Join Us

The Counter-Trafficking team at HBF is a small but very busy team; it works with people who have been trafficked for all forms of exploitation and supports them in their involvement in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), asylum and criminal justice systems. The Counter-Trafficking programme provides access to vital ongoing contact and safeguarding support for clients to ensure that they are kept safe and have court standard documentary evidence. The team takes a holistic approach which is tailored to the specific needs of clients, who have experienced human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forms of forced labour and/or criminal exploitation.

As a Counter-Trafficking volunteer, you will be trained to take an active role in the administrative and casework load of the team, and to help to provide pastoral support for our clients. This includes online filing, collating case materials (legal, clinical and other) to provide client chronologies, supporting the process of counter-trafficking assessments and other appointments, meeting remotely and in person with clients and engaging in tasks required to support the team. This is a fast-paced role, vital for the proper functioning of the team. You will be exposed to very traumatic information, but you will have careful, friendly supervision from a positive staff team in all aspects of your work, and clinical supervision can be provided to offer support as needed.

Main tasks and activities

• Entering client data into our CMS database
• Collating legal and other case materials, writing up clients’ chronologies and drafting letters
• Meeting virtually or in person with our clients with Counter-Trafficking team staff member
• Follow up calls with clients and/or professionals involved in cases
• Taking clear and comprehensive notes at meetings with and about clients
• Researching and collating key data and information for clients and the staff team
• Administrative tasks as required by the team
• Attendance and minute taking at various professionals meetings

Skills and experience needed

• Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation
• A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking
• An understanding that the Counter-Trafficking team handles sensitive information about medical evidence and traumatic histories, including accounts of rape and sexual violence
• Experience of working with highly vulnerable people and exposure to traumatic histories
• Fast touch-typing and document formatting skills
• Ability to use word processing, spreadsheet and database programs
• Strong organisational skills, including organising client documents and histories
• Strong time management and prioritisation skills
• A high level of understanding of the duty of confidentiality
• A respect for the principles of diversity and human rights

What you will get out of the role

• A better understanding of the legal systems relating to the National Referral Mechanism, the asylum system and refugee procedures in the UK
• A stronger understanding of law enforcement and the criminal justice system as it relates to survivors of trafficking
• An understanding of the multi-disciplinary care that victims of trafficking require, including working with therapy, medical, housing and welfare and advocacy teams
• Experience of using trauma-informed methods of working with survivors
• Stronger and faster administrative skills
• Ability to process large amounts of data and prioritise or categorise it
• Confidence in using interpreters to communicate with clients
• Experience of writing clear content and reports
• An ability to multi-task between competing priorities