Loneliness & Isolation Task Force (LITF)
Co-ordinator
1 year Fixed Term Contract
35 hours per week, £21,658 per annum
The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and Coordination of Age UK Sunderland’s exciting new LITF project to reduce the issues associated with loneliness and isolation as a result of Covid 19 restrictions.
The LITF will support people aged 50 + including those with a low to medium diagnosis of dementia across the City of Sunderland to integrate back into community assets in line with government guidelines.
The LITF Coordinator will also recruit, develop, train & coordinate a team of 10 dedicated LITF volunteers to support the programme of work.
The successful candidate will need excellent communication and organisational skills and a flexible approach to work and at least 2 years’ experience in health/social care and volunteer coordination.
All applicants must possess a full clean driving licence and have access to a car for work.
This post is subject to DBS Enhanced Disclosures
To request an application pack you can email enquiries@ageuksunderland.org.uk or download one directly from our website https://www.ageuk.org.uk/sunderland/get-involved/vacancies/ Alternatively send a large SAE for 93p to Age UK Sunderland, Bradbury Centre, Stockton Rd, Sunderland. SR2 7AQ. Tel: 0191 5141131. CV’s are not accepted for this role.
Closing Date: Tuesday 21st June 2022 at 9.00 am
Interview Date: Thursday 30th June 2022
Age UK Sunderland is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Reg. Charity No. 1086995. Reg. Co. No. 4199449
Job Description
Post: Loneliness & Isolation Task Force (LITF)
Co-ordinator
Contract Type: 1 year fixed term contract
Hours: 5 days (35 hours) per week.
Salary/benefits: £21, 658 pa inclusive; access to pension scheme
Location: Bradbury Centre, Stockton Road, Sunderland
Responsible to: LWL CIT Manager
Accountable to: Age UK Sunderland (AUKS)
Key working Relationships:
- Older people
- Volunteers
- Statutory and Community based providers
- Carers and Carer Organisations
- Other VCS, statutory and non-traditional partners as required
Background:
“Loneliness and social isolation are different but related concepts. Social isolation can lead to loneliness and loneliness can lead to social isolation. Both may also occur at the same time. People can experience different levels of social isolation and loneliness over their lifetime, moving in and out of these states as their personal circumstances change. Loneliness and social isolation also share many factors that are associated with increasing the likelihood of people experiencing each, such as deteriorating health, and sensory and mobility impairments.” Care Connect and Age UK (2018).
Loneliness and isolation is a life threatening issue which debilitates older people’s health & wellbeing in all areas of their lives, however the impact of Covid-19 has amplified this issue significantly.
Due to the significant challenge of increasing prevalence of loneliness and isolation as a consequence to Covid-19 restrictions, there has been a marked rise of these issues experienced by older people including those with mild to moderate dementia across the City of Sunderland.
Purpose of the post:
- To develop a dedicated Loneliness & Isolation Task Force (LITF) to reduce the issues associated with loneliness and isolation as a result of Covid 19 restrictions supporting people aged 50 + including those with a low to medium diagnosis of dementia across the City of Sunderland to integrate back into community assets.
- To recruit, develop, train & coordinate a team of 10 LITF volunteers to support the programme of work.
- To oversee the coordination of referrals to AUKS & partner agencies to community infrastructure support for those experiencing loneliness & isolation
- To identify “hot spot” areas of loneliness and ensure targeted interventions are implemented to reduce the effects of loneliness & isolation.
- To deploy extensive marketing & promotional tactics to raise the profile of the LITF in Sunderland.
- To align the work of the LITF with AUKS’s social prescribing programmes to ensure tailored support is achieved.
- To ensure robust partnership working at all times to ensure the success of LITF
Key Responsibilities
The post holder will be an excellent communicator and develop a wide knowledge of the services offered by non-traditional providers in the Sunderland area.
The post holder will require strong organisational skills, must be flexible in approach, able to exercise initiative and demonstrate a consistently high standard of professionalism, being aware of the need for confidentiality and integrity.
