ADVICE WORKER RECRUITMENT PACK
Who we are
Suffolk Refugee Support aims to ensure that all asylum seekers and refugees in Suffolk are enabled to live integrated, fulfilled and contributing lives in their new communities. We provide a welcoming environment where clients can access help, advice, support and practical services in order to be healthy and safe and begin to rebuild their lives. We work with external agencies, community and voluntary sector organisations, health providers and others to enable our clients to access a range of support. We are based in Ipswich, but our services operate increasingly on location with refugees and asylum seekers housed in accommodation across Suffolk.
Values
Individuals Matter - Each Client is unique and has an intrinsic value and constructive role to play in UK society Respect - We are open, welcoming, respectful, and transparent in our dealings with one another and with others Self Determination - We direct our efforts towards self-determination and ultimate independence for our Clients Client Centred - We are led by the needs and interests of our Clients and design our services to work holistically to meet these
Safe Environment - The all-round safety and security of our Clients and everyone who works for and with SRS is of paramount importance
Keeping Informed - We keep ourselves fully informed and knowledgeable about every sphere of our work
Aims
Basic Needs - To address our Clients' fundamental needs including immigration status, housing, education, physical and mental health, employment and personal safety
Social Well-being – To facilitate and support recreational and leisure-time activities aimed at enhancing our Clients’ social well-being and quality of life
Independence - To support our Clients in transitioning towards independence from SRS’ services
Awareness and Rights - To promote awareness and understanding of our Clients’ experience in the community, including advocating, advising, and lobbying to encourage statutory and other bodies to meet their obligations to our Clients
Client Partnership - To develop our partnership with our Clients to achieve a co-production model of service design, evaluation, and delivery
Governance - To uphold the effective governance and management of SRS in order to maximise its impact and ensure that its work is informed by ‘voices of lived experience’
Staff - To maintain a workplace that values and supports Staff, enabling them to effectively carry out their roles in a healthy working environment
Volunteers - To increase and develop Volunteers’ contribution to the work of SRS
Registered Charity 1078794
What we offer
Financial
• Competitive salaries
• Contributory pension scheme – up to 6% Employer contribution in addition to Employee contribution
• Enhanced sick pay scheme after successful probation period
Development
We believe that investment in our staff to develop their skills is essential to providing high-quality support to our clients. We provide:
• Training for role-related duties
• Generic skills training to contribute towards personal development
• On-the-job training and mentoring
• Opportunities to shadow other roles or activities within the wider team
Wellbeing
Hybrid working (role dependent)
• Opportunities for social activities
• Workplace activity sessions, for example, lunchtime walks
• A welcoming, diverse team with lots of cooking skills and a strong sense of community!
Time off
• 25 days annual leave pro rata (plus public holidays pro rata)
One-week pro rata paid carer’s leave
• One-week pro rata paid compassionate leave
• Options for unpaid leave after successful probation period
The opportunity
Job Title Advice Worker
Reports to Advice Service Manager
Hours 28 hours a week
Salary £22,472 (pro rata from £28,091 FTE for 35 hours per week) – Band 2
Contract Permanent contract, subject to a 3-month probation review
Location Partly based at Suffolk Refugee Support office on 38 St Matthew’s Street, Ipswich, IP1 3EP and partly on location in Suffolk. This role will involve regular travel across the county.
About the role
The Advice Worker will work in Ipswich and elsewhere in Suffolk and will be responsible for delivering advice and practical support to asylum seekers and refugees arriving in the county. They will ensure that all clients receive appropriate help and assistance, working either directly with the clients, via volunteers, or by signposting to other agencies.
The work will involve communicating with different agencies and individuals in a cohesive and clear manner to ensure that Suffolk Refugee Support is responsive and effective in overcoming the hurdles experienced by people arriving here. The role will involve helping asylum seekers and refugees to settle into life in the UK, including practical support with health provision, schools and education for children, English language classes, applications for benefits and employment and training advice. The post holder will need to be sensitive to the needs of highly traumatised people and able to offer them reassurance, security and hope through their interventions. They will need to advocate for clients to ensure other agencies respond appropriately to their needs.
