• Where am I?
• Home »
• Jobs

Jobs at VoiceAbility

VoiceAbility is working to give disabled people across the UK a voice and control over their lives so that they can move away from a position of disadvantage and exclusion.

If you believe in our approach and in helping people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and disabilities to play a leading role in shaping their life then VoieAbility could be the ideal organization for you to work for.

View our current vacancies

Current Vacancies

VoiceAbility is based in a variety of locations around the country and often has opportunities in a variety of different projects.

If you like what you've read about working for us, take a look at our current vacancies and see if any are appropriate for you.

If there are no suitable positions at the moment, keep an eye on these pages as our vacancies change regularly and there will be more opportunities advertised soon.

Please note that we do not accept CVs as part of our recruitment process - you will need to complete our application form.

If you would like an easy-read or audio application pack, or would like to apply for a job using other formats such as DVD or audio please contact our recruitment team - recruitment@voiceability.org

Volunteering at VoiceAbility

VoiceAbility often has volunteering opportunities within its Active Voices projects. If you are interested in finding out more about these opportunities, check our current vacancies page.

Working At VoiceAbility

As an Investor in People organization, VoiceAbility provides its staff with access to a range of training and personal development opportunities, including a comprehensive induction programme, and a tailored four-day professional training course for all staff joining us as Advocates. Each staff member is encouraged to complete a personal development plan that is appropriate to them.

Each year VoiceAbility runs a staff conference called the 'Big Day Out' which provides staff with personal development opportunities, the chance to network with colleagues and trustees from across the nation as well as having a fun day out with dinner and evening entertainment provided.

With a non-contributory pension scheme of 5%, life assurance, flexible working, bike to work loans, childcare vouchers, generous annual leave entitlements and up to 52 weeks maternity leave, we offer a whole package of other ways to help you make more of your money, safeguard your future and look after your health. You can read more on our 'VoiceAbility Benefits Document'.

Our Recruitment Process

VoiceAbility is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all groups within the community.

VoiceAbility encourages all applicants to complete the equal opportunities form when applying to enable us to monitor how effective we are in attracting people from all areas of the community.

The 2007 staff survey revealed that employees at VoiceAbility felt that the organization recruits to a very high standard. In order to ensure this, we use a two stage interview process for most positions.

Stage 1:

This is an initial interview usually lasting around 30 minutes and is a chance for the organization to get to know you better and for you to understand more about the role. You will be asked a variety of questions relating to your experience and the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification for the role.

Stage 2:

This stage usually comprises a panel interview, which often includes one or more service users, together with the line manager for the role, a member of the Senior Management Team, and often, members of the team you would be working directly with. For senior management positions, a member of our board of Trustees will also be on the interview panel.

We involve service user volunteers in the recruitment process for all our roles, in order to gain their opinions about how you would perform in the role. At this second stage you will often be asked either to carry out a practical task on the day, working with service users, or to prepare and deliver a presentation for which service users will be members of the audience.

Other details you need to be aware of:

When looking at our current vacancies please pay close attention to the closing date and interview dates. Although VoiceAbility tries to be flexible in these areas it is often difficult or not possible for us to accept late applications or to change interview dates, particularly where a panel of interviewers has been arranged.

If you submit your application and meet the criteria for the position we will contact you shortly after the closing date for an interview. We do try to contact all applicants even if they are not successful, however if you have not heard from us by the first interview date you can assume that you have been unsuccessful in your application.

All successful applicants will be required to complete a Criminal Records Bureau check and all offers of employment will be subject to this and a minimum of two employment references.

Our robust recruitment process helps VoiceAbility ensure that we recruit fantastic staff with the right skills to ensure that VoiceAbility will continue to deliver services at a high standard.

If you have any questions or comments about our recruitment process please contact the Human Resources Department at Mount Pleasant House, Cambridge, CB3 0RN or 01223 555800 or email recruitment@voiceability.org.

---

Opportunities for people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and disabilities

VoiceAbility particularly welcomes applications from people with a disability, or direct experience of mental health problems or learning difficulties, as this helps us to ensure that we put people with disabilities at the centre of the work we do.

At least 26% of our paid staff and a third of our trustee board consider themselves to have a disability or have personal experience of mental health problems.

When applying for roles, your personal experience and / or knowledge of disability will be seen as an advantage.

Please contact us if you would like to apply for a job with us, and you would like to receive information in a different format, such as large-print or easy-read.

VoiceAbility currently has several members of staff who we employ through the government's permitted working scheme. This scheme is a benefit arrangement which allows people who are in receipt of incapacity benefit because of illness or disability, to test their own capacity for doing some work and perhaps gain new skills.

Kerry works for VoiceAbility Next Steps as a Peer Coach supporting people on the Next Steps course. She works about 15 hours each month and can still claim her benefits as the money she gets paid is at the Government's Permitted Earnings limit. Kerry's salary is paid into her bank account and she gets a payslip showing how much she has earned from VoiceAbility each month.

VoiceAbility also has a variety of voluntary opportunities for people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and disabilities. Volunteering can be a good way to learn new skills and gain confidence. Having a disability does not prevent you from learning and achieving a great deal and volunteering can be one way to do this.

Michael works for VoiceAbility Next Steps as a volunteer, writing booklets for people with learning difficulties. He works for around half a day each week and he doesn't get paid. He is still an important member of the team and he gets to learn new skills and meet new people.

If you are interested in volunteering for VoiceAbility please contact us and we will try to find an opportunity to suit you.