JOB DESCRIPTION –JOINING FORCES PROJECT LEAD WORKER

Age UK West Cumbria

Age UK West Cumbria is a local independent charity working to improve the quality of life for all older people living in Allerdale and Copeland. We are a brand partner with Age UK nationally and a member of the Age England Association. This enables us to have access to arrange of national services, publications and support and also gives us an opportunity to campaign locally and nationally.

We employ approx. 120 people; have over 450 volunteers and a turnover of approx. 2.2 million. We have 8 resource centres of varying size and 7 shops. Our headquarters is in Whitehaven and we have a developing Independent Living Centre in Workington.

Organisational Development Plan

Age UK West Cumbria has embraced the concepts of Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) and the health and social care prevention agenda as a driver to help ensure that older people have an active and fulfilled later life, regardless of where they live or their personal circumstances. Currently our area of benefit is divided into 5 localities in Allerdale and 3 in Copeland coterminous with the proposed health and wellbeing hubs.

There is a variety of projects with different funding streams to support this work but Age UK WC’s concept is to have a shop and a base in each locality (which sometimes is also an accessible resource centre), equipment provision, and community offers with the staff and volunteers forming locality teams.

In addition Age UK WC is the lead provider for the Place Based Prevention (PBP) Programme in Allerdale and Copeland and works with partner organisations to provide a seamless service to adults over 18. This is underpinned by the Age UK WC support line and its outreach workers who are based in the localities. These offers and liaison with the many small clubs and groups supported by a network of volunteers and neighbourhood support groups will support the development of Cumbria wide community resilience necessary to make each community a good place to live, work and visit.

To support this we have an organisational development plan which is based on local and national evaluation and research. The plan is underpinned by a business plan and each person within a team has annual objectives to ensure the organisation delivers and develops

The Information and Advice Service

The Information and Advice (I&A) service is the front door to the organisation. The Age UK WC support line at Old Customs House is supported by our outlying resource centres. The support line has a team of locality based Information and Advice Workers who are funded by Health, PBP Programme and others. Workers support volunteers based in each community to deliver information and advice through individual assessments in line with recognised standards. This includes resources provided in a variety of media, and information on a wide range of topics including maximising income, housing and more general advice. Workers are also trained Trusted Assessors and are able to advise on daily living equipment and environmental needs to improve independence and the management of long term conditions.

A key aspect will be to also support the PBP Programme with referral and signposting to partner organisations with the timely and accurate collection of data and information.

The Community Services

The Community Service follows the ABCD principles and encourages people to volunteer in their neighbourhoods to support activities for older people. We aim to ensure that there is a range of activities for people to enjoy. These are presented in our Health and Happiness portfolio with offers ranging from social diaries full of information to our centre based day care.

Often people are identified to us who need a little more support and we will help them to develop a personal plan and the means of achieving this. Their personal needs may be around addressing loneliness, social isolation, nutrition or other health related factors. We work along- side people who have long term conditions including dementia.

Partnership working with everyone in any community is important as is utilising the community assets such as village halls and places of worship.

Volunteers are vital to support all community activity and we actively recruit and support our volunteer network with training, personal development and social opportunities.

Joining Forces Programme

The MoD Aged Veterans’ Fund has awarded grants to 10 organisations to improve provision and introduce new services to support older veterans. Age UK’s Joining Forces Programme is being delivered by 15 Age UK’s in 12 areas. This grant means we can develop and test our services and learn more about how to best support older veterans to get more out of later life.

West Cumbria has a higher than average number of older veterans for historic and current recruiting practices, compromised as the regiments have over time been merged and identity lost. Local councils have supported investment in younger veterans e.g. housing, mental health schemes, etc., but older veterans have been largely forgotten and turn to AgeUKWC for assistance.

The project provides a full-time Lead Worker and 2 part-time Project Workers to seek older veterans, working along-side their support groups, health, social care, housing, police and others to provide person-centred support plans, address immediate needs and boost the opportunities for social engagement. These staff will recruit and comprehensively train volunteers. We will interlink into our current provision of specialist Information and Advice workers, Community Service teams and Care Services Division (for frailer veterans), alcohol, stroke and specialist provision to provide holistic support. A key feature will be to utilise veterans’ skills to become (re) connected with communities through volunteering opportunities e.g. walking groups, men in sheds, handy persons, repairs and a variety of community, administration and particularly digital inclusion roles for connectivity and income maximisation.

Division / Community Services (Division 2)
Senior Manager
Role / Joining Forces Project Lead Worker
Location / Old Customs House with travel throughout Allerdale and Copeland
Salary / Spine point 24
Hours / 35hours per week
Holidays / 33 days pro rata
Contract duration / To 31st May 2020
Reporting to / Volunteering Manager
Key contacts / Age UK WC colleagues, Third Sector partners, Health and Social Care, organisations supporting ex-service personnel
Responsible for / Project staff & volunteers
Diversity / Age UK welcomes diversity in the workplace and organisational activities
DBS / This post requires clearance
Ability to drive and access to a car / Essential or ability to demonstrate mobility around West Cumbria and beyond
Special requirements / Ability to access office accommodation and storage at first floor level via stairs (no lift or disabled access in certain offices)
Main purpose of job / To provide leadership for the Joining Forces Project in Allerdale and Copeland
To provide support to veterans including particularly:
Information and advice
Social inclusion opportunities
Support for families and carers
Low level interventions to improve health and wellbeing

