Karis Neighbour Scheme

c/o Church of the Redeemer

Monument Road

Edgbaston

Birmingham

B16 8UU

Background to Karis Neighbour Scheme (KNS)

KNS is a voluntary organisation, founded on Christian principles. The scheme seeks to offer practical support, friendship and advocacy in the local community through volunteers. We aim to promote community links and address needs unmet by other organisations, the aim is to complement the network of care in the local area.

We are a small and supportive team of staff and we currently depend on about 80 volunteers to deliver our projects. KNS projects currently consist of:

  • Children and Families
  • Community Regeneration
  • Community Advice
  • Listening and Guidance
  • Karis BeFriends – Support and Befriending for Older People

Our project for older people is known as Karis BeFriends (KBF), it supports older people mainly living in the Harborne, Edgbaston and Ladywood areas of Birmingham. We seek to reduce isolation, to help those supported toremain independent,to promote and improve wellbeing. The main focus is providing befriending support for older people in their own homes and within their local community.

We have a growing number of volunteers involved in this project and are able to support approximately 140 older people a year through this project. As an organisation our work supporting older people is part of the Moving Together in Body, Mind and Spirit Partnership, which receives funding through Birmingham City Council, this additional post of Karis BeFriends Project Assistant has been as result of this continued funding.

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Job Description

Karis BeFriends Project Assistant

Job Title:Karis BeFriends Project Assistant

Salary : £17,500 pro rata

Hours:18 hours p. wk. flexible working, some out of normal hrs availability required

Contract:12 month contract in first instance, renewable subject to continued funding

Location:Office base in Edgbaston.Requirement to travel across Ladywood, Edgbaston and Harborne in Birmingham.

Responsible to:KNS Board of Directors/Trustees

Responsible for:Some supervision of volunteers will be required

Line Managed:Karis BeFriends Project Co-ordinator

Purpose of the Role

  1. To support the Project Co-ordinator in the recruitment, supervision and development of volunteers who can participate in befriending and other group activities.
  2. To contact older people referred to our Karis BeFriends Project to connect them to appropriate activities and services in order to reduce social isolation and improve their quality of life.
  3. To sustain and develop inclusive activities with older people which encourage them to flourish and use their skills.

Equal Opportunities Statement

KNS is committed to equality of opportunity in the provision of services. The post holder is responsible for ensuring that KNS’s commitment to equal opportunities is implemented throughout all aspects of the work.

Confidentiality

Due to the nature of our work, any information gained must be treated as confidential within the organisation and KNS policies and procedures must be adhered to at all times.

DBS Check

Due to the nature of this job, the post will only be offered following completing a successful DBS check.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

Duties and Responsibilities – Karis BeFriends Project Assistant

  1. Tohelp deliver and develop the KBF Project under the supervision of the Project Co-ordinator.
  2. To assist, under the guidance of the Project Co-ordinator, in visiting older people who are referred to KBF to assess their needs, identify action plans in relation to support we can offer and refer onto other agencies as required.
  3. To assist in carrying out action plans to meet clients’ needs, with the focus on befriending support, but may also involve practical help or acting on behalf of the older personas an advocate if needed.
  4. Assist the Project Co-ordinator in recruiting, training and supervising volunteers in accordance with the policies and procedures of KNS.
  5. Be involved in matching and supervising volunteers to regularly visit and befriend older people in their own homes.
  6. Work with the Project Co-ordinatorand volunteersto organise social events and opportunities for older people to connect with one another and within their local community, so as to complement the befriending support we offer to older people in their own homes.
  7. To be aware of referral agencies and other organisations that provide support for older people in the local community, this may at times involve attending meetings or networking with other agencieson behalf of the KBF project.
  8. Maintain accurate records of the project and ensure work is carried out in accordance with KNS policies and procedures and in accordance with the law relating to health and safety and safeguarding vulnerable adults.
  9. Participate in the Moving Together in Body, Mind and Spirit Partnership along with the Project Co-ordinator; this will involve administration tasks related to ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the KBF project and expected outcomes. It may also involve attending partnership meetings, other meetings and relevant training in relation to the partnership.
  10. Participate in relevant training.
  11. Be aware of current legislation and the ongoing national debate regarding care and support for older people.

The duties of this post may change over time to reflect the developmental nature of this project. The job description will be subject to periodic review and updating.

Person Specification
Attributes / Essential / Method of assessment / Desirable / Method of assessment
Experience of: / Working with older people in an enabling and empowering way.
Working with volunteers in a community setting.
Developing collaborative relationships within a team
Keeping appropriate and accurate records including monitoring information
Working using your own initiative within the boundaries set by policies and procedures. / AF/I
AF/I
AF/I/R
AF/I
AF/I/R / Working with people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.
Delivering training in groups and one to one
Multi-agency working.
Managing and supervising and developing volunteers. / AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
Skills and Abilities / Able to demonstrate an understanding and concern for the needs of older people.
An approachable, friendly and non-judgemental manner
An active and compassionate listener
Able to communicate effectively with a variety of people
Able to work under the direction and supervision of others
Able to use MS Office in a work setting
Self- motivated and able to organise own workload
A flexible can do approach / AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I / Able to carry out effective needs assessments
Able to work with both outputs and outcomes in monitoring / AF/I
AF/I
Qualifications and training / Able to demonstrate a good secondary education or equivalent
Willing to attend appropriate training / AF
AF/I / Educated to degree level in Health/ Community Development/ or equivalent relevant qualification. / AF
Knowedge of: / Has an understanding of current Health and Safety legislation.
Has an understanding of Equality and Diversity legislation.
Safeguarding in relation to vulnerable adults including relevant legislation
Has an understanding of Data Protection legislation / AF/I
AF/I
AF/I
AF/I / Some understanding of current legislation relating to care and older people / AF/I

AF=Application Form, I=Interview, R= Reference

Sympathetic to the ethos and founding principles of KarisNeighbour Scheme