This pack contains the following sections:
- The Digital Directory
- The Data Input Administrator Post
- About Age UK Lambeth
- How to apply
- Role description & person specification
- Age UK Lambeth Organisation Chart
The Digital Directory
The Southwark and Lambeth Integrated Care Dementia Working Group proposed the creation of a digital directory of services and support for older people, for use by professionals, service users and their carers. It will initially focus on Dementia-related support & services across Lambeth & Southwark provided by the Community & Voluntary sector as well as Health & Social Care.
The intention is to help people live well with Dementia by improving awareness of and access to clinical and community based support older people can receive in the early stages of their dementia and throughout people’s Dementia journey. The service will also be able to reassure families that support services and comprehensive information is available from an independent organisation with a trusted reputation.
The project will support the National Dementia Strategy (2009) which identified 3 broad themes: raising awareness and understanding; early diagnosis and support; and living well with dementia. All these themes will be addressed through this project. It will also enable improved support for people with dementia and their carers in relation to preventing and reducing crisis management and admittance to acute hospital services.
The project is led by Age UK Lambeth and the directory will be used by our advisers to support older people with dementia related enquiries in Lambeth. Age UK Lambeth will:
- compile a comprehensive store of downloadable and printable guidance material;
- help train Age UK advisers in dementia awareness and make the programme available to other professional groups; and
- develop new training materials and local infographics to support this area of work.
The Digital Directory will initially focus on Dementia-related support & services across Lambeth & Southwark provided by the Community & Voluntary sector as well as Health & Social Care. Additional areas, such as Nutrition, Falls and Infections will be added to the directory from April 2014. The Digital Directory will help health and social care professionals look beyond their immediate sphere of influence, understand service configuration in a new way and keep up with the pace of change.
The Data Input Administrator Post
The Data Input Administrator Post has been created to ensure that all data collected is entered into the directory accurately and efficiently. The postholder will be central to establishing the directory as a reliable source of local and national information on various conditions affecting older people. All directory information should be easily accessible to both public and professionals. Our expectation is that the postholder will be capable of identifying ways of improving access to information and responding promptly to queries from directory users.
About Age UK Lambeth
Age UK Lambeth is a charity registered with the Charity Commission (1063497) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (3252067). Age UK Lambeth has been working in Lambeth for over 60 years and is the leading voluntary sector provider of services to older people in the London Borough of Lambeth. Our office is located in the fully accessible ‘we are 336’ building where we work alongside other charities supporting disabled and older people in the borough, their families and their carers.
Our Charitable Objects
To promote the following purposes for the benefit of the public andprimarily but not exclusively of older people in and around Lambeth:
- advancing education;
- preventing or relieving sickness, disease or suffering (whether emotional, mental or physical);
- promoting equality and diversity;
- assisting older people in need by reason of ill-health,disability, financial hardship, social exclusion or other disadvantage; and
- such other charitable purposes for the benefit of older people as the Trustees may from time to time decide.
Our Services
Our flagship Information and Advice Service reached 3,265 new people last year through our Telephone Enquiry Line Service (open between 9am and 5pm on weekdays) and various outreach services. We work closely with partners to combine our older people’s expertise with specialists in advocacy, disability work, mental health and issues affecting deaf people. We hold regular Information and Advice Surgeries at various locations around Lambeth. These drop-in sessions require no appointment. Appointments and home visits can also be arranged with advisers to explore more complex situations.
Our Carers Advice Service offers face-to-face appointments to give advice, assistance and information on benefits. A carer looks after their child, partner, relative or friend because they are ill, frail or have a disability and would not be able to manage on their own. From April 2012 to March 2013 our specialist advisor assisted carers in successfully claiming their entitlement to a total of £815, 799 in benefits. Information and advice is also available on housing, community care and other issues for carers living in Lambeth.
Our Advocacy Service is about speaking up for, or acting on behalf of, its users. Our advocates are independent, trained people who can either support people to speak up for themselves or represent them.
Our Befriending Service is for older people who may feel socially isolated and lonely. Our main target client group are the 9,8oo (40%) Lambeth residents aged over 65 who live alone. We match each individual applicant with a suitable volunteer who visits their home for at least one hour a week to keep them company and have a chat. We keep in close touch to:
- get to know people well, find the right volunteer/client match and ensure that the relationship goes well;
- ensure continuity of service when a volunteer changes for some reason;
- provide regular support to volunteers by meeting them every 3-4 months so they do not feel overwhelmed, especially with clients who have high needs; and
- we also visit clients when volunteers pick up on a particular need where we can help.
The Handyperson Service carries out basic repairs, improvements or adaptations to enable older people to:
- maintain their independence in their chosen home;
- live in a warm, weather tight, safe and secure home;
- improve their quality of life, health and wellbeing;
- prevent accidents and illness which could result in admission to hospital and facilitate early discharge from hospital for in-patients and prevent readmission; and
- provide an information and advice service which signposts clients to other services which furthers these aims.
The service performs a key strategic role in enabling older people to remain in their own home and preventing them from having to access more expensive and less independent forms of residential accommodation/hospital. In 2012-13 we established a successful partnership with Lambeth’s Community Safety Team to provide a lock fitting and burglary prevention service which has proved to be very popular.
The Vida Walsh Activity Centre, located in the heart of Brixton off Windrush Square, is fully accessible and has a hearing loop system. Its extensive programme offers a wide range of activities designed to help older people create and achieve goals for a happier life including arts and crafts; creative writing and reading; exercise classes; an ‘Out and About Club’ organising self-help day trips using older people’s Freedom Passes; Walking 4 Health with regular walking events; computer and internet classes; natural energy therapy; guided imagery and visualization techniques; and a variety of culinary delights!
