Advocacy Officers

We are hiring two Advocacy Officers within our Advocacy Programme.

Advocacy Officer (Intake): The role of the Advocacy Officer is to assist with conducting interviews/assessments on individual cases and offer legal information, referrals or drafting of documents as required by each case with a focus on accessing documentation pathways and rights realization. Advocacy Officer (Child Protection): The Advocacy Officer is responsible for assisting with individual casework related to asylum-seeking and refugee children. The role focuses on conducting interviews and assessments, providing legal information, facilitating referrals, and drafting documents as needed to support access to documentation pathways and the realization of rights.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provision of legal advice to asylum-seeking and refugee clients on how to ensure legal stay in South Africa, and how to ensure their rights within South Africa are realized. This advice includes but is not limited to, the asylum application process, expired documentation and permits, appeal and review processes and accessing voluntary repatriation.

• Accompany clients to the Department of Home Affairs, Refugee offices, VFS and other relevant service providers where necessary.

• Assist in conducting Outreach work e.g. travelling to assist with client consultations at partner NGO• Build and maintain a strong network of relevant stakeholders.

• Support and contribute to submissions on legislative or policy change impacting migrants and refugees• Conduct comparative research, including country of origin information research;

• Maintaining research-related databases and/or files, including relevant case law, submissions and international organisation recommendations and instruments.

• Attend relevant meetings/workshops/conferences.

• Any other duties assigned - in line with the role function and/or in service of the outcome goals of the programme