Job Description :
WISH Outreach and Support Worker , Merton
Job Title:
Outreach and Support Worker
Salary:
£24,749 - £27,252 pa inc OLW
depending on experience
Reporting to:
The WISH Centre Director
Accountable to:
WISH Trustee Board
Self- Harm Roll Out Steering Group
Hours:
35 hours/Full time (may require some evening or
Saturday work)
Location:
Primarily working in High Schools in the London
Borough of Merton and at The WISH Centre
premises in Morden
Contract Period:
2 years initially, may be for a further 2 years subject
to funding
Purpose
To ensure that young people In Merton and surrounding areas of SW
London who self- harm, are suicidal, or have experienced recent or historic
sexual violence, exploitation, abuse receive the appropriate support and
services they need from WISH.
You will work in multi-agency settings including schools to provide a service
for young people including awareness raising, individual support,
safeguarding, and early intervention, assisting or co-facilitating the weekly
Girls Xpress! Self harm peer support group, liaising with social care and key
stakeholders to make referrals to WISH and support young people to
overcome the impact of sexual violence trauma or self harm and to make
safe and positive choices. Working closely with the psychotherapist in a
small Merton team, you will be trained, supervised and supported by WISH
Harrow.
The WISH Centre October 2015
The Role
As the Outreach and Support Worker for young people who self- harm or
who have experienced sexual exploitation or abuse, you will:
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Ensure that young people who self- harm or are victims of sexual
exploitation or abuse get the support and interventions they need
Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure the welfare,
safeguarding and well-being of young people
Provide a specialist outreach and support service to young people
who have been affected by self- harm or sexual exploitation in
schools and at the WISH Centre.
Provide information and advice to young people and professionals on
the issues.
Manage cases and carry our risk assessments, linking with agencies
such as Police, Children’s Services where necessary, to support
young people.
Raise awareness of self- harm and sexual exploitation issues and
how they impact on young people and represent WISH at partner and
key stakeholder meetings such as the Domestic and sexual violence
forum, MSCB, schools etc.
Ensure that The WISH centre’s work is aimed at promoting early
intervention of and recovery from self- harm and sexual exploitation.
You will achieve this through the integrated coordination and provision
of the following services:
- Providing face to face support, text and telephone support to
young people.
- Referring young people to WISH for Individual psychotherapy and
counselling of varying contract lengths
- Group work including themed groups eg. Girls Xpress! Self- harm
peer support group for teenage girls
- Coordinate the WISH programme in schools, working closely with
the schools to arrange targeted assemblies, workshops and
teacher training, and co-delivering where needed
- Provide an outreach programme of drop-in’s at schools and
agencies, together with talks to small groups of young people
- Assist with the training WISH provides on self- harm and sexual
exploitation
- Lead the youth volunteers at WISH helping with campaigning and
surveying and special events including The Challenge
- Adherence to the quality standards of BACP, NICE and Rape
Crisis England and Wales
The WISH Centre October 2015
Responsibilities
1. Provide an outreach and support service face to face and through text
and telephone for young people who are victims of sexual violence,
peer relationship violence or who self harm.
2. Raise awareness of the issues and our offer in a range of school,
agencies and community settings.
3. Encourage young people to come forward to disclose self- harm and
sexual exploitation and support them through the process.
4. Sign post young people to counselling or groupwork at WISH and
provide an outreach support service. Refer to other agencies where
needed such as Children’s Services; Police; Rape Crisis;
CAMHS;Health etc and work in partnership with those agencies to
ensure the young person is receiving appropriate support and
safeguarding.
5. Manage a caseload: assess needs, take appropriate action including
advocacy and support, follow-up progress of referrals, keep and
maintain necessary case-files and records including monitoring
information and inputting client data onto WISH database monthly.
Manage files and casework in accordance with WISH policies and
procedures.
6. Liase with schools and service providers to ensure the successful
delivery of the WISH offer including arranging and attending
workshops, assemblies, drop-in’s, trainings and other project activities
including collection of surveys and impact evidence.
7. Set up and co-run self harm and sexual violence support groups at
WISH and in schools. Co-ordinate and manage referrals and
safeguarding of these groups.
8. Work with WISH to develop and follow procedures and protocols with
other services to ensure that the safety of young people is paramount.
Work within local safeguarding policies, procedures and protocols.
9. Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the service including case
studies and information for funders and partnership.
10. Develop good working relationships and liase with outside agencies
when needed, including the police, schools and children’s services.
11. Ensure that schools and agencies have WISH’s publicity materials
and are aware of our services.
12. Coordinate youth volunteers including The Challenge, and liase with
The WISH Centre Outreach and Support Workers.
General duties
1. Work in line with WISH’s ethos, values, aims, objectives, policies and
procedures at all times: promoting empowerment and modelling antioppressive and anti- discriminatory practices.
2. Strive to meet and exceed quality standards in relation to every
aspect of the work to ensure that WISH maintains its distinctive
positive reputation.
3. Follow procedures and protocols agreed with partners to ensure
safeguarding of the clients is central. Take all possible steps to
ensure the safety and confidentiality of service users, staff and
stakeholders.
The WISH Centre October 2015
4. Attend and make best use of support and supervision sessions and
training.
5. Contribute to WISH team meetings. Share information and expertise
to build a strong team and enhance the knowledge base of WISH.
Variation clause
The WISH Centre reserves the right, following full and reasonable
consultation with the member of staff concerned, to vary, add or alter any of
the terms and conditions of employment.
Person Specification
Requirement – Sift Criteria
Understanding of the issues of young
people and self harm, sexual violence
and exploitation, internet grooming,
abuse
Minimum of 2 years experience of
working with young people
experiencing these issues in a
support role
Trained youth worker or similar
Experience of delivering group work
for young people affected by these
issues
Experience of talking to individual or
groups of young people on the issues
and/or training
Understanding of safeguarding, child
protection, criminal justice
Ability to manage caseloads and
referrals and undertake
administrative project work
Computer literate including word,
excel, powerpoint, database
Commitment to the values of The
WISH Centre, including feminist
approach
The WISH Centre October 2015
Essential or
Desirable
Ess
Ess
Des
Des
Des
Des
Ess
Ess
Ess