Background information on the Keep Active Project

The Keep Active project

Keep Activeis a partnership project with the NHS Community Independence Service (CIS). Keep Active provides volunteers for 9 weekly sessions to older people who may have lost some function due to illness, stroke or fall. Volunteers help older people to stay mobile and engage with their local community. All referrals come from CIS for clients being discharged who could benefit further from volunteers giving them motivational companionship and support.

Bishop Creighton House

Keep Active is part of Bishop Creighton House. BCH is a multi-purpose charity which was founded in 1908. We run a community resource centre and a number of social support and welfare services for people living in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. We specialise in meeting the needs of people who are older, disabled, vulnerable or socially excluded, and aim to support their independence, health and well-being, and to help them maximise their potential.

BCH has 21 staff, over 150 volunteers, and a Board of 8 Trustees.

We provide:

  • A community centre
  • Care & Repair – a Home Improvement Agency for older and disabled people
  • Safer Homes - a handyman service carrying out home safety and security jobs for older, disabled people and families with young children
  • Homeline – a volunteer-run befriending service for isolated older people including daily telephone-befriending, home-visiting, social events and casework support
  • Mentoring Project – mentoring for learning disabled people
  • Keep Active – working across three boroughs – Hammersmith & Fulham, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. Keep Active is a short term specialistbefriending project in partnership with NHS Rehabilitation services.
  • Office space for voluntary & community groups

Further details about our work can be found on our website:

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Keep Active Project Worker

Responsible to: Keep Active Coordinator

Based at: Bishop Creighton House

Hours: 21 per week (may be worked flexibly by negotiation; to include very

occasional evening or weekend work)

Salary:Scp 26 £26,871 pa pro rata for 21 hours (£16,122)

Contract:6 months minimum from 1 April 2018. This post will be extended if funding is secured

Because of the nature of our client group, a satisfactory enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau disclosure is required for this post.

JOB PURPOSE

To support the Keep Active Coordinator in delivering a volunteer support programme across the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea. Keep Active volunteers support isolated older people with indoor and outdoor exercise following a fall or illness. To provide admin support for the recruitment, training and support of volunteers to enable older people referred from Community Independence Services (CIS) to regain mobility and independence.

MAIN DUTIES

  1. KEEP ACTIVE REFERRALS
  • To support the coordinator in making home visits to clients with volunteers and rehab staff for initial handover at start of 9 week programme. Support the communications between clients and volunteers at the start and end of the 9 week programme for each member
  • Liaise with Keep Active clients to ensure they are comfortable with their volunteer during the programme
  • Support volunteers or clients who have identified additional e.g. unmet social care needs or health issues and signpost appropriately
  • Maintain an accurate database with scheme member and volunteer information, to inform project development and report to funders

2.VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND SUPPORT

  • Provide admin support toKeep Active Coordinator to enable sufficient trained and committed volunteers to provide excellent services for isolated older people
  • Conduct volunteer interviews and selection, including following up references and arranging for Disclosure & Barring Servicechecks to be carried out
  • Provide admin support toKeep Active volunteer induction sessions
  • Work with team to arrange social events in recognition of volunteers’ contributions
  1. CLIENT EMPOWERMENT & INVOLVEMENT
  • Work in an empowering way, to capacity-build both clients and volunteers and increase their self-esteem
  • Promote and facilitate volunteer and client involvement in the day-to-day running of services and decisions about service development and delivery
  1. MONITORING & EVALUATION
  • Provide admin support to Older People’s Services manager and Keep Active Coordinator to enable ongoing evaluation of the service.
  • Telling client stories and writing case studies using photos together with volunteer and client feedback
  • Recording professional feedback whenever received
  • Recording client progress 3 and 6 months after discharge from Keep Active through phone calls
  • Support the analysing of monitoring data demonstrating the outcomes and outputs for the project

5.PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

  • Work with other BCH staff and partner organisations, to respond to relevant local and national research and policy, and produce proposals to develop and improve services; this will include identifying unmet need in the community, and working creatively to develop new project ideas where appropriate. A current project development is promoting exercises generally amongst the older population

6.PARTNERSHIP WORKING

  • Develop and maintain good collaborative links with professionals from other organisations, especially those working in rehabilitation, with older people and volunteers
  • Work with volunteers, clients, and older residents and partner organisations in an empowering way to raise awareness of the issues and solutions around older people’s isolation and poor health / mobility

7.DIVERSITY & EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

  • Ensure that regular communications –both verbal and written – with volunteers and clients are in an accessible and appropriate format
  • Work with older borough residents, clients, volunteers, other BCH staff and partner organisations, to ensure the service is equally promoted and accessible to all
  • Undertake ongoing evaluation of the service with other staff, to review and improve accessibility of the service

