passionate about working with survivors of sexual violence, have a working knowledge of the impacts of trauma and have an understanding of the barriers autistic clients and clients with learning disabilities may face in accessing support.
You will have the personal skills to support and empower clients through liaison, advocacy and psychoeducational tools, enabling clients to achieve positive outcomes in areas such as health and wellbeing, safety, interpersonal relationships, confidence, employment and community integration. You will have a knowledge of partner agencies and external pathways to support.
You will be skilled in carrying out needs and risk assessments to ensure SARSAS clients are offered the most appropriate pathways of support. In addition to one-to-one support, you will be excited to be involved in facilitating group work and peer support for survivors of sexual violence.
Role requirements:
- a recognised qualification or significant training and experience of working in a supportive and/or therapeutic way with women who have experienced trauma with multiple support needs.
- experience of building positive and empathic relationships with autistic people and/or clients learning disabilities who can verbally communicate.
- experience of multi-disciplinary working, in particular working alongside statutory services such as mental health teams, police and social services.
- experience of advocating on behalf of clients.
- comprehensive understanding of the impact of rape and sexual abuse including causes and consequences.
About SARSAS
SARSAS exists to relieve the trauma and distress and help rebuild the lives of victim-survivors who live in Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and BANES, who have experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives. We campaign and educate to raise awareness and bring an end to sexual violence. Partnership work with a variety of agencies locally and nationally is a priority to enable social change.
We work to feminist principles: this underpins both what our service is and how it is run. Our work is guided by a trauma-informed approach that understands how traumatic experiences can impact victim-survivors and keeps an awareness of their effects at the forefront of our approach to support.
Watch our 2021 GSK Impact Awards Winners video for a taster of the work we do.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion
At SARSAS we strive to create a workplace that reflect the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We want to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates diverse voices. We actively encourage applicants with protected characteristics to apply.
We are committed to taking an inclusive approach to recruitment and selection whilst ensuring there is no discrimination in our processes and that our team and prospective employees are treated fairly, with respect and without bias. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can be made to accommodate additional requirements. Applicants are encouraged to highlight any specific adjustments needed to enable participation in the recruitment process. For more information, contact recruitment@sarsas.org.uk or call 0117 929 9556.
How to apply
Download and read the job description and person specification
Download and complete the application form
Return your completed application to recruitment@sarsas.org.uk by midnight on Wednesday 27th November 2024.
Interview date: Tuesday 10th December 2024.
Interviews will be held in person in our Taunton office, but please indicate in your application if this is not possible so we can consider an alternative.
If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@sarsas.org.uk or ring our Bristol office on 0117 929 9556 and speak to Laura Fitzgerald, HR Administrator.
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