Main Deliverables
• To assist with the planning and delivery of services for all new arrivals who attend our office or, if applicable, for those who are dispersed in the community
• To assist asylum seekers and refugees, where appropriate, with accessing healthcare, asylum support or benefit entitlements, school places, ESOL courses, digital inclusion and recreational activities
• To reach out to newly arrived asylum seekers to assess their needs, and maintain regular contact with a caseload of clients across the county
• To support the Housing Advice Worker in their assistance to clients presenting at our services with housing needs
• To provide employment, training and higher/further education advice where appropriate, helping clients to gain independence, develop skills, and progress in their lives
• To direct clients to other services provided by Suffolk Refugee Support or external agencies (making appointments where appropriate)
• To attend meetings with local authorities and statutory agencies to advocate for client needs and to provide a voice for them to ensure services are geared to their best interests
• To attend meetings with other partners, including community groups, to ensure everyone is working to an agreed plan, seeking shared solutions to improve clients’ quality of life and ensure duplication of services is avoided
• To deal with telephone advice requests and act as a point of contact for clients, statutory, voluntary and private sector organisations
• To work closely with the Marginalised Adult Health Outreach team and other health partners to ensure health needs are dealt with appropriately
• To work to achieve agreed outcomes which will bring about positive changes in our clients’ lives
• To promote independence on the part of the clients, with a strong emphasis on supporting longer term service users to transition away from our services
• To advise clients about all aspects of living in the UK and to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities under UK law
Vulnerable Client & Safeguarding Work
• In liaison with SRS’s Safeguarding Leads and external authorities, to provide support to highly vulnerable clients or in cases where there are safeguarding concerns
Monitoring, Evaluation and Funder Reporting
• To record services given and outcomes achieved on internal monitoring systems and to maintain the filing system in line with data protection regulations
• To assist with reports in reference to our funders’ outcomes and targets
• To help with the development & administration of written information produced by SRS for our clients’ benefit
• To contribute to development of new services and funding applications
Additional Duties and Responsibilities
• To occasionally contribute to media features and SRS newsletter articles concerning the scheme and its clients (in liaison with the Fundraising and Communications Manager), and to promote public awareness and positive perceptions
• To take responsibility for keeping up to date with changes to legislation, policy and rules affecting asylum seekers and refugees, including attending training as applicable
• To contribute to other SRS work including weekly team meetings and activities as requested by Management, such as assisting with external SRS events or activities
• To work in line with SRS’s policies and codes of conduct
Other requirements
To deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed, and you may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties, however, will fall within the scope of the job, at the appropriate skills and responsibility level. This job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post-holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties of the job.
Please note that an Enhanced DBS Check is required for this post. The decision to request a DBS disclosure is made in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The check will be paid for by Suffolk Refugee Support.
What we are looking for
Person Specification
| Experience and knowledge | |
| Essential | Desirable |
| Experience of working with refugees and people seeking asylum,or other similarly marginalised group | Lived experience of the UK asylum system |
| Understanding of the experiences of people seeking asylum inthe UK and commitment to upholding their legal rights andentitlement | Experience of report writing |
| Awareness of the level of discrimination faced by refugees andasylum seekers in the UK | |
| Knowledge of the UK benefits systems or willingness to learn | |
| Experience of assisting people to improve their personalcircumstances through self-empowerment' | |
| Experience of working within a multicultural team | |
| Skills | |
| Essential | |
| Good written and spoken English | |
| Excellent writen and verbal communication skills to advocate on behalf of lients and present cases factually and clearly | |
| Ability to give advice and support in a sensitive manner including when English is not the first language of the client | |
| Ability to use own initiative to solve problems as well as contributing to team plans and joint activities | |
| Ability to multitask and manage a varied and full workload | |
| Proficiency in working with Microsoft Office packages and using a CRM database. Diligent and timely approach to admin work. | |
| A full UK driving licence, access to your own transport and a willingness to work in locations around Suffolk | |
| Attributes | |
| Essential | |
| Commitment to inclusive practices and equal opportunities | |
| A strong commitment to Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults | |
| Friendly, helpful and positive atitude when meeting new people | |
| Conscientious, calm under pressure | |
Equal Opportunities Statement
Suffolk Refugee Support (SRS) is committed to equal opportunities and to supporting diversity both in the provision of services and as an employer. These commitments are set out in the Equality and Diversity policy and are integral to the provision of SRS’s services and to the work done by its staff, trustees, and volunteers, who are expected to promote equality in the workplace and to deliver services with sensitivity.
In essence, this means that no service user, job applicant, employee, volunteer, trustee, or member will be treated less favourably on the grounds of the following protected characteristics: age, disability (physical or mental impairment), gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religious beliefs, sex and sexual orientation. In addition, SRS is committed to ensuring that no service user, job applicant, employee, volunteer, trustee, or member will be treated less favourably on the grounds of membership of a particular social group, political opinion, caring responsibilities, HIV status and employment status.
SRS recognises that refugees and asylum seekers are a particularly vulnerable group of people and may experience additional prejudice and discrimination. As a result, SRS is committed to supporting refugees and asylum seekers to take their full place in society, including being involved in SRS’s governance structures.
Equality and Diversity and you
You will be required to support individuals, families, children, women, and young people from very diverse backgrounds and engage them equally irrespective of political, religious or other affiliations.
We expect our team members to act professionally at all times and uphold the values, ambitions and aims of Suffolk Refugee Support. We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements to accommodate people with disabilities.
Please be aware that our offices are accessed via a steep staircase. We will endeavour to accommodate staff with mobility issues as far as possible.
You will have received an Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form as part of this recruitment pack. Please complete and return to Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk
How to apply
Please complete the Application Form, the Equality Monitoring Form and attach your CV (which should cover your education history, employment history and any relevant training) and send the three documents to Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk
If you require a larger print form or a paper form, please contact Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk
Alternatively, you can send the documents by post to Suffolk Refugee Support, 38 St Matthew’s Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3EP.
Note on the use of AI: We value applications that authentically reflect your own skills and experiences. Submissions suspected of being generated using AI may be rejected. Please ensure that all answers and work presented are your own.
Deadline for submission: no later than 12 noon on 25th August 2026
Interview date: 3rd September 2026
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early and interview at an earlier date if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
How we choose who we invite to an interview
Shortlisting is completed by a panel of Suffolk Refugee Support staff members who will review and independently score your anonymised CV and the responses you have given to the questions asked in the application form’s Why are you the right person for this job section.
They then meet as a group to discuss their scores and decide which candidates’ answers have ranked highest for them.