Refugee, Migrant and Asylum Seeker Programme Support Officer – Adult Services London, England
Job description
Hackney has a longstanding reputation of being open and welcoming to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers – both as a Council and a community. As the refugee crisis in Europe continues to get worse, with more people fleeing their homes, The London Borough of Hackney remains committed to ensuring people arriving in Hackney feel welcome and safe, and can access the support that is available.
In recent years, there have been multiple schemes in Hackney to support the resettlement of people fleeing the war in Syria and Afghanistan. Hackney has welcomed hundreds of Ukrainian people and families to the borough, largely via the Homes for Ukraine scheme. We also continue to support unaccompanied asylum seeker children, as well as facilitating and supporting other programmes such as the Community Sponsorship Scheme and the Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) Welcome Programme.
The number of people arriving in the UK seeking asylum is increasing, including in Hackney. Hundreds of people are currently staying in hotels in Hackney managed by the Home office, as temporary accommodation while their claim for asylum is assessed.
In response, a new service has been developed which aims to deliver a fair, safe, effective and welcoming response to all refugees, migrants and asylum seekers arriving in the Borough. This will ensure that, locally, the various Government schemes are delivered effectively and equitably, working closely with the community and range of organisations who support displaced people. The team will have the information, skills and expertise to respond to emerging situations and challenges more quickly, ensuring dignity and respect for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers is promoted and embedded across all services.
– To provide administrative and project support to the new Refugee, Migrant and Asylum Seeker Support team.
– To co-ordinate and produce documentation and records linked to refugee, migrant and asylum seeker support, including returns to the Government and internal and external reports.
– To support the effective design and delivery of multiple programmes of work through suggesting and developing efficient processes, systems and communications, and supporting the wider team to implement new ways of working.
– To coordinate activity happening across multiple programmes – suggesting and implementing opportunities for efficiency, sharing of resources and approaches and generally helping the team to operate day-to-day through excellent organisation and planning.
We would like to hear from candidates that…
– have experience of providing financial, project and administrative support to complex services.
– have experience working with a range of stakeholders to collate, understand and share information in a timely and appropriate way, and can tailor their communications to a range of audiences.
– have excellent organisation and time management skills, and can deploy these proactively to identify and implement new ways of working, processes and systems.
– are passionate about ensuring refugees, migrants and asylum seekers are supported with dignity, respect and in a trauma-informed way, ensuring their experiences and voices are central to local decision making.
There is no better place to work in London than Hackney; we have great pride in our borough, our communities, and our services. Hackney is one of London’s most vibrant and diverse boroughs. It’s one of the most sought after areas to live in London with good schools, parks and local amenities, as well as great transport links and vibrant and diverse communities.
We are passionate about diversity and want our workforce to reflect our community and encourage all those who possess the essential criteria to apply to work for Hackney.
If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.
The recruitment process is anonymous. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CVs.
When applying, there will be a number of questions relating to the post on the application form. It is essential that you complete the application questions, responding to each using examples of your skills, knowledge and experience.
Closing date for applications :28 May 2023
Interview date :TBC
We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.
Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age and marital status. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.
The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: [email protected]
