Are you passionate about providing guidance and practical assistance, and advocating for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people? Do you want to be involved in empowering them to achieve their goals, navigating the challenges of adulthood, while supporting them with Triple Planning options for them in relation to their immigration?

We’re looking for A Personal Advisor to join us in our Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) team!

Working alongside Social Workers, you’ll be leading on all aspects of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people’s experiences from the point that they come to Cambridgeshire. Recognising the trauma, challenges, and loss our children and young people have been through, whilst being able to undertake holistic assessments of their needs (including age assessments where necessary) and support them through the immigration system, whilst also being ambitious for their future.

If you’re committed to making a positive difference in the lives of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people, and have the skills and experience to support them on their journey to independence, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding opportunity.

Based in Scott House, Huntingdon, no two days are the same and we have fantastic ambitions for this team within the Leaving Care Service.

Now is a great time to join Cambridgeshire County Council as we develop a new model of practice focussed on relationships and being aspirational for children in our care in terms of their homes, relationships with their families and educational opportunities. We commit to embedding the Council ambitions for a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.

If this sounds like a role that suits your skill set, we would love to hear from you! For more information, please contact Nikki on Nikki.Hanks@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or Monica on monica.madyambwa@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

We expect interviews to be held at Scott House, Huntingdon, week commencing 13th April

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

What will you be doing?

As a Personal Advisor you will undertaking comprehensive assessments of needs, strengths and goals, and developing personalised Pathway Plans in collaboration with the young person and their network. This will include a focus on housing, education, employment and emotional well-being, that include, where appropriate Triple Planning. In addition you will monitor progress towards goals, undertaking reviews, and adjusting Pathway Plans as needed to reflect changing circumstances.

You will be providing one-to-one support and advocacy to ensure young people have access to the right support at the right time, and enabling young people to access opportunities including recreational, developing hobbies and creating friendships.

In the role you will offer practical assistance including budgeting, accessing benefits and helping with applications (e.g. housing), and assisting young people in developing essential life skills from cooking and time management to communication.

You will be facilitating group workshops and activities to promote social inclusion and personal development, and supporting young people through the immigration system, their rights and entitlements and options that they have as immigration decisions are made.

You’ll need to maintain accurate records and documentation, and provide duty support on a rota basis.

About you

We’re looking for a confident and dynamic individual who enjoys making a difference in their local community, is curious and spots things that others might not see, enjoys building relationships and likes to explore possibilities.

You must:

• Have an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent relevant A-Level qualifications
• Be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the specific issues faced by unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people who have experienced care, as well as the specific needs related to them
• Have strong communication skills, interpersonal and advocacy skills and be able to present information in different formats, as is suitable for the audience
• Have the ability to work collaboratively to achieve improved outcomes
• Have knowledge of the relevant legislation and policies that relate to care leavers
• Have the ability to work from a variety of locations and travel countywide, and out of county, independently

We would welcome applications from a diverse range of workers who are willing to work flexibly to enhance our existing workforce.

This role is not eligible for sponsorship.

Our benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes

Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.