St Hilda’s East has a 135-year history of combating deprivation and social exclusion in East London. We welcome people of all ages to our large community centre in Shoreditch where we offer a wide range of activities for local people which provide opportunities to enhance wellbeing, learn new skills and meet people of diverse backgrounds. We also run a day centre in Shadwell, with a focus on supporting elders from the Bangladeshi and other communities.
Legal Clinic Receptionist
Salary: £15.69 per hour including holiday pay
Hours: 5.75 hours per week – Wednesday 5.30 – 8.30 and Thursday 5.30 – 8.15
Do you have an interest in Law and passionate about supporting local residents?
Join our legal clinics at St. Hilda’s East working alongside top London law firms to provide pro-bono legal advice to local residents. Our receptionist is a vital member of the team, running the clinic; supporting our volunteer solicitors and welcoming and triaging clients.
How to Apply
Please see below the Job Description and full Person Specification and instructions on how to apply.
Sonali Gardens Legal Advice Service (SGLAS) and St Hilda’s East Legal Clinic (SHE Clinic) offer general legal guidance in areas of housing, employment, consumer/contract and welfare benefits (the latter being SGLAS specific). Both clinics run as a drop-in service, with clients attending in person at Sonali Gardens and Club Row, respectively. The Legal Clinic Receptionist will facilitate these sessions by managing client enquires, briefing the legal team in advance through collating and uploading documents, acting as receptionist during the clinic and recording/monitoring the process on behalf of SHE and the partner City Law. Advocating and translating for the client is likely to be a key part of the role.
Task Responsibilities
- · Act as the first point of contact as receptionist; managing enquiries, triaging clients, set up client files, upload details and make sure the clinic runs smoothly and to schedule
- · Manage enquiries including making phone calls, responding to emails and scanning documents
- · Manage clients within the waiting area, ensuring that all parties are kept informed of any changes to the schedule.
- · Where applicable, signpost clients unable to be seen by the clinic to other services, including St Hilda’s East in-house welfare advice service.
- · Set up advice rooms to ensure a comfortable and secure working environment for clients and volunteers.
- · Coordinate volunteers on-site. Help them set up and ensure that their appointments work to schedule.
- · Liaise with clients to provide case updates or request documents, acting as a representative on behalf of the volunteer solicitors
- · Provide translation (Bengali) for clients where appropriate.
- · Clear the advice rooms at the end of sessions and for SGLAS also lock up the building.
- · Manage client records: ensure that data is handled, distributed and eventually securely destroyed, in-line with SHE policies.
- Liaise with legal teams, facilitating communication regarding clinic operations and client enquiries.
Closing date for applications: 31 October 2024
General responsibilities
- Participate positively in regular supervision, appraisal, and training events.
- Ensure that all SHE policies and procedures are adhered to, particularly those relating to safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety, equal opportunities, and the environment.
- Undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role.
Person Specification
Essential Skills and Abilities
- · Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to listen to people
- · Strong written and verbal communication skills, whether by telephone, or in person
- · Good IT skills with attention to detail for data inputting and case management recording and use of Microsoft Office
- · Ability to prioritise tasks in an organised manner
- · Ability to manage own time and work under pressure
- Commitment to delivering a high standard of service to clients and partners
- Understanding of the advice needs of the local community
- An understanding of the importance of confidentiality and data protection
- Bengali speaking to support with translation
Desirable Skills and Abilities
- Understanding of relevant law and rights in relation to Employment, Housing, Benefits and consumer issues
St Hilda’s East has a 135-year history of combating deprivation and social exclusion in East London. We welcome people of all ages to our large community centre in Shoreditch where we offer a wide range of activities for local people which provide opportunities to enhance wellbeing, learn new skills and meet people of diverse backgrounds. We also run a day centre in Shadwell, with a focus on supporting elders from the Bangladeshi and other communities.
Current Vacancy: Fundraising Lead (Corporates & Individuals)
As Fundraising Lead (Corporates & Individuals) you will play a vital role in securing support from corporates, local businesses and individuals to help our charity to continue to thrive for a further 135 years!
The role can be worked flexibly over 22.5 hours per week with opportunities to work from home as well as our friendly offices in Shoreditch, London. 25 days holiday and bank holidays (pro rata) plus a pension scheme.