8. GENERAL

  • Provide admin support across Older People’s Services as needed and as Keep Active’s work allows.
  • Support the maintenance of accurate and appropriate records of all work undertaken with volunteers and clients, and produce reports as needed
  • Provide occasional cover during annual leave or staff sickness for Keep Active Coordinator or other BCH staff as necessary
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues across BCH: cross-referring clients, taking part in team meetings, organisational development, and being involved in BCH-wide events
  • Work within BCH’s policies and procedures, and support Older People’s Services Manager
  • Attend regular supervision with the Keep Active Coordinator and be willing to undertake training and professional development as needed
  • Work within agreed budgets
  • Maintain an awareness of legal and policy changes and good practice, as they affect older people and volunteers

These are the normal duties which the employer will require from you at the date of your employment. However, it is necessary for all staff to be flexible in this respect and all employees may be required from time to time to perform other duties required for the efficient running of the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

This lists the skills, experience, knowledge, and abilities needed for this post. Please make sure that you refer to these in your supporting statement.

E = essential

D = desirable

DExperience of volunteering 1.1

DKnowledge of the issues affecting older people living alone in the community 1.2

EExcellent verbal, written and digital communication skills, including good record-keeping, use of excel and cloud databases 1.3

E The ability to communicate effectively with people from a range of different backgrounds 1.4

ESound IT skills, knowledge of cloud databases and the ability to be administratively self-supporting 1.5

E The ability to work well as part of a team, whilst also being able to work alone and on your own initiative 1.6

EThe ability to demonstrate patience, tact and empathy 1.7

EThe ability to manage a complex workload, sometimes under pressure, and to prioritise effectively 1.8

EAn understanding of diversity and equality issues and a commitment to working in a person-centred way 1.9

E The physical capacity and willingness to travel extensively and to carry out home visits to clients in the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea 1.10

DAn understanding of risk assessment procedures and health & safety issues as they affect clients, volunteers and staff 1.11

Bishop Creighton House

Application Form - Confidential when completed

  1. Personal information

First Name:
Last Name:
Known as:
Address:
Post Code:
Phone number:
Email:
National Insurance or Work Permit Number (or please attach similar proof or permission to work in the UK):
  1. Position applying for:

3. Education

Educational / Professional Qualifications

Date / School/College/University / Qualification

4. Training Courses

You may be asked to provide copies of certificates for training you have completed.

Date/Length of Course / Course Title / Course Provider

5. Employment

Please list any previous employment, starting with your current or most recent employer, giving the name of employer, dates of employment and job title.

Employer / Dates of Employment / Job Title / Duties & Reason for Leaving

6. Statement in support of your application

Please attach a statement or use the space below (and additional sheets as necessary) to tell us about the skills, knowledge and experience that you would bring to this post. Please include details of paid and unpaid work. Use the person specification and job description in answering this question. Please note CVs are not acceptable.

In the selection of suitable applicants for this job, information in this section is the most important. Please ensure that you answer fully.

7. Referees

Please give the names and addresses of two referees who should not be related to you. One should be your present or most recent employer.

Referee 1
Name:
Position Held:
Organisation:
Telephone Number:
Email Address:
Address:
Referee 2
Name:
Position Held:
Organisation:
Telephone Number:
Email Address:
Address:

8. Disclosure Form

The post for which you are applying is exempt from the provision of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. It is a condition of appointment that all convictions are disclosed (spent and unspent). Failure to disclose such information could result in subsequent dismissal or disciplinary action if you were appointed. Bishop Creighton House will not discriminate against people with a conviction unless it is particularly relevant to the job applied for. Any job offer will be subject to satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check at the appropriate level.

Have you any convictions? (spent and/or unspent) Yes No

Have you any prosecutions pending? Yes No

If ‘Yes’, please supply us with dates and details:

Date / Offence
As
Phone nu
r
Date of birth

9. Period of notice required

(When would you be able to start?)

10. Declaration

I declare that the information given in this application is a true and complete statement. I understand that any offer of appointment and subsequent employment is conditional on this declaration and if my application is incomplete, untrue or inaccurate, then Bishop Creighton House shall be entitled to withdraw any offer of appointment or terminate any contract of employment.

I understand that any offer of appointment and subsequent employment is subject to satisfactory references, evidence of my right to work in the UK and satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check at the appropriate level.

I understand that the information provided on this application form will be used on the computerised personnel information system should an offer of appointment be made. Further details about data protection will follow with any contract of employment.

Signature:______

Date:______

Please return your application, marked ‘Confidential’, to:

Recruitment, Bishop Creighton House Settlement, 378 Lillie Road, London SW6 7PH, or email Closing date: 5pm Friday 13th April2018

Bishop Creighton House

Monitoring Form

BCH is committed to developing equality in the workplace and in the services, which we provide. Please take the time to complete this form by deleting the answers that are not appropriate to you and return it to us, but please do not put your name on. All information is treated as confidential is managed in accordance with Data Protection regulations.

Thank you for your help.

Date:

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