Key job tasks:

  1. To line manage the Joining Forces Project Workersfor Allerdale and Copeland
  1. To take a lead role in developing and implementing the Joining Forces Project in Allerdale and Copeland
  1. To establish close links with organisations supporting veterans locally, e.g. Royal British Legion, SSAFA, RAFA, etc.
  1. To attend relevant meetings, workshops and events relating to the project as required
  1. To facilitate promotional events, activities and initiatives and provide support for relevant campaigns, commemorative occasions and reunions, etc.
  1. To support veterans to engage with their local community and develop and maintain social networks
  1. To carry out holistic assessments using appropriate software to record outcomes
  1. To produce personal support plans for those veterans needing in-depth support
  1. To provide information and advice, particularly on housing, benefits, accessing daily living equipment and other needs
  1. To make referrals to Age UK West Cumbria colleagues and other appropriate agencies and organisations for specialist support
  1. To recruit and trainvolunteers including veterans as peer support volunteers
  1. To provide support for veterans to access clinical services where needed, for example specialist support only available out of this area
  1. To link veterans into social inclusion opportunities including volunteering
  1. Identify gaps in provision for older veterans and facilitate the development of new activities
  1. To enable families and carers of veterans to access appropriate support
  1. To support local events and activities of particular interest to veterans
  1. To support campaigns and awareness events to promote the work of the project

Competency to deliver the role

The following key competencies have been identified as necessary to deliver the above. This is not an exclusive list and the competency areas are expected to be at a level commensurate with this role

Competency area / Basic level / Expected for Appointment / To be gained within 6 months
Qualifications or similar / Maths and English
Basic ICT
Understanding of Health and Social Care
Information and Advice / All / Organisational ICT needs
Improved understanding Of ABCD
Improved understanding of issues and conditions affecting older people
Organisational and role ‘fit’ / Understanding of organisation, job role, expectations, funding and accountability / Broad outline / Individual induction
Understanding of needs of older people / Basic understanding / examples / Wider understanding commensurate with role
To self- manage / Maintain confidentiality at all time, complete data/forms in timely manner, work in a flexible and caring manner / Understanding and experience / Understand and adhere to the aims. vision and values of the organisation
Commitment to personal development / Willingness to learn and take on new knowledge and skills / Personal examples / Completion of a Personal Development Plan
Asset Based Community Development / Understanding and demonstrable application of key concepts / Ability to demonstrate experience / Completion of training manual
Knowledge of relevant local initiatives / Liaising effectively with other initiatives / Knowledge of some initiatives e.g. Place Based Prevention Programme / Comprehensive understanding and relationship building
Volunteering / Inducting and supporting development of volunteers
Personal commitment / Demonstrable experience / Completion of in house induction with local implementation
Practical volunteer
Social Prescribing / Referral systems between agencies Effective signposting / Understanding / Comprehensive understanding of WC approach, underpinning systems
Social Inclusion / Support systems to alleviate social isolation and impacts / Ideas of how this might be achieved / Understanding of approaches which also embrace equality and diversity.
Workload management / Ability to prioritise / Examples / Understanding and planning to support delivery
Team working / Ability to identify opportunities and to work as a team player, / Examples and understanding / Identify teams and personal role in each
Partnership working / Work effectively with all stakeholders and partners / experience / Built effective working relationships
ICT skills / Ability to use software for word processing and emailing / Demonstrable experience / Competent use of relevant software and information management
Undertake holistic assessments / Ability to seek out and collate personal details / Understanding / To be competent in holistic assessments and manage the outcomes in line with I and A standards
Support for clubs and groups / Ability to support sustainability through volunteers / Examples / Appropriate skill set
Client and customer care skills / Deal with people in a personable manner / Demonstrable / Deal with enquiries, signpost, progress compliments, complaints and comments, make and keep appointments
Communication skills / Communicate well using a variety of means, sharing appropriate knowledge and skills / Demonstrable / To be competent in being able to communicate effectively with key stakeholders, provide timely and relevant information on all aspects of AgeUKWC work
Presentation skills / Ability to present to individuals and groups concepts of ABCD, AgeUKWC and partners activities / Examples of undertaking promotional activities involving presentations / Presentation , media and PR training
Collection of data / Ensure data is collected accurately timely and securely onto appropriate systems / Demonstrable examples and also understanding of data protection / Use charity log and supporting data capture systems
Report writing including case studies / Ensure reporting is timely and in the required style / Demonstrable examples and also understanding of why important / Report writing and case study training
Quality standards / An understanding of what these are / An example / Consistently deliver to the standards as required
Understanding of role with Long Term Conditions / Understand the LTC pathways and the concept of ‘living well’. / Knowledge of a care pathway and appropriate interventions / Targeted training completed
Safety in the environment / Understanding of importance of a safe and tidy working environment / examples / To be competent and trained to the level required
Health and Safety / Competent in ensuring all polices are followed / Articulate areas of practice / In house training completed
Safeguarding / Competent to follow and support / Knowledge of Cumbria system / In house training completed
Equality and diversity / Understanding how this applies in role / examples / In house training completed
All organisational policies and procedures / Understanding he importance of policies and procedures / Applicable examples / Individual and corporate induction completed.
Income generation / Understanding of importance / examples / Understanding of how to support the organisation with personal commitment

PL/GH April 2017