What you will be working on:
- Identifying new funding opportunities through horizon scanning and prospect research
- Engaging with supporters to develop sponsorship opportunities, in-kind donations and encouraging them to carry out their own fundraising activities on our behalf
- Developing the relationship between St Hilda’s East and Cheltenham Ladies’ College
- Developing diverse opportunities for individual giving and ensuring outstanding donor stewardship
- Contributing to the development of strategies to generate income from diverse sources
- Developing case for support messaging and writing impact reports
This job is for you, if …
- You have 2 years’ experience in charitable fundraising with responsibility for attracting diverse income streams
- Previous success in securing financial support from corporates and through individual giving
- Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills
- The ability to write eloquently and succinctly with meticulous attention to detail
- The ability to work positively as part of team
- You want to use your expertise for the benefit of a thriving community based organisation
To apply, please send us a copy of your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]. Your covering letter should be no more than 2 pages long and, explain how you meet each of the criteria in the Person Specification. Don’t forget to provide examples to evidence your experience and abilities.
Please download the Job Description and Person Specification.
Current Vacancy: Trustees
St Hilda’s East is a vibrant, multi-purpose community organisation with a 135-year history of combating deprivation and social exclusion in East London.
Founded as a settlement in 1889 by alumnae of the Cheltenham Ladies’ College, we now work across 2 sites within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets: a large community centre in Shoreditch, and a day centre in Shadwell.
We welcome local people of all ages to our community centre where we offer a wide range of lifechanging services and opportunities to enhance wellbeing, learn new skills and meet people of diverse backgrounds. We provide support and services including pre-school, children’s and youth projects for boys and girls, legal advice provision, a volunteer-run Food Co-op, a Women’s Project working with Bangladeshi and local women, and two projects for the Over 50s: Feeling Good and LinkAge Plus.
At our day centre, Sonali Gardens, we provide culturally appropriate care and support for Bangladeshi and other communities with a focus on supporting elders in the community, with a team of bi-lingual Bengali speaking staff.
Funding for our work comes from a range of sources: charitable trust grants, livery companies, local Council contracts, sponsored events, corporates, community fundraising and donations – as well as income generation from hiring out space in the freehold community centre premises.
We are seeking new Trustees to become actively involved in the strategic direction, governance and decision making of St Hilda’s East. As a Trustee you will join an actively engaged group of volunteers who are committed to making a difference to the residents of Tower Hamlets.
You do not need to have prior experience of being a Trustee or of working with boards; training on the charity and the role of a Trustee will be provided. Whether you are an experienced Trustee or wanting to take your first step at Board level, we would love to hear from you.
We are looking, in particular, for one or more of the following skills/experience to
complement our existing Trustees:
- Finance (especially charity accounting)
- Human Resources
- Property Management
We consider applications from all ages and backgrounds, and our aim is that our Trustee board is truly representative of the people it serves; we would therefore particularly welcome applications from people who live in Tower Hamlets, or who bring a high level of understanding of the challenges faced by residents in the local community.
The most important requirements for the role are the desire to effect positive change for those facing disadvantage, the ability to bring energy, enthusiasm and creativity to help tackle the many challenges facing the Board, and the ability to commit sufficient time to attend board meetings and to participate in working groups.
The Board meets 6 times a year on weekday evenings; meetings are usually in person. In addition, Trustees are encouraged to join the working group best suited to their interest and skillset; these meetings are held via Teams/Zoom during office hours. Trustees are appointed for a term of 3 years, with the possibility of serving multiple terms.
If you would like to apply, please send your CV and a short cover letter detailing why you are interested in the role to [email protected]. For more information please visit our website or call us on 020 7739 8066.
ST HILDA’S EAST COMMUNITY CENTRE
Duties of a trustee:
- Ensuring that St Hilda’s East (SHE) pursues its stated objects (purposes), as defined in its
governing document, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy - Ensuring that the SHE complies with its governing document (ie. the Memorandum and
Articles of Association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or
regulations - Ensuring that SHE applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects (ie.
SHE must not spend money on activities that are not included in its own objects, however
worthwhile or charitable those activities are) for the benefit of the public - Ensuring that SHE defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets
- Safeguarding the good name and values of the organisation
- Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having
appropriate policies and procedures in place - Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation
- Protecting and managing the property of SHE and ensuring the proper investment of the
charity’s funds - Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support,
appraisal and remuneration of the Director - In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills,
knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This
may involve leading or participating in working groups, scrutinising board papers, leading
discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or
other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
Person specification - A commitment to the vision, mission and values of St Hilda’s East
- A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
- Strategic vision
- Good, independent judgement
- An ability to think creatively
- A willingness to speak their mind
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of
trusteeship - An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
- A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity,
accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
The closing date for applications is 31 August 2024.
Our Recruitment Policy
St Hilda’s is committed to racial justice and wider inclusion and diversity. We are working towards a goal where our team fully reflects the diversity and difference in lived experiences of our local community.