East Surrey Caseworker
Big Leaf Foundation is a small charity working with displaced young people in Surrey.
Our aim is to provide a nurturing programme of activities, projects and events that focus on combating social isolation and improving wellbeing for the young people we support.
Big Leaf Foundation provides support to displaced young people in the form of regular projects and activities that focus on combating social isolation, building a safe and welcoming community, improving health and wellbeing and giving them the opportunity to learn and develop new skills.
Our casework service launched in April 2020 to further support our young people – providing tailored advice and advocacy aimed at helping them understand and access services to which they are entitled – and we now support around 60 young people through this service each year.
Our aim is to provide a nurturing programme of activities, projects and events that focus on combating social isolation and improving wellbeing for the young people we support.
Big Leaf Foundation provides support to displaced young people in the form of regular projects and activities that focus on combating social isolation, building a safe and welcoming community, improving health and wellbeing and giving them the opportunity to learn and develop new skills.
Our casework service launched in April 2020 to further support our young people – providing tailored advice and advocacy aimed at helping them understand and access services to which they are entitled – and we now support around 60 young people through this service each year.
About the role
Big Leaf Foundation works with displaced young people (aged 15-25) living in Surrey. As our Caseworker for East Surrey, you will lead our casework service in the East of the county, building on work currently being done in the area. You will work one-to-one with displaced young people who need support to help ensure their voice is heard and that they can access support services that they are entitled to.
You will be charged with ongoing coordination of the casework service which may include supporting a volunteer caseworker as necessary to manage the caseload. You’ll be expected to uphold the best practice of our safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our young people at all times.
We are a small team and as such we sometimes move outside of our roles to support the smooth running of our projects and activities in general. Flexibility and a willingness to ‘pitch in’ is therefore essential for this role.
You will be charged with ongoing coordination of the casework service which may include supporting a volunteer caseworker as necessary to manage the caseload. You’ll be expected to uphold the best practice of our safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our young people at all times.
We are a small team and as such we sometimes move outside of our roles to support the smooth running of our projects and activities in general. Flexibility and a willingness to ‘pitch in’ is therefore essential for this role.
- Contract: Self-employed position funded for 1 year (with option to extend subject to funding).
- Hours: Part-time – equivalent to 2.5 days (20 hours) p/w to include our weekly East Surrey hub hours (currently Wednesday 6-8.30pm)
- Salary: £115 – £135 per day depending on experience
- Location: East Surrey (Redhill and surrounding areas & home-working)
- Reports to: Line Manager & Trustees
- Closing date: 18 May 2023
- Interviews: 25 and 26 May 2023
For more information and to apply, please download the following documents or see below:
Job description
KEY TASKS
- Conduct personalised needs assessments with young people, supporting them to understand the factors affecting their situation, and working with them to develop an agreed action plan that addresses immediate and longer-term barriers to their positive progress.
- Undertake one-to-one appointments with our young people, either in person or over the phone and work to the agreed action plan with each service user.
- Support the service user to access other services, accompanying them to appointments and offering onward referral to relevant bodies.
- Build effective partnerships with community organisations, local authorities and other stakeholders and work with interpreters as needed to deliver the casework service.
- Attend our weekly hub in Redhill - using this space to provide a drop-in casework service and managing the general hub activities as a means to building trust with the young people.
- Work with Big Leaf staff and trustees and other stakeholders in the area to further develop and publicise our casework provision for displaced young people in East Surrey (including Looked After Children living out of the county to the East).
- Produce and maintain comprehensive casework documentation for each service user and feedback key information from appointments/meetings to other BLF staff.
- Maintain a high level of expertise in the support of displaced young people through keeping abreast of policy, legislation and other relevant developments.
- Understand your responsibilities in regard to safeguarding and data protection and use this to inform your work with BLF – identifying and responding appropriately to safeguarding and protection issues arising through casework.
- Maintain confidentiality and clear boundaries in all aspects of the role.
- Recruit (with support from the BLF team) and oversee volunteer caseworkers if needed to manage the caseload.
- Contribute to communications planning and funding reports as required.
- Liaise with other members of the BLF volunteer team and trustees as needed to fulfill the role.
- Attend regular supervision sessions as part of your commitment to personal wellbeing (these will be funded through BLF).
Person specification
SKILLS
Essential
WHAT WE OFFER
Big Leaf is committed to supporting the wellbeing of its contractors and as such we also fund regular counselling supervision and paid leave of 20 days pro-rata. This is highly unusual for contractor/client relationship and has been agreed in order for contractors to manage their wellbeing.
Recruitment is conducted in line with safe recruitment practices. Full terms will be set out in the consultancy contract agreement.
Big Leaf particularly welcomes applicants with experience of migration and/or a refugee background. We are an equal opportunities organisation and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
TO APPLY
If you feel that you have the skills, experience and motivation required for this role, please download and complete our application form and return it to [email protected] before 6pm on 18 May 2023.
Essential
- Passion for supporting displaced young people to grow, develop and belong.
- Good interpersonal, diplomacy and teamwork skills.
- Excellent communication skills with experience in active listening or supporting others.
- Ability to use emotional support skills in a calm and responsible manner.
- Caring, supportive, helpful, with a non-judgemental attitude and ability to instill/maintain confidence.
- Strong understanding and empathy of the effects displacement has upon young people.
- Good knowledge of policy and legislation affecting displaced young people.
- Able to work under own initiative with minimum supervision as well as part of a team.
- 3+ years’ experience in a youth specific or casework context.
- Experience of effectively managing and monitoring casework files and/or excellent administrative skills.
- Experience in working in complex safeguarding environments.
- Excellent English communication skills in person, by phone, and in writing.
- Enhanced DBS certification (child & adult workforce) or willingness to undergo DBS check.
- Understanding of the UK care system and processes.
- Direct experience supporting displaced young people in a casework context.
- Experience of working with volunteers.
- Knowledge of a foreign language, particularly one used in the current local refugee population, would be an advantage.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Flexible working hours.
- Ongoing training opportunities.
- Supportive and welcoming team.
Big Leaf is committed to supporting the wellbeing of its contractors and as such we also fund regular counselling supervision and paid leave of 20 days pro-rata. This is highly unusual for contractor/client relationship and has been agreed in order for contractors to manage their wellbeing.
Recruitment is conducted in line with safe recruitment practices. Full terms will be set out in the consultancy contract agreement.
Big Leaf particularly welcomes applicants with experience of migration and/or a refugee background. We are an equal opportunities organisation and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
TO APPLY
If you feel that you have the skills, experience and motivation required for this role, please download and complete our application form and return it to [email protected] before 6pm on 18 May 2023.