VACANCIES

Southall Black Sisters is an advice, advocacy and resource centre for black and minority ethnic women. Currently have a vacancies for:

Salary range £25,292 to £28,240 (incl. OLW) per annum depending on experience.

This is a 2 year fixed term post till March 2022.

Must have a minimum of 1 year of experience in co-ordinating high-value projects ideally involving consortiums

Key aspects of the post:

• Be the first point of contact for SBS and its partners in relation to all communication and deliverable outcomes for the London Holistic Advocacy Wrap Around Service LHWAAS Project (a pan London service funded by MOPAC for migrant women with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) who are seeking to escape violent and abusive situations).
• Represent SBS at forums, meetings/acting as named contact for this and other SBS projects funded by MOPAC through their VAWG funding streams where SBS is the delivery partner, including the CouRAGE/us Project (for young women and girls with multiple disadvantages), P&ACT Project (for ending harmful practices through community engagement, awareness and training initiatives), Ascent Advice Plus Project (for providing non-crisis information, advice and advocacy support to users presenting with VAWG/inter-related issues).
• Assist in the development of adequate monitoring and record keeping frameworks.
• Develop grant management documents and agreements.
• Participate in assertive outreach, service promotion and other activities designed to widen access

We are looking for experienced, dynamic and reflective professionals who are able to model skills to safely engage BME women based on mutual collaboration, trust and empowerment. It is essential that you have sound co-ordination and project delivery skills and a strong commitment to eradicating gender-based violence, challenging discriminatory systems and structures to ensure the rights and needs of minority women and migrant women are protected and promoted.

Some flexible working arrangements offered

In light of the nature and context of the work of SBS, the organisation considers that the candidate’s race and gender (BME) to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Para 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010

Deadline for receipt of applications: Tuesday 31st March 2020 by 5.00 pm.

Interviews to be held week commencing Monday 20^th April 2020.

Testimonials from our staff past and present:

“Southall Black Sisters operates according to one golden rule: that no woman in need is ever turned away. From my time with the organisation, I can honestly say that this runs true. The frontline team does its very best to do right by its service users amid considerable systemic constraints – including a ‘hostile environment’ for migrants, and austerity cuts to housing, social services, legal aid and welfare benefits. In my time at SBS, I have learned to challenge the unacceptable and to work hard to find creative solutions to seemingly impossible problems.

The work of an advocate is challenging, to say the least, but it is also immensely rewarding. While the women who approach us for assistance come with stories of unspeakable cruelty and injustice, these are almost always tempered with touching accounts of kindness, strength and survival. SBS plays a significant role in bringing some relief to vulnerable women and children in times of crisis, and I am grateful to have had the chance to do the same.”

Vidya – Domestic Violence Advocate

“Do you enjoy a challenge? Are you a driven, creatively minded individual who wants to use your skills in a varied, busy and innovative environment? Are you motivated to use the law, policy and human rights to transform the lives of vulnerable and marginalised women and children suffering gender-based violence? Do you want to be part of an organisation which not only changes but saves, lives? Then I urge you to apply for this role. Over the past few years, I have had the honour of working alongside our director Pragna Patel; and with the dedicated hugely experienced team at SBS. I have helped shape SBS’ campaigns, strategic litigation, policy and lobbying work, on issues such as transnational marriage abandonment, policing, transnational violence against women, immigration laws, legal aid, gender segregation in schools, the impact of parallel legal systems on women, and many other vital issues that touch the lives of BME women and children. I have also had the immense privilege of working directly with service users on some of our more complex cases. This has opened my eyes both to the crucial importance of domestic violence advocacy and of having a user-centred service. It has shown me the immense strength, resilience and courage of women who have suffered terrible violations of their rights and dignity. Every day I play a part in helping survivors of abuse access safety, justice and support – whether that is changing the life of one woman by helping her seek redress for being abused and abandoned abroad, or of hundreds and thousands of women through our ongoing challenges to unjust and discriminatory policies which marginalise migrant women. Can you leave work every day saying you made a positive difference? I can.”

Radhika – Legal Policy & Campaigns Officer

“Volunteering at SBS has been one of the most interesting and rewarding jobs I have had to date. I have been working there for almost a year, in which I have witnessed first hand that social change is possible, and charity work truly does make an incredible difference to the lives of individuals. My time at SBS has been highly educational and I have been able to gain an invaluable insight into UK immigration law, the role of racism and nativism in UK institutions, harmful religious practices, and negative societal and cultural traditions that all have a significant impact on the lives of BME women. It has been highly motivating to know that the work I do for this organisation is part of a wealth of emotional and practical support for vulnerable women that mitigates the impact of racial and gender inequalities in society and ensures that basic human rights are upheld, and needs are met. The women at SBS work incredibly hard to support women in need in the UK and abroad, and their passion and commitment to fighting inequality and injustice is something that I hope will continue to inspire me throughout the rest of my political career.”

Courtney – Volunteer