Older and disabled people come to depend on a range of services such as benefits, transport, housing, and good access to facilities and opportunities. Yet they are often excluded and find it hard to get someone to listen to them or take responsibility for addressing the questions to which they need answers. The role of the Community Development Team is to strengthen the voices of older and disabled people in Lambeth and to ensure that service providers hear them and change their practices.
A rich diversity of different groups support older people in Lambeth and the team organise events to consider issues of importance to older people, support the Lambeth Forum for Older People, extend knowledge and provide advice to older people’s groups based in localities, conduct outreach work, encourage service users to get actively involved and produce a popular monthly community events listing.
Our Partners
Age UK Lambeth is committed to working in partnership to provide many of our services. Our longstanding partners include various voluntary and community sector organisations and the Lambeth Voluntary Action Council. We work closely with representative groups of older people including the Lambeth Older People’s Forum, Older People’s Partnership Board and the Lambeth Pensioners Action Group. We fully support Lambeth Council’s Cooperative Council approach to developing future services and have a range of health partners including NHS Lambeth, local foundation trusts and Healthwatch.
Lambeth Resolve
Lambeth Resolve is a consortium of four organisations commissioned by Lambeth Council:
- Age UK Lambeth leads the consortium.
- Disability Advice Service Lambeth (DASL), an independent Disabled People’s Organisation working with disabled people and carers in Lambeth.
- The Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD), a Deaf led organisation which promotes the welfare and interests of Deaf people and believes that Deaf people should receive the same access and opportunities as hearing people.
- Lambeth Mencap, an established voluntary organisation which provides a range of services to service users with learning disabilities and their families and carers.
Carers’ Hub
Caring for a loved one, friend or neighbour is often instinctive with little or no financial support. Providing advice and information and dedicated support for all unpaid carers is our collaborative mission. The Carers’ Hub team are Committed, Assertive, Respectful, Energetic and Resourceful working for and on behalf of carers. Carers’ Hub Lambeth is commissioned by Lambeth Council and delivered through a Consortium consisting of:
- South Thames Crossroads (a network partner of Carers Trust) which leads the consortium
- Age UK Lambeth
- Disability Advice Service Lambeth (DASL)
- Lambeth Mencap
Our Staff and Volunteers
Our staff team is well established and is committed to developing the best services with older people in Lambeth. We are committed to continually developing staff skills through training and peer support. Staff are encouraged to suggest new ideas and revisit existing services and activities in our desire to be led by the needs of older people and the community in Lambeth.
Our team of volunteers continues to grow, reflecting the strength of volunteering in the local community. In 2012 we benefitted from over 6000 hours of volunteering time. Friendship and fun are a large part of volunteering, as is feeling part of the community.
How to apply
Please download the recruitment pack, application form and equal opportunities monitoring form from the website. Age UK Lambeth will also accept postal or email applications. Applicants must complete an application form since we do not accept curriculum vitae.
Please ensure that your supporting statement demonstrates how your experience‚ skills and abilities meet the selection criteria set out in the job description and person specification.
Completed applications should be returned to us at the earliest opportunity. Completed electronic applications must be sent to:
ensuring you clearly identify your name in the email title and the post for which you are applying. Postal applications should be marked ‘confidential’ and for the attention of:
Robert Harvey
Office Manager
Age UK Lambeth
3rd Floor
336 Brixton Road
London
SW9 7AA
We will acknowledge receipt of email applications but regret that we are unable to acknowledge postal applications.
Interview Process
Interviews will be held at Age UK Lambeth at the above address. If you are selected for interview we will write to you as soon as possible to let you know what the interview process will entail.
Job Description
Location: / Age UK Lambeth Head Office
Salary: / £14,560 per annum
Contract: / Two year fixed term
Annual leave: / 26 days a year (plus bank holidays)
Reporting to: / Community Development Worker
Hours: / 35 hours per week
Date: / February 2014
Job Purpose
- To update and maintain a digital directory of services and support for older people in Lambeth and Southwark.
- To ensure that all relevant information is entered accurately onto the database.
- To improve older people’s access to information, support and services.
- To provide administrative support and services to other members of staff.
- To contribute to other services and activities as required.
Specific Duties
1. Enter data to the database from various sources including document files, websites and written notes.
2. Ensure that all data entries are accurate, correctly spelled, grammatically correct and error free. Ensure that images are correctly stored and labelled.
3. Ensure that high quality records are maintained via regular collection and updating of information.
4. Notify colleagues if any data entries appear to be inaccurate or out of date.
5. Scan relevant documents and insert into appropriate sections of the database.
6. Monitor the database review system to notify colleagues when entries are due for site visit review.
7. Support audits to ensure the accuracy of data provided by external agencies.
8. Liaise with AUKL staff over data matters.
9. Assist with the control and maintenance of user access rights to databases.
10. Liaise with the software developer to resolve database management issues.
11. Prepare statistical and data reports as required.
12. Advise on improvements to the database system.
13. Adhere to data protection standards as appropriate.
14. Promote AUKL website and database services and assist with establishing and developing a client base.
15. Support service users to access information independently.
16. Assist in the production and distribution of information materials about services for older people.
General Duties
1. Provide a high level of internal and external customer service at all times. Involve older people in the design, delivery and evaluation of all aspects of the service in accordance with policies and procedures.