Advocate

VoiceAbility; Bolton; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a leading advocacy charity organization dedicated to supporting individuals in need. As an Advocate, you'll travel across Bolton to meet clients and professionals, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met. This part-time role offers a chance to make a real difference in the community, empowering clients to navigate their rights and options. With a supportive environment that values professional development and inclusivity, you'll have the opportunity to enhance your skills while contributing to meaningful change. If you're passionate about advocacy and making an impact, this role is for you.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

5% employer pension

Life Assurance Cover

24/7 Employee Assistance programme

Access to remote counselling service

Paid Disability Leave

Paid compassionate Leave

Continuous professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in supporting individuals with communication needs.
• Ability to work collaboratively and creatively with clients.

Responsibilities

• Ensure individuals' needs and values are met for positive outcomes.
• Support clients in decision-making and understanding their rights.

Skills

Advocacy

Welfare Support

Health and Social Care

Communication Skills

Education

Experience in Health and Social Care

Experience in Advocacy

Job description

Location: Bolton (travel across the area, home based for administration)

Salary: £24,500 - £29,500 per year, pro-rata.

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Part Time

All applications by midnight on Friday 9 May 2025

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?

Do you have experience of working or volunteering in welfare, support or health and social care and are looking for a new challenge?

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard?

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Advocate to join our team covering Bolton. Your role will require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes across the area to meet with clients and professionals and be home based for administration; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential. For work with our children and young people in borough, there will be other settings to visit.

About us

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations.

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most. For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.

About you

Desirably you will have some experience of working as an Advocate, providing welfare, supporting, or caring for Adults or Children and young people who have support needs, ideally for those with a variety of communication needs, mental ill health, physical health issues, or barriers to accessing education and support.

You should have worked or volunteered in health, social care, welfare, support services, education or young person’s services, or advice and guidance.

How will you make a difference?

You will be responsible for ensuring the individual’s wishes, feelings, beliefs, needs, and values are met to create positive outcomes for the people you support.

You will support people to speak up for themselves and grow in confidence, equip them to understand and exercise theirrights and options, and will assist them in the decision-making process relating to their care, treatment, and support.

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively with the individuals you support. You’ll be creative in your approach to empower our clients by ensuring you meaningfully explain people’s options and rights to them. You’ll support individuals to fully participate in decisions affecting them and will make sure they have their voices heard.

Professional Development?

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional abilities and you will make a real difference every day.

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service
• 5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution
• Salary sacrifices pension scheme
• Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)
• 24/7 Employee Assistance programme
• Access to remote counselling service
• Paid Disability Leave
• Paid compassionate Leave

Support with continuous professional development

• Access to Clifton Strengths Coaching for development
• Personal Development Plans

How are staff supported to work remotely?

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach.

Equality and Diversity

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential.

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. If you need to apply in a different way, please contact [e-mail] for further options.

How to apply

To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account by clicking the apply button on this page. Follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form.

Closing date for applications; midnight on Friday 9 May 2025.

Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification.

Want to know more about VoiceAbility and the role?

Please email Penny Rowley, Team Leader, at [e-mail]

We look forward to hearing from you.

NB: If you don't already hold the Independent Advocacy Practice qualification, and you are successful in your application, it is a requirement that you complete the core element within 12 months of commencing the training. VoiceAbility will fund this training.