Children & Young Person’s Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ChISVA) x 2

Title                          Children & Young Person’s Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ChISVA) x 2

Responsible To       Deputy Chief Executive

Salary                       £24,703.76 per annum (pro-rata)

Hours                       17.5 hours per week

Post One:                Belfast Office x 1 post, Albany House, 73-75 Great Victoria Street Belfast, BT2 7AF

Post Two:                Foyle Office x 1 post, 6th Floor Embassy Building, 3 Stand Road, Foyle, BT48 7BH

Duration                   Fixed Term Contract (Minimum length x 36 months with possibility of an extension subject to funding)

                            These posts are funded by BBC Children In Need

Main Purpose of the Role:

To provide advocacy and support to children and young people (up to the age of 18) and their families who have been victims of sexual violence including child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.  The ChISVA will support young victims who have reported or are wishing to report this crime navigate the criminal justice system.

The ChISVA will work closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, The Rowan (Sexual Assault Referral Centre), Public Prosecution Service, NSPCC Young Witness Service and other relevant organisations. 

Main Responsibilities

Support through the Criminal Justice System

• Provide information, advice and support to young victims of sexual violence from reporting and up to pre-trial.
• Provide information, advice and advocacy around young victims’ options and rights that help young victims make informed choices.
• Keep young victims informed about their case progress in line with the Victim’s Charter. 
• Ensure that the voice, needs, rights and legal entitlements of young victims are heard, understood and acted upon by all relevant individuals/organisations.
• Liaise with the NSPCC Young Witness service to ensure that appropriate measures are in place that support the needs of young victims during the trial phase.
• Provide support post trial if required.
• Provide information on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to young victims and/or their families.
• Support young victims to make informed choices about their future options.

 Needs & Risk Assessment

• Conduct a needs and risk assessment for all young victims, including identifying and responding to any immediate safeguarding needs and risks
• Agree support plans with young victims, involving where appropriate their parents/guardians/carers to address needs/risks.
• Assess and continually review levels of risk and identification of support with the aim that young victims of sexual violence will be better able to cope.
• Provide face to face, telephone, text and email-based support to young victims and their families.
• Accompany young victims to meetings with relevant organisations where requested.
• Support young victims to access additional relevant services they need through referral pathways to appropriate relevant agencies/statutory bodies.
• Where relevant and with client’s consent and within agreed information sharing agreements, keep other referral agencies informed about changes in young victim’s circumstances.

 Case Management

• Maintain accurate and up to date case management notes, ensure all cases are recorded on the VSNI case management system and managed in line with appropriate standards and the Victim’s Charter.
• Manage a caseload of clients across a geographical area of NI.
• Support your Line Manager and others to collate views of the victim’s experience of services and the criminal justice system and lobby for change where appropriate.
• Meeting individual and team performance targets identified in the overall project plan.

 Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain effective working partnerships within health, criminal justice and relevant voluntary sector organisations to improve services available to young victims of sexual violence.
• Represent the organisation at external stakeholder events as agreed with Line Manager.

Other duties

• Attend staff, team and case management meetings.
• Attend internal staff supervision and appraisal with prepared notes.
• Work flexibly as agreed within the team to meet the demands of the service – this may involve occasional work outside normal core hours.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Avail of training opportunities as agreed with your Line Manager.
• Positive promote the ethos of Victim Support NI.
• Implement and work within all Victim Support NI’s Policies and Procedures.
• Contribute to the development of service protocols, guidelines and strategies as requested by your Line Manager.

Whilst every endeavour has been made to outline the primary duties and responsibilities of the post, these duties are not exhaustive.

Person Specification - Children and Young Person’s Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ChISVA)

Qualifications

Achieved “A” Level standard or equivalent with a minimum of 2 years’ experience of delivering services to victims of rape/sexual violence and sexual abuse

OR

A minimum of 5 years’ experience of delivering services to victims of rape/sexual violence and sexual abuse

AND (in both instances)

Two years’ experience of working with Children and Young people who have experienced sexual violence.

Experience & Knowledge

1. Demonstrable experience in the completion of needs assessments and support plans.
2. Demonstrable knowledge of the immediate and long-term impacts of sexual violence on children and young people.
3. Demonstrable knowledge of child safeguarding issues, legislation and best practice.
4. Demonstrable recent experience of working pro-actively, using advocacy, to represent the voice/needs of clients.

Skills & Abilities

1. Demonstrable ability to quickly form effective working relationships with C&YP and their parents/carers and maintain professional boundaries whilst offering non-directive and empathetic support.
2. Demonstrable ability to communicate effectively with C&YP and their parents/carers from a range of diverse backgrounds.
3. Demonstrable ability to assess, prioritise need and risk and deal with the complex issues faced by C&YP who have experienced sexual violence.
4. Ability to liaise appropriately and communicate clearly with a variety of agencies both statutory and voluntary.
5. Ability to build and maintain good working relationships with internal and external partners including establishing referral pathways and information sharing protocols.

Desirable

• A qualification as an Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA).
• A social work or relevant youth worker qualification.
• Knowledge of the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Sector.
• Experience of working in a volunteer-based organisation.
• Experience of publicly representing an organisation to the general public.

Personal Attributes

1. Ability to manage own workload, work on own initiative, in partnership and as part of a wider team.
2. Ability to work in an empathetic manner and develop a safe, supportive relationship with young victims and their families.
3. Well-developed verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills
4. Ability to produce accurate written and verbal reports against deadlines.
5. A demonstrable understanding of confidentiality and its boundaries in relation to legal, ethical and safeguarding issues.
6. Proficient in the use of all Microsoft packages.
7. Be able to meet the transport requirements of the post which will require extensive travel throughout NI.