About COPE Galway

COPE Galway has been providing essential social services in Galway for 60 years.  We respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support older people towards healthy, independent ageing. Our vision is for a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life. 

COPE Galway is deeply embedded in the Galway community. We are founded on the belief that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve and our community.

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​Our People

Our People, COPE Galway staff and volunteers, are the driving force behind everything we do. Their passion, commitment, and professionalism enable us to deliver a wide range of services, support more people, and make a real impact in the community.

We have a diverse range of roles, from frontline support workers and social care professionals to catering, community engagement and other professional roles. Each role is crucial in ensuring we deliver our services effectively and make a positive impact in the community.

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Working with COPE Galway

Joining our team means you will make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the families and individuals we support and contribute to driving meaningful social change in the community. Whether you are a frontline worker directly supporting clients or in an administrative role, you are vital to our efforts to address critical issues like homelessness and domestic abuse and to ensure that older people are valued and supported.

At COPE Galway, we prioritise the development and wellbeing of our people. We offer a supportive work environment, with opportunities for ongoing training, personal and professional growth, and leadership development.

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Our Culture

We foster an inclusive, supportive and respectful workplace, where diversity is valued. Our team is united by a shared mission and a genuine passion for empowering people and creating meaningful change. We take a trauma-informed approach to the way we work and foster this culture in every aspect of the organisation, including a focus on the health and wellbeing of our staff.

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Domestic Abuse Service

COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service supports and empowers women, children and young people who are subjected to domestic abuse. Based in Modh Eile House, we offer a range of services including a 24/7 confidential helpline, safe refuge accommodation, outreach services throughout Galway, and court accompaniment. We also provide domestic abuse training and awareness programmes.

Our dedicated children and young people’s service, Solas Óg, provides one-to-one and group therapeutic supports for children and young people up to 25 years, and delivers healthy relationship workshops in schools and youth groups in Galway.

We listen, believe and support women, children and young people on their journey toward a life free from domestic abuse.

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Job Responsibilities

Management of the Service

• To lead and manage the staff team, in a trauma informed manner, in the delivery and development of the service in accordance with the vision, mission and strategic direction of the service and the organisation.
• To deliver trauma informed supervision
• To work within the ethos and philosophy of the service at all times
• To champion  the vision, values and ethos of COPE Galway to multiple stakeholders.
• Lead and manage the staff team in the delivery and development of the service in accordance with the vision, mission and strategic direction of the service and the organisation.
• To lead and work with the team to embed and ensure psychological safety        
• To ensure that all those that need our service are fully involved in decisions affecting them
• Oversee the supervision, support and further development of the professional practice of the staff involved in the delivery of services
• To address staff performance and conduct issues in a timely manner in accordance with the organisations human resources policies and procedures and engage with the human resources department staff as necessary and appropriate in doing so.
• To ensure communication between staff through meetings, updates, inclusion and transparency
• To attend training when requested, and contribute to staff meetings
• To work in accordance with and contribute to the further development of the policies and procedures of the service
• To bring any matters of concern to the attention of the Head of Service in a timely manner,
• To assist in the overall administration of COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service, in conjunction with the Head of Service
• To track, monitor and contribute to all recording procedures, identify trends and service need
• To ensure that reports, proposals and statistics are accurate and completed to professional standards
• To assist in the preparation and completion of funding applications, service reports, data collection, media articles, interviews etc, as required
• To deliver trauma informed supervision
• To manage the time and attendance recording system
• To help colleagues when required
• To participate in the organisational Manager on call rota
• To engage in interagency work, fostering links and developing referral pathways where appropriate
• Facilitate or source debriefing supports for staff team when required
   

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Guiding Client Work

• To devise and implement systems to ensure how we work is trauma informed, providing feedback and guidance to the team
• To all duties are carried out based on best practice and to work with colleagues to implement and continuously further develop this
• To support staff in their day to day work
• To support the team in working through obstacles in key work, through better understanding of the woman and through adapting the key work approach to better fit the woman’s needs
• Oversee CRM system to ensure high standard of recording, communication and follow up
• To convene regular meetings of key workers to share experience, expertise and to facilitate peer support
• To support each key worker in determining the level of service most appropriate to the woman’s needs
• To engage in and support key workers in the area of interagency work
• To co-ordinate and support the team in the day-to-day work with women and children, delegating where necessary and appropriate, and in co-operation with Solas Óg team
• To ensure adequate follow up and consistency for those using our service.
• To ensure that all relevant information is conveyed to staff at the handover meetings and that these meetings work effectively.

