Groupwork Facilitator

We’re looking for a passionate and organised individual who will support the delivery of our groupwork programme across a wide geographical area to support people who have experienced rape or sexual violence at any point in their lives.

Salary: £28,065 (Full time equivalent)
Hours: 22.5 hours per week (Preferred working days would ideally be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday although there is potential for some flexibility)
Location: Bristol (with travel across Avon and Somerset) Up to 30% of hours per week working from home.
Benefits: 5% employer pension contribution, 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro-rata)
Contract: permanent

Closing Date: midnight on Tuesday 11 November 2025

As this role will be predominantly supporting women only groups, and the evidence says that women survivors struggle to be supported by men, and as it is a requirement of SARSAS  to offer women only spaces as part of its membership of Rape Crisis England & Wales, applications are restricted to women only (not including those who identify as a woman under gender reassignment or otherwise).

Applicants will undergo an enhanced criminal record check before employment starts.

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About the role

As part of our commitment to expanding and diversifying our support work services, we are excited to offer a rewarding opportunity to join our thriving and dynamic SARSAS team as a Groupwork Facilitator. We are looking for a passionate and organised individual who will support the delivery of our groupwork programme across a wide geographical area to support people who have experienced rape or sexual violence at any point in their lives.

An integral and exciting part of this new role will be engagement with local communities and stakeholders to establish and strengthen relationships that will facilitate the expansion of our support and enable the development of our new peer support model and community drop in and reach out service.

You will work alongside the Groupwork Coordinator to plan and design our new peer support groups and community drop-in and reach-out spaces. You will be responsible for facilitating these groups and spaces with co-facilitation from a SARSAS team member or a Peer Support Volunteer.

About you

You will have experience of working with people who have experienced trauma. You will be passionate about working with survivors of sexual violence, have a working knowledge of the impacts of trauma and an understanding of the barriers clients may face in accessing support.

You will have experience of facilitating groups, you will recognise and work with the power of shared experience in people’s healing journeys. You will be able to use groupwork, peer support and psychoeducational approaches to support survivors in building wellbeing, safety, empowerment and confidence, while helping to reduce isolation. Above all, you will bring the personal and professional skills to create a space where survivors feel heard, valued and supported.

An exciting element of this new role will be engagement with local communities and stakeholders to develop and strengthen relationships particularly in areas and communities that may be currently underrepresented in support.

You will be willing to travel regularly across a wide geographical area to meet the needs of the local communities and service delivery.

About SARSAS

SARSAS exists to relieve the trauma and distress and help rebuild the lives of survivors who live in Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and BANES, who have experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives. We deliver a range of support, including, but not limited to, a helpline, online web chat, self-help resources, counselling, specialist support work, drop-in services and group work.

Survivors tell us that we not only change their lives, but for some people, we save them:

“This work even though it was extremely hard, has helped me change my life. What you do for people is amazing and I cannot thank you all enough. I still have a long way to go but now I’m looking forward to life a little more.” – Specialist Support Work Client.

SARSAS also campaigns and raises awareness about rape and sexual abuse to change the narrative about sexual violence and enable survivors’ voices to be heard.

SARSAS works to feminist principles: this underpins both what our service is and how it is run. Our work is guided by a trauma-informed approach which understands how traumatic experiences can impact on survivors and keeps an awareness of the effects of trauma at the forefront of our approach to support. We are a proudly trans-inclusive organisation, and our service is for anyone who may need us.

This video developed as part of the 2021 GSK Impact Awards will give you a taster of the work we do.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion

At SARSAS we strive to create a workplace that reflect the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We want to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates diverse voices.

We value diversity and welcome applicants from all sections of the community; especially from minority groups/groups with a protected characteristic such as People of Colour, who are currently under-represented. We strive to be Disability Confident Committed Employer.

We are committed to taking an inclusive approach to recruitment and selection whilst ensuring there is no discrimination in our processes and that our team and prospective employees are treated fairly, with respect and without bias. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can be made to accommodate additional requirements. Applicants are encouraged to highlight any specific adjustments needed to enable participation in the recruitment process.

How to apply

Download and read the job description and person specification

Download and complete the application form

Closing date for applications is midnight on Tuesday 11 November 2025

Interviews will be held in person in our Bristol office.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@sarsas.org.uk or ring our Bristol office on 0117 929 9556 and speak to Laura Fitzgerald, HR Administrator.