We have a rewarding opportunity available for a Female* Hospital Based IDSVA to join our team based in Southmead. You will join us on a full time, permanent basis, working 37.5 hours per week (8am‐6pm) and in return, you will receive a competitive salary of Pt 12 £24,496 (unqualified) or Pt 15 £25,878 (qualified) and benefits.

Established in 1999, Next Link is the leading provider of domestic abuse services to women and children in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. At Next Link we are committed to providing holistic, empowering and personalised support and advocacy to women and children experiencing domestic abuse.

In return for joining us, we will offer you:

• Up to 30 days annual leave (depending on length of service)
• 3 extra holidays including International Women’s Day
• Excellent development and training opportunities
• Employer pension contribution (minimum 5% of your gross salary)
• Mindful Employer Plus Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Long Service Awards
• Wellness Awards

About the role:

We are looking for a Female Hospital Based IDSVA to be based at Southmead and work closely alongside hospital staff, providing training, expert advice and raising awareness to support the disclosure of domestic violence and abuse. The role involves empowering survivors to increase their options, make positive choices/decisions, increase their confidence, safety and recovery.

Key duties and responsibilities of our Female Hospital Based IDSVA:

• Train and support hospital staff to identify and refer victims of domestic/sexual abuse
• Establish and maintain support to survivors, with a victim centred approach, focussing on safety and recovery
• Provide support to enable survivors to safely maintain their current accommodation, access welfare benefits, legal advice alternative housing, and support services
• Maintain an effective support service with the aim of enabling the survivor to develop the skills and resources necessary to move on and maintain independence and self‐reliance
• Liaise effectively and collaboratively with all appropriate agencies and community groups to ensure the best access to services and meaningful community engagement for service users
• Promote the service through building positive relationships with the Clinicians and hospital staff to ensure a steady flow of appropriate referrals
• Ensure your work with service users is recovery focused and strengths based, supporting survivors in a creative, consistent and assertive way
• Ensure that survivors currently living in abusive situations are aware of their rights and options
• Maintain up to date, accurate, legible and accessible records of all work and contact with service users, other agencies/professionals and others
• Actively participate in regular one‐to‐one supervision, reflective practice groups, annual appraisals
• This is not an exhaustive list of your duties and outlines the general ways in which it is expected you will meet the overall requirements of this post.

What we are looking for in our ideal Female Hospital Based IDSVA:

• IDSVA qualified (desirable)
• Ability to train professionals on domestic abuse including how to identify victims and refer
• Strong numeracy, written communication and organisational skills
• Ability to undertake effective casework management and support planning with evidence of a methodical and well organised approach to work
• Ability to work in partnership with a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies, to achieve outcomes for service users
• Proven experience of working with women / men and children who have survived domestic abuse
• Experience of delivering group work and / or training
• Experience of supporting high risk victims
• Experience working with the police, Lighthouse and MARAC
• Experience of assessing the risks and needs of vulnerable people who have experienced domestic abuse and/or complex needs

If you are motivated, resourceful and passionate about empowering female victims of domestic abuse, please
apply now to join us as our Female Hospital Based IDSVA to contribute to the valuable work Next Link and its wider services, delivering hope and support to survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

Please submit your application by 9am Monday 12th December 2022.
Interviews will be held on w/c 12th & 19th December 2022.

Next Link is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk of abuse, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Next Link is committed to Equal Opportunities. *Due to the specific requirements of this role, this post is exempt under the Equality Act (2010), Part 1, Schedule 9 (Genuine Occupational Requirement).