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​Refuge

• To ensure the environment is safe, welcoming and inviting to all who come through the gates.
• To ensure the refuge is operational 24/7, year round, through managing the allocation of team resources accordingly, and attending where necessary, ensuring correct staffing levels are rostered at all times.
• To continuously monitor and mange the rostering of staff, ensuring compliance with the working time and health and safety legislative requirements
• To manage the Relief Panel, ensuring that staff cover is always available, and that the panel contains the relevant skillset to meet the needs of the women and children requiring our service
• To work closely with the House Co-ordinator and refuge team on the allocation of accommodation, and including in the allocation of operational tasks with the staff team on a day-to-day basis
• To consult and liaise, in a trauma informed manner with external voluntary, statutory and professional agencies, as appropriate.
• To be vigilant for all the signs of abuse and neglect in children and report and record, in line with relevant legislation
• To ensure that the team get adequate trainings, support, breaks and rest time, providing cover if necessary.

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​Health & Safety

• To ensure adherence of the service and individual staff to COPE Galway’s Safety Statement and related policies and procedures and operations in accordance best practice in relation to standards of health and safety.
• To operate and engage with the organisational health and safety recording systems, monitoring adherence to requirements on an ongoing basis and responding and actioning issues such as non-adherence, poor recording practice, responses to incident and near miss occurrences in a timely manner.
• To make every effort to ensure your own personal safety, including psychological and that of others
• To contribute to the development and promotion of a strong and robust culture of health and safety within and across COPE Galway
• To support the health and safety and fire safety representatives with the service in fulfilling their responsibilities
• To participate in the COPE Galway Health and Safety Committee and other organisational activities in this area

​Desirable experience and skills

• Experience of working with women who have experienced domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
• Media and public speaking experience
• Experience of interagency work and community development.
• Training and experience in the area of data protection.
• Experience of implementing quality standards
• Awareness of a gendered analysis of domestic violence and how it informs interventions

Experience & Skills

• Minimum of three years leading teams in a trauma informed approach
• Third level Degree in Social Care or relevant equivalent
• Demonstrable knowledge of current domestic abuse legislation and issues
• Demonstrable knowledge of welfare, housing and other matters as they pertain to victims/survivors of domestic abuse
• Up to date knowledge and experience pertaining to Children First and safeguarding
• Excellent IT skills including knowledge of the development and operation of Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems and a strong working knowledge of Microsoft systems.
• Excellent communication skills with the capacity to prepare reports, file notes, correspondence to a high standard
• Experience of and eagerness to mentor and guide staff
• An understanding of the needs and challenges of operating 24/7 services

• Fully flexible and a willingness to meet the demands of the role

   

  Core Competencies

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to positively engage with and motivate people
• Can create and sustain a culture that enables and recognises staff members who ‘make things happen’ and bring forward ideas.
• Can create a team environment that is forward looking, holding clients at the centre of the work while consistently seeking to improve and develop practice
• Can foster working methods that recognise and harness the leadership potential of all staff according to their strengths, skills and abilities.
• Can support staff to engage in ongoing reflective practice that enhances both self -awareness and team knowledge for the benefit of client work
• Can drive and maintain a culture of expected standards of behaviour within an organisation
• Can remain optimistic and resilient with a strong work ethic, while facing challenges
• Can act as a mentor and role model for staff to enable them to carry out their role to the highest standards of integrity, trust and respect
• Can demonstrate leadership in making difficult decisions
• Committed to building effective working relationships with statutory and voluntary organisations on behalf of clients
• Can empower staff members and motivate them to do and to be their best for clients
• Can create opportunities and overcome challenges by rethinking established practices and procedures
• Have knowledge of the law, best practice and local and national practice changes, which may impact work practices
• Have good conflict resolution skills

Key Terms & Conditions

• Hours per week: 37 hours per week
• Location: Modh Eile House, Galway
• Type of Contract: Permanent

​General

• Participate in trauma informed supervision provided by the Head of Service or designated person.
• Seek support and resolution for any issues arising in your work and be pro-active with regard to your own self-care
• Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required

Equal Opportunity Employer

COPE Galway is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and working environments for all our employees.