Welfare Rights Caseworker (Lewisham Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Project)

Southwark Law Centre (SLC) is developing a new project in partnership with the Guys and St Thomas Community Sickle Cell service.

A recent study reported: "South London has the highest concentration of people with sickle cell in the UK, with over 3800 people living or accessing hospital care in this area (National Haemoglobinopathy Registry 2019/20)… adults also report issues with mental wellbeing as well as problems with employment or access to benefits or suitable housing. This is often due to not understanding their rights or having easy access to the support they need”

The main objectives of this role :

• To assist patients, families and carers in the Borough of Lewisham affected by Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia to access the welfare benefits they are entitled to.

• To provide legal support, training and advice to health professionals and community organisations working with people affected.

• To ensure people affected are referred or signposted to other sources of legal support in areas such as housing and discrimination in employment.

People living with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, and their carers will be referred for advice by the hospital teams, and other community organisations.

The project also involves providing second tier advice and training workshops for hospital team members, and community groups.

The successful applicant will have at least two years recent, experience of providing welfare rights casework in a legal or advice including experience of advocating on welfare benefits cases in the First-tier Tribunal and preparing submissions.

You should also demonstrate an understanding of the issues facing people living with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, though awareness training will be provided.

The post will be based at our office in Peckham with some outreach in Lewisham. SLC has adopted an agile working policy and encourage staff to work from partly from home.

Terms and conditions include:

• Initial 1 year fixed term contract with the possibility of extension

• 21 hours per week

• Excellent Pension Scheme

• Flexible working policy

• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays

Southwark Law Centre is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all who believe they fit the essential key skills and abilities required of the role. We encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.

We particularly encourage applications from people with lived experience of the issues we deal with.

For an application pack please visit: www.southwarklawcentre.org.uk

For an informal discussion please contact sally.causer@southwarklawcentre.org.uk

Closing date for applications: 5pm, Tuesday 31 May 2022

Interviews: Friday 10 June 2022