Project Worker, Janes Place
Job Title: Female Project Worker
Reports to: Women’s Services Co-ordinator
Objective: To work directly with female service users who may present with a variety of complex needs including addiction, homelessness, mental health and/or trauma, and to support the overall development of a high-quality women’s only Trauma-Informed service.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Contract length: Contract of Indefinite Duration
Salary Scale: €36,372 - €40,798 / year Dependent on experience
MQI are looking to recruit an experienced Female Project Worker to work in our Gender Specific service. This role will be part of the team responsible for the operation of a female only day service, “Jane’s Place”, in Dublin 2 with onsite multi-disciplinary supports as well as in-reach clinics into partner agencies. This is a non-judgmental, low threshold, safe space for women, which provides access to key working, counselling, GP, general and mental health supports, psycho-educational and social groups.
The female only day service provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for access to information and supports across health, addiction, life skills, gender-based violence, coercive control, legal issues, education, employment support, counselling and mental health services. The role involves 1:1 work with female service users, psycho-educational group work, in-reach into other community projects as well as advocating and empowering female service users.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced person looking to get involved in a leading gender responsive service supporting women in a holistic and trauma-informed way.
Jane’s Place Woman’s Service – What is it?
All of our services welcome women, however in 2019 we saw that the numbers of women coming through our door were not representative of the numbers we felt needed the services. After some research, it was clear that females often did not feel comfortable coming into spaces which were predominately used by men.
So, in 2022 Merchants Quay Ireland launched Jane’s Place, an all-female service that offers one-to-one and group support to women who are dealing with homelessness and addiction issues.
A safe, warm and welcoming environment that provides holistic, trauma informed services such as Wellbeing Groups, Self-Care Days and Psycho-educational health.
Main responsibilities:
Working specifically to target and engage with female service users (any women over 18 who are experiencing multiple disadvantage- homelessness, health and addiction, abuse, marginalisation and inequality)
To work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the best interests of the women that use the service
One-to-one emotional support in times of crisis
Inter-agency and collaborative working with specialist services to better meet the complex needs of women, in a holistic, person-centred way.
Work to improve outcomes, create pathways and enable access for women into appropriate services.
To facilitate the day-to-day operations of a drop-in and appointment-based service, to be flexible and have the ability to manage your own diary whilst ensuring the smooth operation of the service.
Network with other organisations and agencies who support and work with women with complex or multiple needs.
Provision of an empowering, peer support and group space/environment that strengthens and encourages the belief for women in their own ability to make positive change in their lives, at their pace.
To help develop and foster an environment of support and encouragement including Peer lead initiatives and programmes where women hold each other up
To develop and establish women’s groups that provide educational, emotional and personal support to its participants.
Develop collaborative initiatives with specialist services aimed at addressing complex needs of women.
Working to enable access to and pathways out of services, and to continue to support women along this journey, to meet their individual goals
Advocacy work, working with MQI Fundraising and Communications Department, raising awareness of the challenges women face, in order to promote, inform and influence policy.
Developing strategies in order to increase engagement with women.
Attend training, seminars, conferences, networks, engagement forums etc related to women’s specific services etc
Establishing and developing links and interagency working with specialist community, voluntary and statutory services.
To participate in internal and external meetings as required.
To have a flexible approach to the work in response to organisational change, development and review of best practice.
Reporting to the Service Coordinator for individual support, supervision, performance appraisal and working within the parameters of the MQI HR and HS policies and procedures.
To ensure that Health Safety standards are maintained in accordance with the HS Statement of MQI and to attend HS Committee Meetings when required
Client work:
Build trusting and supportive relationships with female service users.
Developing programmes that promote personal and social development of women.
To support female services users in a safe, client centred, trauma informed environment.
To identify and work with the multiple needs of female service users
To provide early and crisis intervention, information, referral, advice, advocacy in a person-centred capacity.
To provide high quality, needs led and targeted supports to women with complex needs.
To provide crisis and case management support in an outreach and in-reach capacity.
Working within a trauma informed approach to improve outcomes for women accessing crisis services, with multiple needs.
To when, and wherever possible, involve and include service users in the ongoing development of the service and to have their participation built into service plans whenever feasible.
Reporting:
Prepare standard monthly reports for the Service Co-Ordinator in line with funding agencies requirements and compile any ad hoc information requests as required.
Responsible for ensuring that service user records and data are kept updated on the CRM system at all times and provide reports to the Service Co-Ordinator in keeping with all required deadlines as required.
To complete all administrative tasks such as report writing, collation of statistics, maintenance of accurate records, up to date case notes, relevant form filling in order to ensure that the service runs smoothly, safely and effectively, in line with GDPR and confidentiality policies.
Person specification: The ideal candidate will be emotionally mature, empathetic, and comfortable working with sensitive and potentially traumatic situations and issues. They should be able to listen to difficult experiences without becoming overwhelmed, while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and caring for their own wellbeing.
Essential Criteria
Must have a relevant qualification (minimum QQI Level 7 or equivalent) e.g. social care, addiction or related field.
Must have a minimum of 3 years relevant employed work experience in a busy, low threshold environment working with addiction, homelessness, trauma, mental illness and/or domestic violence
To have a working knowledge of homeless service systems and pathways out of homelessness
The ability to work with multiple presentations including but not limited to addiction, mental illness, homelessness, domestic violence, trauma, sex work trafficking
To have experience of working within a team, with efficient communication skills and the ability to work independently also
An established and effective self-care routine to prevent vicarious trauma and burnout
To have a good understanding of the models of addiction treatment and best practice in relation to harm reduction, preparation for treatment and relapse prevention.
Have experience of key working, case management and group facilitation.
Understanding of the challenges women with complex needs face
A strong working knowledge and understanding of a trauma informed approach
Desirable Criteria
To have a good understanding of the models of addiction treatment and best practice in relation to harm reduction, preparation for treatment and relapse prevention.
Have experience of key working, case management and group facilitation.
Understanding of the challenges women with complex needs face
A strong working knowledge and understanding of a trauma informed approach.
If you are interested in this position, please apply before the 11th September 2026.
