Independent Advocate

South West Community Chaplaincy; Redhill; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Discretionary Christmas shutdown days

1 Community Leave Day per annum

Health & Wellbeing plan

Auto enrolment pension

Death in service cover

Bike to work scheme

Job summary

POhWER is seeking an Independent Advocate to support vulnerable adults, delivering written and verbal representations and liaising with public and voluntary bodies. This role requires strong communication, IT proficiency, and the ability to work remotely with confidentiality.

Successful candidates will gain induction, training, and will work towards a City and Guilds IAP qualification, with POhWER sponsoring study time and probation support. An Enhanced DBS check is required.

Qualifications

• Strong communication and time management to work remotely.
• Excellent IT skills including Outlook, Word and Excel.
• Ability to learn client management databases and record accurately.
• Attention to detail and meeting tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide verbal and written representations for clients.
• Collaborate with public and voluntary organisations to resolve issues.
• Address client issues and take directed actions as needed.
• Handle sensitive information with confidentiality and care.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

Remote work capability

Education

City & Guilds Level 4 IAP qualification

NAQ equivalent

Tools

Outlook

Word

Excel

Client management databases

Job description

Are you passionate about making a difference in people's lives? Do you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment? Are you ready to take on a role that impacts your community? We are currently seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Independent Advocate to join our vibrant team in POhWER.

As an Independent Advocate, you will provide crucial support to vulnerable adults facing significant health and social care challenges. Your role involves delivering persuasive verbal and written representations on behalf of clients, collaborating with public and voluntary organisations, and taking directed actions to address client issues. This role demands flexibility, excellent communication, and the ability to handle sensitive information confidently.

Independent Advocate Requirements:

• Strong communication and time management skills to successfully work remotely.
• Excellent IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, and the ability to learn software packages such as client management databases.
• Attention to detail to ensure accurate recording of records and reporting to meet tight deadlines.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in advocacy, information and advice, or a similar role within health, social care, or the voluntary sector.
• Demonstrable experience working with vulnerable adults.
• Working knowledge of public and voluntary organisations.

Successful candidates must have a car and full drivers license. Expenses will be paid from the border of surrey for applicants outside of Surrey.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave + Bank holiday (Rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service) with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days leave + your birthday off as an additional holiday day after 1 years’ service!
• Discretionary shutdown days at Christmas with up to 4 additional days leave.
• 1 Community Leave Day per annum.
• Cash Wellbeing Healthcare Plan which covers Optical/dental/alternative therapy and more!
• Auto enrolment Pension plan
• Death in service cover.
• Bike to work scheme.

Meet the Organisation: Who We Are and What We Do

At POhWER, we are committed to empowering individuals and enabling their voices to be heard. We provide advocacy and information services to support people in making effective decisions about their health and social care. Our team is dedicated to listening, exploring options, and taking action to meet our clients' best interests.
We provide a full induction, training and equipment including a laptop and mobile phone. It is a contractual requirement that all advocates hold or are working towards an advocacy qualification. The most recognised qualification is the City and Guilds Level 4 Independent Advocacy Practice Qualification (IAP) for practising advocates, previously completed City and Guilds Level 3 National Advocacy Qualification (NAQ). If you do not already hold an NAQ certificate or diploma or IAP qualification or equivalent, the expectation will be that you will gain the City and Guilds IAP qualification following successful completion of probation and pre-enrolment process. POhWER will fully sponsor this and provide a reasonable amount of study time and in return expect advocates to manage their time and complete within 12 months of registration.

An Enhanced DBS check and National Offender Management Service vetting will be conducted for this position.

We're proud to support our colleagues from the armed forces signing the Armed Forces Covenant in August 2024.
Successful applicants will need to obtain business insurance for their own vehicle.

POhWER is an equal opportunities employer, holder of the Investors in People Silver award, and a member of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER scheme. We are a level 2 Disability confidence scheme employer, and disabled applicants who meet all the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.
POhWER is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities, and particularly welcome candidates from groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. This includes, but is not limited to, people with disabilities, women, men, Black, Asian and other racially minoritised people, LGBTQ+ who are currently under-represented in our workforce.

To help embed inclusion for all, from day one, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee networks to support people from different backgrounds.