Role Reference Number: Trustee - CCIL/GOV/006

Role Reference Number:Trustee - CCIL/GOV/006

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in becoming a trustee (Director) at CCIL.

Please find enclosed an application pack, including a role description, person specification, and an equal opportunities monitoring form.

Cheshire Centre for Independent Living is looking for Directors with knowledge/experience of disabled peoples’ issues, have an interest in providing effective governance at board level and be able to represent the organisation to both internal and external audiences.

Two references will be required for the Directors and a Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) checks may be required. If these raise issues about suitability, the interview panel may take them into account when deciding whether to confirm an appointment.

Cheshire Centre for Independent Living is an equal opportunities employer. As an user-led organisation, run and controlled by disabled people, for disabled people, applications are particularly welcome from skilled disabled people.

Should you decide that you would like to apply, please return a covering letter and current C.V., with a completed recruitment monitoring form, to Victoria Atherton, marked Private & Confidential, via either email to: ,or via post to: Cheshire Centre for Independent Living, Sension House

Denton Drive, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 7LU.

Cheshire Centre For Independent Living
Directors
Information Pack
Contents Page Number
About Cheshire Centre for Independent Living 3 - 18
Introduction
Vision and Purpose
Values and Aims
Strategic Objectives
Overview of Current Services
Overview of Structure
Calendar of Board Meeting and Important Dates 2016/1719
Code of Conduct20-21
Role Description and Person Specification for Trustee22-26
Recruitment Monitoring Form 27-28

1. Introduction

Cheshire Centre for Independent Living is a not-for-profit charitable disabled people’s user-led organisation. We have been established since 1992, providing a range of support services, driven by the needs and aspirations of disabled people.
When we refer to the term ‘disabled people’ we mean people who have been disabled by society. This means people who experience actual or perceived barriers in society that prevent them from achieving their full potential. Examples of this might be: communication, physical access to buildings or transport, lack of same opportunities as non-disabled people, and/or other people’s attitudes.
The organisation supports all individuals across all impairment groups, including: autism, learning difficulties, long term health conditions, mental ill health, physical impairments, sensory impairments or multiple impairments.
Our services are modelled along the lines of a ‘Centre for Independent Living’; we give independent, impartial, technical advice and support to people directing their own care through a Personal Budget or Personal Health Budget, and also offer an online recruitment tool for Individual Employers and Personal Assistants, a Payroll service, Managed Bank Account service, Training for Individual Employers and their Personal Assistants, Advocacy and Peer Support. We also support disabled young people to access universal services and facilitate short breaks for their parents.

1. Vision

An equal and inclusive society for local disabled people.

1. Purpose

Empower disabled people to have independence, choice and control over their lives and remove the barriers that exist within society.

1. Values

1. Being user-led
2. Recognising and valuing the contribution of disabled people.
3. Recognising and valuing the contribution of family and carers.
4. Respecting the views and needs of disabled people (regardless of age or impairment).
5. Being transparent in all dealings with disabled people, commissioners and staff.
6. Supporting the right to have choice, control and independence for all disabled people.
7. Acknowledging and appreciating equality and diversity.
8. Acting in an ethical way.

