First Steps Engagement Worker (CoLab Women)

Job Reference: FSEW/0825
Responsible to: Brave Spaces Service Lead 
Salary: £27,103 FTE / £17,580 pro rata 
Hours: 24 hrs per week 
Contract: Permanent 
DBS Required: Enhanced  

Project Summary 

CoLab Women has been supporting women in Exeter since 2017, creating positive pathways for those who face the greatest barriers to accessing help. We work with women who experience multiple disadvantage, including domestic and sexual violence and abuse, homelessness, trauma, poverty, mental health challenges, substance use, and involvement with the criminal justice system. 

Brave Spaces is a women’s domestic abuse project delivered in partnership with the Devon Domestic Abuse Alliance. It offers consistent, trauma-informed support through one-to-one work, group sessions, and practical help with housing, finances, and health. Many of the women we support have experienced long-term trauma and difficult relationships with services, so our approach is long-term, flexible, women-only, and focused on building trust. The project also works with partners to reduce barriers, improve system responses, and create safer and more accessible routes into support. 

Role Summary & Key Responsibilities 

We are seeking a compassionate and proactive First Steps Engagement Worker to join our Brave Spaces team. This role is dedicated to reaching women at the very beginning of their journey, many of whom are hesitant or fearful of engaging with formal services. 

The postholder will use creative, relational approaches to connect with women in community settings such as food banks, accommodation services, cafés, and other public spaces. By offering a friendly and consistent first point of contact, they will provide light-touch emotional and practical support, build trust, and help women move towards accessing Brave Spaces and other services at their own pace. 

Key responsibilities include: 

  • Proactively engaging women in informal community spaces and building trusting relationships. 

  • Holding a small caseload of women who are not yet ready for structured casework. 

  • Offering low-intensity ongoing contact, reassurance, and practical support. 

  • Supporting women into Brave Spaces or other services with warm handovers and clear information. 

  • Being a welcoming presence in Colab and other spaces, co-facilitating weekly drop-ins, and responding to emerging needs. 

  • Working with partner agencies to champion women’s voices and strengthen pathways into support. 

This is a varied and meaningful role for someone who can combine warmth and compassion with resilience and clear boundaries, and who shares our values of welcome, collaboration, social justice, and ambition. For further detail, please see the job description.

Employee Benefits at CoLab 

At CoLab, we value our team and offer a range of benefits, including: 

Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 support for your wellbeing. 

Pension Scheme - Helping you plan for the future 

Annual Leave - 27 days per year, plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). Increases after five years of continuous service. 

Birthday Celebration Day – Enjoy an extra day off for your birthday! 

Volunteering Days – Two paid days per year to volunteer with a registered organisation of your choice.  

Blue Light Card – Access to exclusive discounts and offers.  

Learning & Development – Training opportunities through our in-house learning platform to develop your skills and career. 

CoLab Hub Breakfast Mornings – A chance to connect and catch up with colleagues over breakfast. 

 

Inclusive Recruitment 

CoLab welcomes applications from people with convictions or lived experience of the criminal justice system. 

How to Apply: 

CoLab Exeter is committed to promoting a positive approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, and values the benefits of employing a diverse range of talented people.  

 

 

Application Deadline: Sunday 14th September 2025 

Please Note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

Interviews:  Thursday 25th September, at CoLab Exeter.