Craven Business Development Manager

Background

Craven Business Development Manager

Age UK activity in the Craven District is currently undertaken by 2 Brand Partners, Age UK North Yorkshire and Age UK North Craven, and a variety of community based groups connected with these Age UK Brand Partners.

Age UKs in Craven provide a range of services and activities for older people. Our focus is on early interventions and preventive services, enabling older people to make informed choices to maintain independence, and promote health and well-being. We have experience in providing the following:-

a)Information and advice services to improve welfare benefit take up, access the most appropriate health and care services, housing options, local services and consumer issues;

b)Ageing well activities including exercise classes, healthy eating and lifestyle;

c)Walking for health;

d)Independence support at home including home visiting, telephone and one to one befriending, to address loneliness and isolation, especially at time of change or due to long term conditions.

e) Day and Social opportunities to address loneliness and isolation, including coffee mornings, lunch clubs, leisure and craft activities, book clubs, digital learning, film club etc;

f)Engagement and involvement of older peoples’ voices;

g)A Home from Hospital service to support recovery after clinical interventions

h)Community car schemes to enable older people to attend health appointments including at hospital.

i)Minibus shuttle services to shops and local amenities, and a programme of trips further afield.

j)A Village outreach scheme providing links to services, signposting and community development in remote village locations.

However there is a lack of equity in the spread of these services:-

a)Above Gargrave - Age UK North Craven has been in existence since 1987 and has developed a range of services and support as a local community led organisation. Offices are based in Settle, with an independent shop and outreach workers. It has a good network of associated clubs and partners, with the potential for this to be developed.

b)Below Gargrave- projects have been administered as part of Age UK North Yorkshire’s geographical catchment area since its inception in 2000. Lack of core funding or infrastructure support has made the development of a portfolio of sustainable services similar to those in North Craven, difficult. Some activity has used project funding, for instance, national DWP welfare benefit grants (2 years); ageing well sessions and activities in Skipton, Embsay, Gargrave and on the Greatwood Estate funded through the Age UK national Big Lottery “Fit As A Fiddle” project.

c)2 Age UK Friends exist in Bentham and Hellifield and are funded through the Age UK Co-operative, “REACT”, using core funding from NYCC/CCG. These two groups are supported with governance and good practice guidance by Age UK North Craven and focus on providing social opportunities. Age UK North Craven provides one to one support such as information and advice services, and practical services, such as community transport as part of its coverage of the North Craven area.

d)Age UK North Yorkshire has worked for 15 years with the S. Craven Older People’s networks and Forums in Embsay and Sutton, as a channel of influence for older people.

This post has been developed as a result of funding from the NYCC Stronger Communities Programme, to fund the development of strong and sustainable services from Age UKs in Craven, with the full support and commitment from their Trustee Boardsacross Craven District.

The Craven Business Development Manager’s role is to support Age UKs presently working in in the District to develop and improve their capacity to deliver consistent and reliable services, wherever they live in the district, and enable partnership and effective use of resources to support the efforts of existing smaller community groups in contributing to the overall provision of practical and social support for older people in the area.

The role will be instrumental in creating a robust and sustainable local solution for service provision for older people, and to support local communities and network of groups, to deliver activities. Creating community engagement and energy will also be an important component in gaining a sense of shared ownership amongst the communities and grass roots groups, for instance to foster volunteering and involvement.

Funding will support the work of a Business Development Officer for 12 months starting from April 2016 and finishing in March 2017.

June 2016