Assistant Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION

Haslar Visitors Group is a voluntary organisation committed to helping asylum seekers and migrants held at Immigration Removal Centre Haslar. We have around 60 volunteer visitors who each befriend and make weekly visits to the detainee who is allocated to them.

Post: Assistant Coordinator
Full-time (37 hours per week)
There will be some evening and possibly weekend work

Salary: £21,000 pa

Equal Opportunities: HVG is committed to operating as an equal opportunities organisation. We welcome applications from refugees and in particular from former detainees to reflect the composition of our service user group.

Responsible to: The Assistant Coordinator is responsible to, and line-managed by, the Coordinator.

Purpose of the Job: To work closely with the two other members of staff in providing a high standard of service to detainees. Helping to make us more accessible to detainees and meeting their needs.

Main Areas of Responsibility:
Being the focal point for new referrals to the organisation. Responding to initial needs and prioritising urgent cases. This work typically includes:

     Explaining the role of HVG to new detainees who contact us and gaining their trust
     Referring detainees to other organisations (e.g. Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), community groups)
     Liaising with solicitors and other professionals - such as doctors and social workers.
     Making referrals to solicitors for detainees without representation
     Assisting detainees to make complaints about mistreatment

Providing telephone support to detainees who need ongoing emotional support
Visiting detainees who are waiting to be allocated a visitor from the group.
Responding to emergency requests for a visit
Managing the administrative systems for detainee records
Ensuring that all relevant data is collected on clients and service provision
Undertaking such duties and responsibilities appropriate to this post, not specifically mentioned in this job description, as allocated by the Co-ordinator.

Special Conditions: The appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a three month probationary period.

Annual leave: The job offers 25 days leave a year plus public holidays, with time off in lieu given for agreed evening and weekend work.

Place of work: The Group's office is All Saints Commercial Road Portsmouth PO1 4BT.

Additional Information: It is essential that the person appointed has motor transport. Mileage will be paid.