CONFIDENTIALMNH

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for expressing an interest in joining the Age UK Hertfordshire Home Helper Register as a casual worker. Please find enclosed application form, job description, and person specification for this position.

The home helper role allows you to work flexible part time hours in your local area and offers job satisfaction; enabling local older people to remain independent and living in their own homes.

If you would like to apply completed forms should be returned to the address or email at the end of the application form.

Please note you must be willing to:-

Work casually

Pay £44 for an enhanced DBS check (this £44 is reimbursed after 6 months)

Please be aware that it is not always possible for us to reply to every applicant. Therefore, if we wish to take your application to the next stage, we will contact you within four weeks.

Thank you for the interest you have shown in working with Age UK Hertfordshire’s Help in the Home Service. We look forward to receiving your application.

The Help in the Home Team

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title / Home Helper
Department / Help in the Home
Location / Clients homes in your local area
Hours / Casual contract, flexible hours, weekdays between 9am to 5pm
Rate of pay / £8.12 per hour plus regular holiday pay
Reports to / Help in the Home Coordinator

Age UK Hertfordshire is an independent charitable organisation which observes the values, principles and good practice of Age UK the federation and consequently has been granted a licence to use the well-known name, Age UK, which is respected throughout the county.

Our mission is to “promote the well-being of all older people and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience”. To achieve this mission we need to involve older people directly in defining needs, determining priorities and exerting control over the decisions which affect their lives.

Scope:

The Help in the Home service is designed to give support to older people and people with disabilities in the community, enabling them to stay living in their own homes for as long as they are able and want to do so. It is a ‘paid for’ cleaning, domestic tasks and shopping service.

Home Helpers are trained to support and understand the needs of older people and to provide a high quality, caring service.

Main purpose of the post:

To make regular visits to Help in the Home Clients, working independently to provide practical help as required e.g. housework, shopping, laundry and also to give support and monitor wellbeing. No personal care is involved.

The work and hours to be undertaken will vary according to Clients’ needsand the Home Helper’s availability

Responsibilities/ Duties / Tasks

  1. Housework, which may include:
  2. Cleaning –including kitchen, bathroom/toilet
  3. Vacuuming
  4. Dusting/polishing & tidying throughout the house
  5. Laundry/ironing
  6. Changing bedding
  7. Changing curtains
  8. Cleaning windows/wiping paintwork(inside)
  9. Food preparation
  10. Sorting/clearing cupboards/fridge, checking food dates
  1. Shopping, prescription collection, bill paying;
  2. Helping with household administration e.g. writing shopping lists, reading/sorting post, posting letters, making/changing appointments;
  3. Reporting any concerns about the client to the Help in the Home office;
  4. Attending mandatory training courses (the Home Helper Induction day - includesmoving and handling, food hygiene and health and safety) and information update sessions as required. First Aid and Dementia awareness training is also mandatory.
  5. Providing basic information about other Age UK Hertfordshire services and referring as appropriate;
  6. In the event of an emergency situation arising, following the emergency procedures as set out in the Home Helper’s Handbook;
  7. To read and comply with policies and procedures of the organisation, in particular, the Confidentiality, Health & Safety and Gifts, tips and bequests policies;
  8. Complete paperwork to record and report work – meeting return deadlines.
  9. Provide relief cover for other Home Helpers as availability allows;

‘In addition to the duties and responsibilities list, the job holder maybe required to perform other duties assigned by the line manager from time to time which are commensurate with capability and status’.

Additional Information

Confidentiality: Attention is drawn to the confidential aspects of this job and personalresponsibility and liability under the Data Protection Act 1998. Matters of confidential nature, including information relating to clients or staff, must not, under any circumstances, be divulged to any unauthorised person.

Health & Safety: The post holder is required to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of other people who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work and to ensure that statutory regulations, policies and codes of practice and departmental safety rules are adhered to.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement: We believe that equality for all is a basic human right and actively oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. We celebrate the diversity of society and are striving to promote and reflect that diversity within this organisation.

External Relations: The post holder must ensure that Clients, relatives, staff from other agencies and members of the public (all regardless of their attitude) are dealt with in a friendly, courteous and efficient manner as expected of a caring organisation.

Quality Assurance: We expect the service to be delivered with sensitivity and in a way that acknowledges the Clients’ rights to dignity, respect and choice at all times, regardless of their physical or mental frailty

DBS (formerly CRB): This role requires the post holder to have an Enhanced DBS check for Regulated Activity

References:Appointment of this position is subject to satisfactory references.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The requirements stated below relate solely to the duties and responsibilities laid out in the Job Description. Applicants should provide evidence of their ability to meet the following criteria.