Key skills
- Volunteer coordination, training and guidance/support
- A strong understanding of the impact of loneliness & isolation in older people
- Signposting older people to the multitude of support services that are available through voluntary and statutory providers tailored to the person’s specific needs
- Be the point of liaison for clients and carers with voluntary sector providers as well as useful commercial services, and liaising with other statutory professionals
- Delivering case work to support older people to reach specific goals in accordance with KPIs
- Promote the independence & empowerment of older people
- Build strong relationships with partners and providers
- Marketing & promotional experience
- Deal in a professional, helpful & sensitive manner with older people, staff, carers & other agencies.
Information and Data Coordination
- To be proficient in using Microsoft office packages and other identified IT systems and support volunteers in their use
- To record relevant client documentation on identified IT systems as required
- Facility for learning new software packages which may be in continued development
- Maintain Excel, CharityLog and other databases to input clients’ engagement
- Support completion of client referrals, record electronically and feedback to volunteers
- Extract caseload information from the client database as required, and undertake analysis of caseload information for audit and performance management purposes, including running reports and converting data into charts and tables for monitoring & reposting purposes
- Input data onto client information management systems to update client details, and periodically use reports to ensure client details are correct for quality purposes
- Be responsible for updating the electronic service directory on a regular basis, sourcing referral criteria and ensuring these are accessible to all relevant parties
Client Support
- Ensure older people’s requirements are managed smoothly with no fragmentation in service delivery.
- Ensure appropriate actions from referrals are completed in a timely fashion.
- Communicate with LITF volunteer as required.
- Communicate effectively with older people and their families/carers, other staff both internal and external and members of the public.
General
- The post holder must at all times carry out duties and responsibilities with due regard to the organisations’ equal opportunity policies and procedures.
- The post holder must at all times respect client confidentiality and, in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal data in line with GDPR requirements.
- The post holder will be expected to take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis, undertaking on-the-job training as required.
- The post holder must be aware of individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and identify and report as necessary any untoward accident incident or potentially hazardous environment.
- The post holder will ensure they accurately represent Age UK Sunderland and ensure the values of Age UK Sunderland are upheld at all times in carrying out their work
- The post holder must work in general accordance with the organisation’s policies and guidelines at all times.
- The post holder must adhere to the organisation’s information governance policy at all times, in particular ensuring that there is no breach of confidentiality as a result of his/her actions.
This job description is intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and not as an exhaustive list of duties and tasks. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties appropriate to his/her grade, which are not listed above, at the discretion of the Director. The job description may be amended from time to time after consultation with the post holder.
This post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced check.
Age UK Sunderland
Person Specification
Post: LITF Coordinator
Location: Bradbury Centre, Stockton Road, Sunderland
Responsible to: LWL CIT Manager
Essential Criteria
NVQ Level 3 in health, social care or equivalent
At least 2 years’ experience in health/social care or information & advice or work in direct contact with people, families & carers (paid or voluntary capacity).
Extensive volunteer Coordination experience
Strong understanding of the impact of loneliness & isolation on the health & wellbeing of older people
At least 2 years’ experience of partnership working
Intermediate IT competence in Microsoft packages and admin skills
Proven record of written and verbal communication skills
Able to deal sensitively with client
Able to work as part of a team
Able to prioritise and manage own workload
Analytical skills and be able to interpret information and data and present it in a clear concise manner
Good people skills with a friendly approachable style and ability to generate trust and form positive relationships
A good listener
Flexible & responsive to changing needs of clients
Ability to communicate and extract information sensitively & tactfully
Creative approach to problem solving
Tactful and diplomatic, able to build a rapport with people from a wide range of backgrounds
Experience in use of databases
Experience of working in a voluntary, NHS or social care setting delivering services to vulnerable people
Experience of risk assessment & risk management
Understanding of client confidentiality
Understanding of health and social care processes
Understanding of the complexity of older people’s lives & the barriers they face
Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities
Knowledge of the range of voluntary, statutory and private sector orgs/services working with older people
Knowledge of GDPR guidelines
Willingness to undergo further training or development
To abide by and implement all policies and procedures of Age UK Sunderland, including being aware of and responsible corporately and as an individual for Health and Safety policy.
Possess a full clean driving licence and have access to a car for work
Desirable
Experience in motivational interviewing
Experience of person centred planning