Stalking Advocate - Thames Valley

JOB TITLE:

STALKING ADVOCATE* - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

* PLEASE NOTE: This post is restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1

LOCATION:

Thames Valley & Home Based (occasional travel to Head Office in Portsmouth)

SALARY:

£24,000 pa (unaccredited)

£27,000 pa (accredited*)

*on completion (or prior attainment) of a role-specific accreditation

CONTRACT TO:

March 2026 (continuation subject to funding)

POSITION TYPE:

Full time

HOURS:

37hrs per week

JOB DESCRIPTION

ROLE OUTLINE

To provide practical and emotional support to individuals experiencing stalking in the Thames Valley area, through both face to face and telephone support. Develop individual support plans which address the risk of harm, and offer information, advocacy, and signposting to clients on a risk and needs-led basis. Work closely with relevant multi-agency partners, including the Thames Valley police, to ensure that client safety is always kept central.

Aurora offers a hybrid, flexible way of working and this post will be a combination of home-based working and office-based at Milton Keynes police station. Requirement of occasional visits to our Head Office in Portsmouth.

Induction will be at our Portsmouth office.

This post is within a team of four advocates working across Thames Valley.

NB: This post operates across the Thames Valley Area and therefore flexibility of location and an ability to travel are essential.

MAIN DUTIES

1. Take the role of Stalking Advocate within the Aurora Stalking service. Provide specialist, targeted support to individuals experiencing stalking, promoting safety as the central issue, and thus reducing the risk of harm. Assess risk using established risk indicator tools, ensuring that this risk is reviewed on a regular basis.
2. Give information and support to those experiencing stalking, enabling, and empowering them to make positive choices about the options available to them.
3. Provide this service both at time of crisis and in longer term. e.g., safety planning, risk assessing advocacy, support through the criminal justice/civil legal process and liaison with other statutory and voluntary agencies.
4. Build and maintain links with the partner agencies in attendance and relevant agencies across the county to safeguard those experiencing stalking.
5. Attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences and Criminal/Civil Court as required.
6. Have a responsibility around safeguarding of both children and adults maintaining knowledge of appropriate policies and procedures and integrated working.
7. Support other agencies in the identification and referral of stalking issues via promotion of service and institutional advocacy.
8. Manage a caseload in accordance with all organisational policies and procedures.
9. Keep accurate records of all work done with or on behalf of clients using the organisation’s database, and produce reports and data as requested.
10. Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the service.

This job description is a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake. It may be changed from time to time to meet changing circumstances. It does not form part of your contract of employment.

ORGANISATION

Aurora New Dawn is managed by the Chief Executive Officer. The line management for this post is undertaken by the Stalking Senior Advocate. The service is Registered Charity and has a board of trustees and a full constitution to adhere to.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

The above range of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive: post holders will be expected to perform work of a similar level and responsibility when requested to do so. Remain up-to-date and compliant with all organisational procedures policies and professional codes of conduct and uphold standards of best practice. Observe duty to all Health and Safety rules and take all reasonable care to promote the health and safety of yourself and others. Act in a way that supports and promotes Aurora New Dawn’s Equal Opportunities Policy, which aims to ensure everyone has equal treatment and equal access to employment and services. Contribute to Best value by working in an effective, efficient, and economical way, and to suggest and implement improved ways of working wherever possible.

IT SECURITY

All staff must strictly adhere to current Aurora New Dawn policy on IT security as instructed by Chief Executive. Any breach of this policy could invoke the Aurora New Dawn disciplinary procedures, which could result in dismissal.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

Any information which staff have access to as a result of their employment with Aurora New Dawn must be regarded as confidential and must not under any circumstances be divulged to a third party without the appropriate authority (not even to relatives or close friends). If it is found that a member of staff has divulged such information, it may be appropriate to invoke the Aurora New Dawn disciplinary procedures, which could result in dismissal. All staff must be vigilant and careful to ensure that all information, which they have access to, remains confidential.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

All Aurora New Dawn employees must be committed to Customer Service with both internal and external clients. It is essential to maintain a high level of competence in this area.

WHAT AURORA OFFERS

• A full package of training.
• The opportunity to join a friendly, women-only team with a broad range of backgrounds and experience.
• A forces-friendly environment that understands the unique needs of armed forces families.
• Guidance and support from the point of induction onwards, including the provision of clinical supervision.
• Generous package of paid days holiday per year, plus bank holidays.
• An additional day off for your birthday.
• Opportunities for additional sessional work (if desired).
• Contribution pension scheme – NEST with 3% company contribution.
• Sick pay.
• Free DBS checks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

It is desirable (but not essential) that the post holder has the following:

• A keen interest in working with victims of stalking (or a similar field).
• A willingness to work in multi-agency partnerships for the purpose of safeguarding.
• A commitment to continued professional development.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and advisory skills, both written and verbal when interacting with a range of agencies and individuals.
• Good crisis management skills and the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations.
• Computer literacy skills and experience of working with databases.
• A willingness to travel locally, and occasionally nationally.
• A clean, full UK driving license.

• Experience of case holding.
• Knowledge of the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector.
• Specialist knowledge around stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence.

• Theoretical, practical, and procedural knowledge of civil and criminal justice remedies for victims of stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence.
• An understanding of child protection issues.
• A grasp of the principles of risk assessment, safety planning and risk management. Specific knowledge in relation to Stalking risk would be advantageous.
• Both an understanding of, and commitment to, equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.

EXPERIENCE

• Some experience of working with or supporting people experiencing domestic abuse, sexual violence or stalking in an official capacity would be advantageous. Where applicants do not have direct experience, they should be able to demonstrate a solid understanding of the subject matter.

QUALIFICATIONS/PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

• No former training needed.

PERSONAL QUALITIES, ATTITUDE AND PRESENTATION

• A commitment to a feminist ethos.
• A nonjudgemental and non-directive approach to empowering survivors along with the ability to understand the individual needs of survivors.
• The ability to think creatively, show initiative and be proactive when managing your caseload and interacting with your clients and agencies you’re working with.
• That you act with integrity and respect when working with all clients, agencies, and individuals.
• That you can critically assess own performance and reflect on own practice.
• That you are consistent and flexible – able to deal with changing and competing demands.
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
• Ability to travel locally, and occasionally nationally. Please note due to the nature of the post all applicants must have access to their own vehicle and possess a full, clean UK driving licence.

DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Full Police Vetting is an essential requirement of the post and will be required on acceptance of employment. If full Level 3 Police vetting is not obtained your employment can be terminated.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We encourage applications from women of all backgrounds and communities and are committed to having a team that is diverse in terms of skills, experiences, and abilities. We particularly encourage applications from disabled and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic women, as these groups are currently underrepresented in our organisation.