We are seeking a compassionate, bilingual Training and Engagement Worker to empower South Asian women through one-to-one and group support, advocacy and skills training, building confidence, resilience and pathways to independence.
ROSHNI SHEFFIELD ASIAN WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE
Bi-lingual Female Training and Engagement Worker Vacancy At Roshni Sheffield
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Training and Engagement Worker
RESPONSIBLE TO: Project Coordinator
FUNDED PERIOD: Two years
Hours: 18 per week
Salary: Full time £30,788. £14,978 for 18 hrs
PURPOSE OF JOB:
Roshni is launching an innovative new initiative aimed at empowering vulnerable South Asian women through a comprehensive range of support services. These include advocacy, skills training, coaching, and emotional wellbeing support.
The Training and Engagement Worker will benefit from extensive in-house training designed to build practical expertise in counselling skills, coaching, and trauma-informed approaches. This role involves applying these skills to support women who have experienced disempowerment, helping them to build confidence, develop new skills, and strengthen their resilience through both one-to-one and group-based interventions.
An important aspect of the role also includes engaging with external support organisations to enhance the reach and impact of the project, ensuring women have access to a broader network of welfare services.
This is primarily an office-based position that requires regular face-to-face interaction with service users. While some flexibility may be possible, remote working options are limited due to the nature of the role.
SCOPE OF JOB, DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
1. To work with service users with an empowerment focus; to have positive conversations with women, helping them see their strengths and potential; to guide women to develop a vision for their lives.
2. To develop short-term and long-term goals with women, drawing up an action plan with each woman to map out where she is and where she wants to get to, what barriers she has and what support is available to overcome those barriers.
3. To work sensitively with women who are in crisis by initially focussing on meeting the women’s basic needs for safety, housing and welfare rights, at all times ensuring that the service user is given all the relevant information to make informed choices and remains in charge of her affairs, at no point handing over her affairs to the worker; providing short-term advocacy followed by coaching women to self-advocate. Setting SMART goals that challenge their current level of functioning.
4. To develop and deliver group training sessions to increase women’s skills in self-advocacy and other skills as identified by women, for example employability, driving theory or Life in the UK test preparation and so on.
5. Maintaining clear boundaries with vulnerable women, providing relevant information but avoiding advice giving and encouraging the women to self-advocate as much as their abilities permit; to be able to see women’s potential beyond their current capabilities and providing support and encouragement to women to step out of their comfort zone.
6. To provide short-term advocacy support to each service user to help her access her welfare, legal and human rights, according to her individual needs.
7. To help service users to recognise their existing skills and to encourage them to learn new skills; to actively encourage service users to take up learning opportunities.
8. Establish and maintain effective partnerships with relevant support services across the city to enhance service delivery. Maintain an up-to-date list of these organisations and regularly communicate with the Empowerment Team to facilitate referrals. Provide tailored support to help women access identified services—ranging from sharing contact details to accompanying them to appointments—and ensure follow-up is conducted to confirm successful engagement.
9. To supervise and support volunteers assisting with client work, ensuring that work is assigned to them according to their capacity with an appropriate amount of challenge.
10. To raise awareness of mental wellbeing through promoting 5 ways to wellbeing.
11. To be committed to continued self and professional development to model life-long learning and self-care.
12. To take part in regular meetings/discussions with other Roshni staff to evaluate our work practices and to enhance self-awareness, especially related to challenging adverse cultural practices that impact South Asian women.
13. To complete all case notes and monitoring information in a timely manner for recording outputs and outcomes.
14. To collect information on key areas; establish and maintain links with organisations that can provide more detailed information. (Key areas to include welfare rights, domestic abuse, safeguarding, legal advice, access to health and social services, education and housing, learning opportunities, volunteering opportunities.)
15. To undertake training in dealing with issues in specific areas.
16. To develop skills and knowledge of operating systems and procedures, and to maintain an efficient case recording and monitoring system.
17. To identify families in need of support by building effective relationships with schools, health providers and other services.
18. To adhere to all relevant policies, strategies and procedures to ensure effective service delivery.
19. To establish and develop close working relationships with external organisations and service providers.
20. To actively contribute to consultations, research and at policy making levels to contribute to the development of more accessible services for Asian women.
21. To support the Empowerment Circle coordinator to develop suitable services that facilitate the overall aim of the service.
22. To prepare regular project monitoring returns/reports for funder specific provision and Roshni.
23. To provide regular reports, information and statistics to the Empowerment Circle co-ordinator.
24. To produce bi-lingual publicity materials about the service and promote the Empowerment Circle through other agencies and community networks.
25. To undertake any general administration duties to support the project.
26. To undertake all duties in line with Roshni’s policies and procedures, particularly in relation to anti-oppressive practices and adherence to the confidentiality policy.
27. To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and purpose of the job as may be determined between the post holder and management.
EMPOWERMENT WORKER
(Urdu/Punjabi/Hindi)
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
1. An understanding of the South Asian community and factors affecting the lives of Asian women, particularly understanding of disempowerment of women.
2. A comprehensive understanding of the impact of deprivation and marginalisation on communities, families and individuals.
3. Comprehensive knowledge of welfare rights systems in the UK.
4. Experience of working in services which deliver positive outcomes for women and demonstrable personal experience of successfully delivering support either face to face or by telephone to women who may have experienced complex situations i.e. trauma, domestic abuse, loss or child protection issues.
5. Experience of supporting volunteers.
6. Experience of facilitating group sessions.
7. Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills including the ability to engage a range of audience.
8. Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding issues and the management of risk.
9. Non-judgemental attitude and the ability to empathise.
10. Listening skills.
11. Ability to believe in others who don’t believe in themselves; the ability to nurture others by highlighting their positives, and to draw out their aspirations with skill and patience.
12. An understanding and commitment to the importance of engaging in own supervision and the benefits of reflective practice.
13. Excellent organisational skills, as well as excellent IT skills, including experience of case management information systems.
14. Experience of working on your own initiative as well as part of a team.
15. Experience of adhering to systems, policies and procedures.
16. Ability to evidence Roshni’s values at all times, which underpin Roshni’s vision of “South Asian women thriving” and mission of “Empowering South Asian women, transforming lives” by:
- Providing a confidential, non-judgmental and quality service
- Empowering women with a voice and information to make choices
- Supporting women, girls and families to make improvements in their lives
- Helping South Asian women create an active and thriving community within Sheffield
- Providing a resource for Asian Women’s culture.
- Listening with empathy, building trust
17. Fluency in Urdu/Punjabi/Hindi and excellent communication skills both written and oral in English.
18. Ability to complete tasks to timescales.
19. Knowledge of and commitment to good equalities and diversity practice and the ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all aspects of work.
20. Ability to work some hours outside of regular business hours and to be flexible to meet the needs of the service.
21. Willingness to undertake all duties in line with Roshni’s policies and procedures, particularly in relation to anti-oppressive practices and adherence to the confidentiality policy.
22. To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and purpose of the job as may be determined between the post holder and management.
Desirable
1. Lived experience of disempowerment as a South Asian woman on a journey to empowerment and self-actualisation.
2. Experience of working in a voluntary sector organisation.
3. Experience of delivering training.
4. A training qualification.
5. Experience of using coaching style.
6. Experience of advice work in welfare rights.
Being female is occupational requirement in accordance with Schedule 9 of The Equality Act 2010.