CARER SUPPORT WILTSHIRE

Job Description

Job TitleCarer Groupsand Training Co-ordinator

Accountable toHead of operations and deputy CEO

Geographical AreaWiltshire,flexibly based atSemington Carers Centre/ Salisbury Carers Centre and / or home by negotiation

Hours of Work37 hours per week Monday to Friday plus occasional weekend/evening

GradeAllied to NJC scale 24 – 27 (£21,067-£23,188 per annum)

Contract6 month contract, with potential to extend

DBS The post is subject to enhanced DBS disclosure

Purpose of the Post

To develop and facilitate a range of groups for carers, which may serve as support groups, training sessions, social groups or involvement groups. The post–holder will alsofacilitate the multi-agency Carer Training Network which co-ordinates, promote and delivers training to unpaid carers in Wiltshire.

Key responsibilities:

  1. Facilitate, co-ordinate and develop a broad range of carers’ groups across Wiltshire
  1. Facilitate, co-ordinate and develop a comprehensive range of learning / training opportunities for carers via the multi-agency carer training network
  • Actively promote both carers groups and training to ensure that they are accessible to hardto reach carers and volunteers
  • Ensure that the services are equitable to carers from across Wiltshire

Regular Responsibilities

  1. Facilitate, co-ordinate and develop a broad range of Carers’ groups across Wiltshire
  • Prepare training or other materials suitable for each group
  • Administer all such groups, including:
  • Publicising events, ensuring coverage in the newsletter, on the website, developing flyers, postersand leaflets, in conjunction with the Communications Officer
  • Do targeted mailshots as well as contacting carers via telephone and email to invite new carers to groups
  • Maintain attendance records at all groups
  • Implement robust quality assurance feedback mechanisms and ensure they are in place covering all aspects of the group and the effectiveness of the group in achieving its goals
  • Analyse the attendance and quality assurance feedback of all groups, to feed into the development of the groups service
  • Assist in the development of a strategic plan for group work, with the aim of ensuring good geographic coverage of the various types of groups, coupled with efficient use of resources in meeting carers’ stated needs
  • Assist in agreeing a budget for group work in conjunction with the service delivery team leader and senior management team, and ensure that expenditure on groups remains within that budget
  • Ensure all groups are appropriately planned and resourced, including:
  • Risk assessing potential venues
  • Booking venues and liaising with venue managers regarding issues such as accessibility, room layout, heating, parking etc
  • Purchasing and transporting refreshments and other consumables for groups
  • Arranging for the attendance of speakers, trainers and/or carer support workers as required, depending on the purpose of the group
  • Ensuring all venues are left as agreed following groups
  • Attend regular peer supervision meetings, to share good practice and ensure your own support needs in managing your work are met
  • Attend regular one to one line management meetings
  1. To facilitate, co-ordinate and develop a comprehensive range of learning / training opportunities for carersby:
  • Developing and co-ordinating a rolling programme of training for carers by proactively leading the work of the carer training partnership of key voluntary, public and private sector organisations
  • Assisting in identifying carers who would benefit from training / information sessions
  • Sourcing new training opportunities to meet identified carer needs
  • Enlisting and co-ordinating trainers who will deliver the programme. These will include Age UK, Alzheimer’s Support, Alzheimer’s Society, CAB, RELATE, Wiltshire Blind, British Red Cross etc
  • Actively promote the service to carers through a range of publicity materials including leaflets, posters and website information
  • Ensure service is accessible and promoted to hard to reach carers
  • Developing the referral process using Charitylog database and prepare documents to give written information about the service and opportunities available, its aims and objectives
  • Ensuring that potential referrers have the appropriate information on services / opportunities on offer, as well as any relevant referral processes and eligibility criteria
  • Maintaining training records
  • Keep abreast of carers’ issues at all levels - local, national and international - and to reflect these issues in the training programme
  • Working within a quality assurance framework and to keep records and developsystems to monitor the quality of the programme

Additional Occasional Responsibilities

As a member of a small team, the post holder will be expected as necessary to support colleagues by:

  • Identifying appropriate sources of information, advice, benefits, equipment and services which Carers can access, and updating shared resource information to reflect this
  • Attend Carers, public and practitioners’ events to present and/or provide information regarding our services, and to raise awareness of Carers’ needs

General Requirements

The post holder will be expected to:

  • Possess the essential skills as detailed in the person specification
  • Actively contribute and participate in publicity events
  • Report regularly to the head of operations including written reports on activity and how services meet carers’ outcomes
  • Attend and actively contribute to team meetings
  • Identify own training needs, and to participate in training sessions when required
  • Evidence a strong commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
  • Work within all of the Policy and Procedure frameworks established by Carers Support Wiltshire, with particular attention to: Health and Safety; Lone Working; Safeguarding of Adults and Children; Equality and Diversity; Confidentiality
  • Undertake other duties from time to time as determined by the head of operations and in keeping with the purpose of the post and after consultation with the post holder
  • Work in other locations, or at times outside normal working hours (ie in the evenings or at weekends) on an occasional basis, as required by the organisation
  • Have access to a car and able to drive

This job description will be reviewed during annual appraisals in the light of the needs of the organisation and following consultation with the post-holder

Carer Support Wiltshire

Person Specification: Carer Groupsand Training Co-ordinator

Important: A person specification is an accepted method of identifying who, from a range of candidates for a post, most closely matches the needs of the organisation and the tasks outlined in the job description. It will be used at both short-listing and interview stages. The person specification is issued with the job description so that the applicants can make judgements themselves about their ability to do the job. When completing the application form please mention your abilities for each section of the person specification, failure to do so may affect your short-listing score.

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / A good standard of education, 5 GCSE grades C+ above / Yes
Professional qualification in social care, health or counseling / Yes
Experience / Understanding of Carers’ needs and issues / Yes
Working with voluntary and/or statutory agencies / Yes
Working in a busy office environment / Yes
Ability to prioritise work and deal with competing demands / Yes
Ability to work flexibly as part of a team / Yes
Ability to work independently / Yes
Ability to follow processes and record data / Yes
Group facilitation and training skills / Yes
Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure / Yes
Dealing with confidential issues / Yes
Ability to maintain professional boundaries / Yes
Working in and with multi disciplinary teams / Yes
Knowledge / Knowledge of Health and Social Care service provision / Yes
Knowledge of Government legislation relating to Carers / Yes
Interpersonal
Skills / Excellent listening skills / Yes
Excellent verbal communication skills / Yes
Excellent written communication skills / Yes
Empathetic and trustworthy, good at building relationships / Yes
Warm telephone manner / Yes
Ability to communicate with the public and professionals / Yes
Technical Skills / Computer literate – working knowledge of Office, databases etc / Yes
European Computer Driving Licence / Yes
Qualities / Commitment to high quality Carer focused services / Yes
Commitment to equality of opportunity / Yes
Organised approach to work / Yes
Attention to detail / Yes
Enthusiasm and good sense of humour / Yes
Able and willing to work flexibly / Yes
Other / Use of own transport (a mileage allowance is paid) / Yes
Able to work the occasional evening/weekend / Yes

Carer groups and training co-ordinator Dec 2013