5. Strategic Objectives
Our strategic direction from 2016 prioritises the following themes, which we will focus our attention and efforts on over the next 5 years:
External
Inclusive family lives - We want a society that embraces and values the importance of family, friends and carers.
Living independently in the community - We want a society that embraces choice and control and enables disabled people to choose how, when and where their needs are met.
Well-being - We want a society that embraces a person’s physical and mental wellbeing and recognises that early intervention and prevention services can often avoid crisis situations.
Work and volunteering - We want a society that provides fulfilling and rewarding work and volunteering opportunities for disabled people and recognises the contribution and skills that disabled people can offer to all workplaces, with or without support.
Influencing Positive Change - We want a society that embraces the social model of disability and truly meets the needs and aspirations of disabled people.
Internal
Performing with excellent governance - We want an organisation that is accountable to members and run in line with the constitution, legal requirements and strategic direction.
Being a great place to work and progress - We want an organisation that provides a happy environment for staff to work in, with excellent terms and conditions, as well as provides opportunity for learning, development and growth.
Financial sustainability - We want an organisation that can achieve a balance between competitive, commissioned service through tenders, charged for services and fundraising, so that we can ensure a diverse range of funding sources.
6. Overview Of Current Services
Brokerage (Personal Budget Support Service)
Brief Outline
Direct Payments are a cash alternative from the local authority to allow disabled people to purchase their own care. CCIL has been providing Direct Payments support to residents of Cheshire since 1998.The Direct Payments Support Service will visit a person to explain the Direct Payments scheme and how it works.
CCIL offer ongoing technical advice and information on all aspects of directing ones own care; including: employing staff legally and acting as a good employer, managing the paperwork for Direct Payments, assisting with the recruitment of a Personal Assistant or arranging care via a Care Agency, carrying out Disclosure & Barring Scheme (DBS) checks on Personal Assistants, assisting with the calculation of Direct Payments and helping with the allocation of costs to ensure needs are met, supporting with any employment law issues and signposting to other relevant support services (e.g.: learning and development and payroll services).
Aims
To empower disabled people to direct their own care.
Beneficiaries
Disabled people and/or their carers in Cheshire who are under 65 and eligible to receive community care from either local authority, or who choose to receive this via a Direct Payment.
Outcomes
- To achieve more informed decision-making by disabled people through better knowledge of their available choices.
- To improve the information and support networks for individuals
- To increase the uptake of Direct Payments.
- To improve choice, control and independence for disabled people.
Funders
Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council
Cheshire East Borough Council
Northwest Personal Assistance (NWPA) and Peer Support Network
Brief Outline
The NWPA Register is an on-line easy access recruitment tool owned and run by Cheshire Centre for Independent Living (CCIL) and Age UK Cheshire (AUKC), acting as facilitators only.
The North West PA Register is an innovative and effective one-stop-shop recruitment initiative, creating a simpler and more effective way to recruit staff. The online register of Personal Assistants provides greater choice for users, enabling more personalised and responsive recruitment provision, whilst stimulating and developing the expanding Personal Assistant workforce.It is designed to bring together people seeking employment as a Personal Assistant (PA) and Individual Employers looking for potential Personal Assistants. This service is currently being expanded to include an online peer support function for individual employers and personal assistants.
Aims
To empower service users/carers, who are also employers, and Personal Assistants to search for the right person or the right job, in one place.
To ensure individual employers and their personal assistants have access to peer support
Beneficiaries
Disabled people and/or their carers across the North West of England.
Outcomes
-To enable disabled people to direct their own care by employing their own Personal Assistants.
-To reduce the barriers to accessing Direct Payments
-To increase the uptake of Direct Payments.
-To improve choice, control and independence for disabled people.
Funders
The NWPA Register is charged for service that disabled people can fund through their Direct Payments, Independent Living Funding, or pay for privately.
Office for Disability Issues (Peer Support)
Payroll Service
Brief Outline
Cheshire Centre for Independent Living (CCIL) has been providing a Payroll Service for approximately 10 years. The service currently covers clients living in Cheshire, Lancashire and Bolton. There are approximately 3000 clients open on file.
The Service provides a fully comprehensive payroll solution which includes producing payslips and advice for disabled people who employ personal care staff. CCIL also act as agents so any Inland Revenue tax and NI issues or payments are dealt with on the clients’ behalf.
CCIL provide an extra service whereby money is collected via Direct Debit from individual Direct Payment accounts for tax and NI payments and forwarded to the Inland Revenue on a monthly basis, again, on the clients’ behalf. All statutory end of year reports are filed online to the Inland Revenue annually.
Aims
The main aim of this service is to empower and enable disabled people to direct their own care and also alleviating and additional stress for the individual.
Beneficiaries
The Service is aimed at disabled people, or parents with disabled children who are in receipt of Direct Payments through Social Care or Health.
Outcomes
-To empower disabled people to direct their own care.
-To simplify the Direct Payments responsibilities.
-To Increase uptake of Direct Payments.
Funders
-Lancashire County Council
-Bolton Borough Council
-Payroll is a charged for service that disabled people/carers in Cheshire fund through their Direct Payment funds (for their care and support needs) provided by the Local Authority or CCG.
Supported Banking Service
Brief Outline
CCIL offers a competitive Supported Banking service for individuals who direct their own care, but have difficulty in opening and/or managing a bank account, or just do not want the added responsibility of managing the paperwork directly; whilst retaining all the control and choice of an individual directing their own care
