Refuge Project Worker (Young Women’s Refuge)

WOMEN'S AID FEDERATION OF ENGLAND; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham & Solihull Women's Aid is seeking a Refuge Project Worker for the Young Women’s Refuge in Birmingham. The role involves supporting the refuge manager, delivering a frontline service to young women and their children, and ensuring safe, high-quality care across housing, welfare and education needs.

This full-time post (37 hours weekly) requires some out-of-hours work and a 24-hour on-call rota; salary is £31,537.

Qualifications

• To provide guidance and support to young women to deal with experiences of abuse and other issues affecting their lives
• To organise activities and celebrations in the refuge for young women and children
• To accompany young women to case conferences and meetings that may affect their welfare

Responsibilities

• To assist the refuge manager in the day-to-day running of the young women’s refuge
• To ensure a high-quality standard of service in the refuge
• To develop and deliver a front-line service offering support, advice and guidance to young women, and their children, living in the refuge

Job description

• Full Time
• Birmingham & Solihull
• 4th November 2026

Website Birmingham & Solihull Women's Aid

Refuge Project Worker (Young Women’s Refuge)

POST: Refuge Project Worker (Young Women’s Refuge)

HOURS OF WORK: 37 hours * (some out of hours & on call work will be required, you will be required to participate in a 24 hours on call rota)

SALARY: £31,537

JOB PURPOSE:

• To assist the refuge manager in the day-to-day running of the young women’s refuge

• To ensure a high-quality standard of service in the refuge

• To develop and deliver a front-line service offering support, advice and guidance to young women, and their children, living in the refuge

*BSWA provides safe secure accommodation to some of the most vulnerable women and children therefore in order to ensure we provide maximum support and safety it is essential that our service is available to them 24/7. We do this through operating an on-site rota that covers weekends, evenings and bank holidays as well as a 24 hour call out system.

RESPONSIBLE TO: The Refuge Manager

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SUPPORT WORK:

• To build effective relationships with young women to encourage them to identify and respond to their needs, interests and personal development

• To provide guidance and support to enable young women to deal with their experiences of abuse and the wide range of issues affecting their lives

• To work with each service user to produce an Individual Support Plan (ISP)

• To ensure the primary needs of residents are met, including medical, financial, housing, legal and education, referring to specialist agencies where necessary

• To organise activities and celebrations in the refuge for young women and children which raise self-esteem, bring people together and broaden awareness

• To assist young women in making claims for any welfare benefits that they may be entitled to

• To accompany young women as appropriate and agreed by your line manager, to case conferences and meetings that may affect their own and/or their children’s welfare

• To make representations, as appropriate and agreed by your line manager, to external bodies in support of women and children

• To ensure that appropriate applications are made for re-housing

• To identify the needs of young women and children leaving BSWA refuge after being offered permanent accommodation

• To identify and make links with existing projects and community services, particularly those focused on young women, and to develop joint services where appropriate

• To keep the refuge ‘welcome pack’ up-to-date

• Devise and implement appropriate methods of communication with young women and children living in refuge, in agreement with your line manager

• To offer support and training to volunteers and ensure they are aware of legal Health and Safety requirements

• To participate in 24hour on call rota system

ADMINISTRATION:

• To work within BSWA’s administrative and financial systems

• To ensure that adequate records are kept for all service users

• To keep accurate records of financial transitions in line with BSWA’s procedures

• To ensure that Health and Safety records are kept up to date

• To monitor and evaluate the refuge service via various methods including feedback from service users and by producing statistical information

• To keep inventories of all refuge contents

• To contribute where appropriate to the preparation of returns for funders

COMMUNICATION:

• To ensure that all staff team members are aware of any matters that are relevant to the welfare and security of the refuge, staff, volunteers and service users by:

• maintaining BSWA communication records

• following safety procedures

• carrying out risk assessments in conjunction with your line manager

• attending team and project meetings

• To attend in-house training

• To attend support and supervision sessions with your line manager

• To participate in multi-agency work and to develop a professional working relationship with external agencies

• To contribute towards your project’s quarterly Management Committee report

• To be involved in the Annual Review process

PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT:

• To take referrals and welcome young women and children into the refuge

• To ensure that the appropriate agreements related to tenancies are completed

• To ensure that the appropriate agreements related to support are completed

• To ensure that the refuge revenue is collected by completing housing benefit forms and all personal contributions are collected on a weekly basis, in advance

• To report to your line manager any difficulties in relation to the collection of rent and other charges

• To ensure that any house rules are read and understood by new tenants and that all residents comply with them

TRAINING:

• To identify and attend training relevant to the post in agreement with your line manager

• To work alongside colleagues to organise in-house training and information sessions on a range of issues for service users

• To raise awareness of the impact of domestic violence on women and children and of the BSWA services

GENERAL:

• To maintain the confidentiality of the women and children using the service and, in all matters, relating to the organisation

• To offer an equal service to all women and children regardless of age, class, culture, language, race, religion and sexual orientation

• To work within BSWA policies and procedures and demonstrate a commitment to the values and ethos of BSWA

• To work within BSWA and local multi-agency child and adult safeguarding procedures

• To work within BSWA’s framework for equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

• To undertake any other duties required by BSWA, which may arise and commensurate with the post

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is at 12 noononWednesday4thNovember. Interviews will take place weeks commencing 16thand 23rdNovember.

Refuge Project Worker (Young Women’s Refuge) – Job Description