Address:2 Dudhope Street, Dundee, DD1 1JU

Business: 01382 205556

Helpline:0300 365 3001

Email:

Hello,

We are delighted that you are considering a role with Vice Versa as a Vice Versa Support Worker. We hope to recruit 6 volunteers for our service. We have quite a task ahead of us in 2017 and if you decide to apply and get involved you will become part of a dynamic, essential service in Dundee.
You will be helping to provide support to some of the most marginalised and vulnerable women in our city through assisting us in the expansion of our street outreach and crisis support work.

This pack is designed to give you a background about our service and give you a better idea about what the role of will entail. Please don’t hesitate to contact our Manager, Sinéad Daly, on (01382) 205556 if you would like any further information.

The closing date for applications is on Friday 3rd March 2017. All applicants will then be invited to an open evening in March whereby we will provide you with more information about the service and undertake volunteer interviews and group work. If you are successful we will begin your training in April.

Only women need apply under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010 & all applicants will require to be PVG checked.

Your completed application should be submitted via email by sending it to you can post it marking it Private and Confidential to: WRASAC, 2 Dudhope Street, Dundee, DD1 1JU.

We look forward to receiving your completed application form.

Yours sincerely

Sinéad Daly

Manager

WRASAC Dundee & Angus is a company limited by guarantee, registered with OSCR and registered in Scotland as company number SC241372 and charity number SC009070.

BACKROUND INFORMATION ABOUT VICE VERSA

Vice Versa is a project whose purpose is to engage with women involved in prostitution in order to identify opportunities for prevention, demand reduction, diversion, support, harm reduction and support women to exit from prostitution. We are a partnership between the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre and Cair Scotland. Our project employs 1 Substance misuse worker (Cair Scotland), 2 part time Support Workers and a part time Admin & Information Worker (WRASAC).

Project Aims

  • Provide support to women who are involved in prostitution in Dundee (who may also be survivors of rape and sexual abuse), to address their specific needs:

-safety, housing, mental health, physical health, offending, domestic/sexual/emotional abuse, substance misuse.

  • Develop routes out of prostitution for women.
  • Raise awareness of women's experiences and challenge common myths and beliefs around the issues of prostitution.
  • Reduce women's risk taking behavior associated with their involvement in prostitution – sexual health, substance misuse, access to safety equipment, awareness of personal safety
  • Ensure that any identified child or adult at risk of harm is referred through local multi-agency arrangements, in line with WRASAC and CAIR Scotland Child Protection and Adult Support and Protection Policies.
  • Offer referral to long-term sources of support

Support Service Provision

A women only drop-inis provided weekly 2 30 pm-4 30 pm on Tuesdaysfor women involved in prostitution and is the front end/harm reduction element of the service. Designed to encourage women to engage on a one-to-one basis with Support Workers in order to achieve positive changes in their circumstances.

Street Outreach Staff / Volunteers take part in intelligence led outreach work to try and engage with particularly hard to reach women and enhance safety for all women involved in street prostitution.

Substance Misuse Interventions element of the service is provided CAIR Scotland and induction training will be provided within the Harm Reduction Centre based at the Cairn Centre, Rattray Street, Dundee.

Assertive Outreach - Support Workers take an assertive approach with women, facilitating travel to/from appointments with Vice Versa and other agencies and will also have a specific focus on those women who have accessed Vice Versa services but who have not engaged on a consistent basis.

Support offered includes:

  • emotional support,
  • harm reduction (substance misuse/ sexual health/personal safety),
  • advocacy,
  • information and support relating to physical/mental health,
  • financial issues,
  • education,
  • employment,
  • personal development,
  • housing,
  • childcare/parenting,
  • domestic abuse,
  • rape, sexual assault,
  • childhood sexual abuse,
  • independent living skills.

Volunteer Role Description

Title:

Vice Versa Support Volunteer

Purpose: To provide support and advocacy to young women and women who are involved in prostitution. To develop routes out of prostitution and to work in partnership with other key agencies.

Hours: Minimum of 4 hours per week, including evenings and weekends.

Place of Work: Dundee

Responsibilities and Duties

  • To provide support and advocacy to women who are involved in prostitution through our Street Outreach work.
  • To provide information and safety advice / packs to women involved in prostitution.
  • To support women to develop routes out of prostitution.
  • To provide support via our weekly drop in service.
  • Maintain case notes on our case management systems
  • To raise awareness of women’s experiences and to challenge popular myths and beliefs around the issues of prostitution.
  • To provide support and information to workers from the statutory and voluntary sector who are working with women involved in street prostitution.
  • Develop materials and resources for service users and agencies.
  • Assist Vice Versa in production of quality monitoring and evaluation.

Your commitment to us

  • You will successfully complete the Vice Versa initial training.
  • You will provide a minimum of 4 hours volunteer work, in particular on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening with the expectation being that this will be for a minimum of 12 months.
  • You will adhere to the Vice Versa Policies and Good practice.
  • You will maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality as outlined in Vice Versa Confidentiality Policy.
  • You will attend the Volunteer Meetings as required
  • You will attend relevant one to one support and supervision on a regular basis
  • You will inform the Manager of any concerns.

Our commitment to you:

  • We will provide volunteer induction training.
  • We will provide you with excellent work experience
  • We will provide ongoing support.
  • We will organise regular training and social evenings, for personal development and networking.
  • We will inform you of any training courses which may be of interest.
  • We will complete references for future employment.

Personal Qualities needed for Support Workers

A full induction and training will be provided, there is a minimum requirement to attend 80% of the training. We are looking for individuals with the following skills and aptitude, approach and personal qualities:

  • Good communication skills with a range of people
  • Commitment to the aims and objectives of Vice Versa / WRASAC.
  • Empathic, non-judgmental and genuine
  • Be able to take responsibility and be accountable
  • Ability to relate to individuals with mental health issues
  • Good listening skills
  • Ability to enthuse and motivate people
  • Positive outlook
  • Flexibility
  • Patience
  • Willing to learn
  • To acknowledge positive qualities and skills