The service takes full responsibility for issuing payments to either employees or service providers upon receipt of payslips and/or invoices but does not at any time act as the employer. It is the responsibility of the Supported Bankingteam to reconcile accounts and to ensure that sufficient funds are in the account at all times to cover outgoings and to liaise with service users regarding the status of their account.
Aims
To enable all individuals who are eligible for Direct payments to have access to a bank account by which their Direct Payments/Personal Budget can be received and to reduce the pressures/responsibilities of managing their Direct Payments/Personal Budgets.
Beneficiaries
The service is available to all individuals who are in receipt of Direct Payments/Personal Budget
Outcomes
The outcomes are that the service empowers individuals by offering them an alternative, secure method, of receiving their Direct Payments/Personal Budget, thus encouraging the uptake of Direct Payments by alleviating the pressures of managing their Direct Payments
Funders
The service is individually commissioned by service users. The charge is deducted from their Direct Payment/Personal Budget (for their care and support needs) provided by the Local Authority or CCG, on a monthly basis via standing order in Cheshire.
Bolton Borough Council
Learning Service
Brief Outline
CCIL operates a free training service which can be accessed by individual disabled Employers and their Personal Assistants (PAs).
The role of the Training Service is to research, source and facilitate independent training provision that is identified and requested by individual disabled Employers and their PAs.
The Training Service is unique in its provision of free, tailor-made, accredited training, which is delivered in the home of the Employer or at an accessible external training venue.
Aims
To provide choice and control to individual disabled Employers in the way in which training for themselves and their Personal Assistants are organised. This choice includes what training they want to access, who they want to provide the training, and when and where they want the training to take place.
Beneficiaries
Disabled people and/or their carers and Personal Assistants in Cheshire West who are eligible to receive community care from both local authorities, and who chose to receive this via a direct payment.
Outcomes
-To increase the knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies of disabled Employers in managing and supervising their PAs.
-To develop and up-skill the Personal Assistant workforce, and promote greater recognition of the importance of their role in the social care sector.
Funders
Skills for Care
Cheshire Advocacy Hub
Brief Outline
The Cheshire Advocacy Hub consists of Age UK Cheshire and Cheshire CCIL working in partnership to provide independent statutory advocacy services to individuals with health and social care needs living in Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East Council areas.
Aims
CCIL offers 4 types of advocacy support:
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS)
For people aged 16 and over who are assessed as lacking capacity to make important decisions about serious medical treatment and changes in their accommodation, adult protection case and some care reviews.
Advocates can also be instructed to support individuals who are involved in the Deprivation of Liberty Assessment process (DOLS).
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
For people aged 18 and over who are subject to the Mental Health Act. Advocates help people to understand what is taking place, and when requested to support them to exercise their rights and represent their views.
Care Act Advocacy
For people aged 16 and over who have care and support needs. Care Act advocates can support people with assessments, care and support planning, care reviews, safeguarding enquiries, safeguarding reviews and to submit appeals.
Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Advocacy (Cheshire West only)
For people aged 18 and over who need support and representation in challenging continuing healthcare funding issues. CHC advocates help individuals to explore their options and empower them to make their own decisions
Beneficiaries
Disabled people in Cheshire who are eligible for statutory advocacy.
Outcomes
Help disabled people and their carers say what they want, secure their rights and represent their interests.
Funders
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Cheshire East Council
Personal Health Budget Support Service
Brief Outline
CCIL has been providing Personal Health Budget support to residents of Cheshire since 2010.The Personal Health Budget Support Service will visit a person to explain how Personal Budgets work.
CCIL offer ongoing technical advice and information on all aspects of directing ones own care; including: employing staff legally and acting as a good employer, managing the paperwork for Personal Health Budgets, assisting with the recruitment of a Personal Assistant or arranging care via a Care Agency, carrying out Disclosure & Barring Scheme (DBS) checks on Personal Assistants, assisting with the calculation of Direct Payments and helping with the allocation of costs to ensure needs are met, supporting with any employment law issues and signposting to other relevant support services (e.g.: learning and development and payroll services).
Aims
To empower disabled people with primary health care needs to direct their own care.
Beneficiaries
Disabled people and/or their carers in Cheshire who are aged 18 and over and eligible to receive continuing healthcare, or part healthcare funding.
Outcomes
- To achieve more informed decision-making by disabled people through better knowledge of their available choices to direct their own care.
- To improve the information and support networks for individuals
- To improve choice, control and independence for disabled people.
Funders
Clinical Commissioning Group, Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral.
Buzz Youth Activity Group
Brief Outline
The Buzz Youth Activity Group was developed in 2008 by CCILin response to ademand for a youth activity group in the West Cheshire area for disabled young people and expanded into Cheshire East in 2012. The Buzz activities are designed by disabled young people but coordinated by CCIL. The group provides opportunities for disabled young people to spend time with their peers and can include film nights, ten pin bowling sessions, cookery evenings, sport activities, drama and craft activities. Volunteers are recruited to encourage and empower disabled young people to participate in their chosen activity session and to promote fun, choice and control, independently from their family.