Specialist Navigator

Job Description

Job title: Specialist Navigator
Job Category: Social Care Non-Qualified
Location: 5 Pancras Square, London, Camden, N1C 4AG, Camden Council
Hours per week: 21
Salary: £23.29 per hour
3 days per week, a mixture of outreaching in the community to service-users, remote and office
Successful candidate to start as soon as possible.
About the role Evidence shows that ‘women with extensive experience of physical and sexual violence are far more likely to experience disadvantage in many other areas of their lives, including disability and ill health, substance dependence, poverty and debt, poor living conditions, homelessness and discrimination’ (Fulfilling lives 2016 evaluation) so there is a need for survivors with such experiences to be offered ongoing and additional support. We are aware the experience of VAWG intersects with severe disadvantage, increasing survivor’s vulnerability and significantly increasing the risks they face as well as them facing significant systematic barriers to accessing support and recovery. Many women experiencing multiple disadvantages in Camden face additional barriers so do not have access to specialist support for the abuse they experience. Our model aims to bridge that gap to ensure the most at risk women in the borough have the same right to safety and a life free of abuse with the use of assertive outreach, a trauma-informed, intensive and flexible approach which is built on successful programmes. The VAWG Navigator team is based in the community and will work at an individual survivor’s pace delivering high quality interventions along the continuum of need that enables greater safety in their accommodation or alleviates homelessness, improves access to other support and enables recovery.
The things you’ll achieve Survivors supported by the VAWG navigators often have experienced high levels of trauma so staff are expected to build up a strong constant relationship with survivors to earn their trust, working with a small and intensive case load to provide a person-centred offer, which promotes positive change; and coordinates networks and services around survivors. In the role you will hold a small and intensive caseload and provide wraparound support to survivors experiencing multiple disadvantages to make specialist VAWG support accessible in the community to survivors who would usually struggle to access services. Areas of support provided includes (but is not limited to): Domestic abuse and other forms of gender based violence intervention, safety planning and risk reduction; Crisis and non-crisis interventions; Harm minimisation around VAWG and multiple disadvantages; Housing issues including homelessness, tenancy sustainment; Benefits support, becoming financially independent and budgeting; Building self-esteem and confidence to break cycles of abuse; Accessing work, education and training; Accessing other support services for example onwards referrals and/or accompanying survivors to appointments/meetings such as with hospitals, social services, substance misuse services, court, sexual health clinics, drama groupwork etc; Support around the criminal justice system, reducing offending behaviour, supporting survivors at court and working with prisons and probation for effective joint working; Supporting survivors with their personal goals; Reducing isolation; Case coordination including building up networks of support around survivors There is scope within the role to support with the teams’ advocacy around systems change and building awareness around issues faced by survivors of abuse experiencing multiple disadvantages

Experience
• Experience of providing frontline support to people experiencing gender-based violence and/or multiple disadvantages (such as mental/physical health, substance misuse, homelessness) • Experience of outreach work to make services accessible to vulnerable people • Experience of safety and support planning and risk assessment and providing crisis-intervention support
• Experience of maintaining excellent relationships and experience of building trusting partnerships across the multi-agency spectrum You have
• Ability to build strong trusted strengths-based relationships with victims/survivors of VAWG and who have experienced multiple disadvantage
• An understanding of the impact of VAWG on survivors and children
• An understanding of multiple disadvantages and how this interlinks with VAWG
• An understanding of the options available to survivors of VAWG
• An understanding of the options/barriers faced by people experiencing multiple disadvantages • An understanding of cultural diversity and how to provide safe responses
• Ability to advocate for survivors and their children
• Ability to bring the voice of survivors and lived experience of children to influence the system and need for change
• You will be resilient and be able to work with people facing complex, high and intersecting risks
• Modelling a healthy relationship of dignity and respect to survivors of abuse

People management None Work environment The role will be based in locations around the borough, working with survivors in their community setting. Working locations will be based on the needs of survivors e.g., hostels, outdoors. You will be expected to conduct extensive and regular outreach sessions in the community meaning this role may be physically demanding. You will conduct lone working and also work within a team and alongside professionals from other services, making use of an assertive outreach approach to find dynamic and creative ways to make your support accessible to survivors. You will be expected to be based in the office in Kings Cross at least 1 day per week. Who you will be working with You’ll be joining a wonderful team of DA Navigators and reporting to Jade, the lead. You’ll also work closely with colleagues across multiple services within and outside of the organisation.
The role will be expected to sustain and coordinate effective partnership relationships with a range of stakeholders as demanded by operational work and the wider demands of the service. The application process- Shortlisting for interview