Jobs, Education & Training Worker - Refugee and Migrant Focus

About You.

Are you a passionate advocate, ensuring those you work with can access the right support and entitlements?

Do you understand the rights of those recently arrived in the UK through both asylum and resettlement routes regarding benefits, healthcare, schooling, and housing?

Are you committed to empowerment, recognising the importance it plays in the lives of refugees as they rebuild their lives?

Are you comfortable travelling across the region to support families as they integrate in their local community?

Are you an excellent planner, able to work to tight deadlines, whilst being comfortable with change and flexibility?

Are you committed to standing alongside refugees, providing welcome and support as they rebuild their lives as well as listening and learning from those who remain resilient in the face of great difficulty?

The successful candidate will have a positive attitude and play an important part in delivering the best possible support to those we work with. You will be committed to, and actively demonstrate, our values, ethos and practice in order to achieve our vision – tosee thriving positive communities where every refugee can contribute and make the most of opportunities.

We are looking for a new team member who can provide support to refugee families across Lincolnshire. Due to the nature of the work, you would need to hold a full UK driving licence, have access to a car, and be willing to travel to visit families, as well as attend team meetings in Derby.

Purpose of the role:

Assisting in the resettlement of vulnerable refugees and Afghan evacuees through the provision of advice, guidance, and support.

Context of the role.

Upbeat Communities delivers several services to welcome refugees and support them to rebuild their lives. We are looking to recruit an Integration Worker who will offer support working on the refugee resettlement scheme.

Refugee resettlement takes place across Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. Over the past 7 years, Upbeat Communities has welcomed and played a key part in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in partnership with local authorities in both counties. This role has included supporting families to apply for universal credit and set up bank accounts, registering with GPs and local schools in addition to integrating into their local community. Since the summer of 2021, we have taken on responsibility for the resettlement of Afghan families in both regions.

This role requires working within a fast-paced and dynamic environment to manage a caseload of participants' families, with a lot of travel across the county of Lincolnshire. Areas covered could including Sleaford, Bourne, Spalding, Skegness, Boston.

About us.

Upbeat Communities exists to help refugees settle and rebuild their lives in the UK. One of the best resources a refugee can have to help them settle in their new home is a good social network. With this aim, we want to help connect refugees into community.Our name reflects our vision to see thriving communities where refugees can make a positive contribution.

Our organisational values, lived out by our staff and volunteers, are:

We work to WELCOME. We create COMMUNITY. We are inspired to act with INTEGRITY.  We exist to EMPOWER. We are committed to CREATIVITY. We run on RELATIONSHIPS. We are proud to be PROFESSIONAL. We have COMPASSION at our core.

Upbeat Communities' Christian ethos was the driving force behind the charity’s formation and is the basis for the values. Many of our team are Christians but we are eager to build a team that is representative of the diverse nationalities, faiths, and life experiences of the communities we work with.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Support the arrival and welcome of refugees and evacuees being resettled through initial reception and orientation.
• Promote the integration and independence of all those arriving through the Resettlement schemes. 
• Provide advice and support to individuals on benefits, housing, health, education, employment, and any other appropriate services required as part of the resettlement process; through home visits, outreach sessions, and attending appointments.
• Accompany individuals and families to appointments as required e.g. opticians, dentists.
• Encourage and support families to engage in community activities, and work towards integration and independence.
• Develop and maintain a supportive and empowering relationships founded on mutual respect, trust and the strengths of individuals.
• Communicate information to participants clearly and promptly, through the use of interpreters where required.
• Liaise with local authorities, housing providers, GPs, schools, and other relevant statutory services to ensure smooth referral, registration, and updates.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with external stakeholders to facilitate access to mainstream services for those in the scheme, to promote integration and independence.
• Engage with local voluntary and community sector organisations and networks to promote a culture of welcome and support for all participants.
• Deliver awareness sessions about the resettlement scheme and the needs of those being resettled, to a range of stakeholders and interested parties.
• Contribute to the review and development of the resettlement scheme.
• Carry out monitoring and evaluation processes as appropriate.
• Make an active contribution to the overall work of Upbeat Communities through team meetings, staff training, awareness and fundraising events, and any other appropriate activities.

Person Specification:

We are looking for exceptional candidates who can demonstrate the following experience and skills. Please make sure you evidence each of these areas when you apply.
 

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• At least 1 years’ experience of working directly with refugees (or vulnerable clients) in a support setting, providing advice, information, and guidance on a range of issues including benefits, housing, health services, education, and employment.
• Knowledge and understanding of the needs and experiences of asylum seekers refugees newly arrived in the UK.
• Experience of working with people from different cultures and backgrounds and an understanding of cultural diversity, equal opportunities.
• Knowledge and understanding of the roles that empowerment and independence play in the integration of refugees.
• Good spoken and written English, with the ability to communicate to participants and external agencies.

 Desirable

• Ability to speak a second language relevant to the refugee communities we work with (e.g. Arabic, Dari, Farsi, French, Pashtu, Sorani, Spanish, Tigrinya).
• Experience of delivering training or awareness sessions to a range of different audiences.
• Experience of working with families and children.

Skills & Attributes

Essential

• The ability to clearly communicate complex information to individuals who may be in a distressed or anxious state.
• Confidence and skills to negotiate on behalf of participants with service providers from both the statutory and voluntary sectors.
• An empathetic and compassionate outlook, whilst being able to maintain professional boundaries with those you work with.
• Ability to work effectively with interpreters.
• Ability to communicate with stakeholders and partner organisations.
• Ability to plan and manage your own workload.
• Commitment to some evening and weekend work.
• Willingness to travel across Lincolnshire and to Derby city (main base)
• A team player with a helpful serving attitude and a positive disposition.
• Good administration skills and competence in using email and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel).
• Commitment to demonstrate and participate in Upbeat Communities’ ethos and values.
• The right to work in the UK.
• Full UK Driving licence and access to your own transport.

What we offer as an Employer

• Annual team retreat to recharge, re-envision and build relationships across the team.
• 25 days holiday plus 8 Bank Holidays for full time staff (pro rata for part time staff).
• Flexible working to promote a good work / life balance.
• Opportunities for continued training and development.
• Regular support and supervision.
• Competitive pension scheme (5% employer contribution matched by 5% employee contribution)