CRITERIA / Method of assessment
SKILLS & ABILITIES
Good communication skills(Essential) / A & I
Competent with handling money and carrying out simple paperwork/ Record keeping. (Essential) / A & I
Able to show discretion and maintain confidentiality. (Essential) / A & I
Able to use own initiative. (Essential) / A & I
ATTITUDE & PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Ability to work independently. (Essential) / A & I
Sensitive and caring attitude towardsthe needs of older people. (Essential) / A & I
Common sense and a flexible approach to work (Essential) / A & I
EXPERIENCE
Experience of housework / cleaning (desirable) / A & I
Experience of working with older people. (Desirable) / A & I
KNOWLEDGE
Awareness of Health and Safety issues within the home. (Essential) / A & I
Knowledge of basic food and home hygiene. (Essential) / A & I
QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING & EDUCATION
A basic level of education in English and Maths; (Essential) / A
Training in First Aid & Food Hygiene (Desirable) / A
Methods ofAssessment: Key to abbreviations
A / Application Form (these are also shortlist criteria)
I / Interview

AGE UK HERTFORDSHIRE HOME HELPER

APPLICATION TO JOIN THE REGISTER OF CASUAL WORKERS FOR HELP IN THE HOME

Please DO NOT include a CV. ONLY Application Forms will be considered when short-listing. Please type or use a black pen.

Personal Details

Forename(s) ______Surname______

Address ______

Town ______Postcode:______

Telephone No. ______

Mobile No. ______

Email. ______

Where did you see this post advertised? ______

Which areas would you be happy to work in?

Please indicate by ticking which areas you are able to work in:

WelwynGarden City (AL7, AL8) / Any other areas in Hertfordshire?
Welwyn (AL6)
Hatfield (AL9, AL10)
Stevenage (SG1, SG2)
Hitchin (SG4, SG5)
Letchworth (SG6)
Baldock (SG7)
Royston (SG8)
When will you be available for work during the week?

Please enter the hours (between 9am & 5pm) that you are available to work:

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
e.g. 9am – 1pm

Please tell us of any other work or commitments when you would not be available:

______

Are you happy to work in a smoker’s home? ______

Do you have any allergies? ______

Would you prefer a house without pets? ______

References

Please note if you are successful in your application you will need to provide the details of three references at interview stage. Ideally one of the referees should be your current or most recent employer howeverwe will also accept character references.

Please note that referees must not be members of your family or spouse/partner; they must have known you for a minimum of two years.

Current or Most Recent Employment (if within the last 5 years)
Name and address of Employer:
Current/Most Recent Job Title:
Dates of Employment (To/From):
Brief Description of Duties and Responsibilities / Key Achievements:
Reason for leaving: / Notice Period Required:
Do you have any outstanding disciplinary issues with your current employer (either pending or on file)? If yes please give details:
Previous Employment

Please complete each column and explain any breaks in employment. Start with your most recent previous employment and list in descending date order.

Dates (to/from) Month/Year / Employer (Name and Address) / Position Held and main duties / Reason for Leaving
Skills, Abilities, Knowledge and Experience
Describe how you consider your skills, abilities, knowledge and experience are relevant to this position and describe those factors which make you a particularly suitable candidate including voluntary work and other experience gained outside of work.

Do you hold a full current UK Driving Licence?YES / NO

Do you have access to a car?YES / NO

Do you have any penalty points on your Driving Licence?YES / NO

If ‘yes’ please give details ______

Relationships with Current Staff / Trustees

Have you ever previously been employed/volunteered with or sought employment with Age UK Hertfordshire?

YES / NO

If ‘Yes’ please give details:______

Are you related to any current Staff Member, Volunteer or Trustee of Age UK Hertfordshire?

YES / NO

If ‘yes’, please give details:______

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

This section of the application must be completed in order for your application to be considered for short listing

The position for which you are applying involves contact with vulnerable adults as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, it is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.You are therefore required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or bindovers you may have even if they would otherwise be regarded as ‘spent’ under this Act, but exclude any convictions that would not appear on an Enhanced DBS Check. Please visit for more details.

Have you ever been convicted

of a criminal offence?YesNo

Do you have any reprimands, YesNo

bindovers, cautions or warnings?

If you have ticked YES to either of the above, then please give details below:

______

______

In the event of an offer of casual engagement as a Home Helper, an enhanced check will be undertaken with the Disclosure and Barring Service. If you do not give your consent for this check to be made, then it will not be possible to consider your application further. For roles that engage in regulated activity, the DBS check will include a search of the register of persons barred from working with vulnerable adults (as indicated in the job description).

The above information will be treated in strictest confidence and only taken into account in relation this application.

I declare that the information I have given is complete and accurate. I understand thatgiving false information or omitting to give relevant information may result in any offer of casual engagement as a Home Helper being withdrawn.

Print Name: ______

Signature: ______Date: ______

Equality Act 2010

Do you have any health conditions which may impair your ability to carry out your duties or attend an interview?

YES / NO

If ‘yes’ please give details in order for us to assess whether there are any reasonable adjustments we could make to assist you

______

Asylum and Immigration Act 1995

Do you have permission to work in the UK?

YES / NO

Please provide details in the space below:

______

Prior to commencing employment you will be required to provide evidence that you are entitled to work in the United Kingdom

Declaration

I declare the information set out in this Application Form is to the best of my knowledge true in all respects, and giving false information or omitting to give relevant information may render me liable for dismissal if appointed

Tick to confirm you are aged 18 or over.

Signed ______Date ______

Return instructions: If returning your application via post please provide sufficient postage.

By Post:HR Department (Help in the Home)

Age UK Hertfordshire

1 Silver Court

Watchmead

WelwynGarden City

Hertfordshire

AL7 1LT

By Email:

1

Age UK Hertfordshire is a registered Charity (Charity No. 1116662)