Candidate Information Pack

Village Agent Broadbridge Heath

February 2019

1 Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Table of Contents

1.0 About Age UK Horsham District1.1 What we do across Horsham District1.2 Working with and on behalf of local older people

2.0 Governance

3.0 Village Agent Broadbridge Heath Job description Person specification

4.0 How to apply

Appendix 1 – Application form

Appendix 2 – Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

1.0 About Age UK Horsham DistrictAge UK Horsham District is an independent local charity (and company limited by guarantee) which is a full brand partner of Age UK. Age UK Horsham District is a local, independent charity. We are affiliated with the national charity, Age UK, as a brand partner. This means that we work together with Age UK and their 140 other brand partners in a spirit of collaboration and mutual support to achieve our common goals, this also entitles us to use their brand within our the geographical area of Horsham District.

Our VisionHorsham District is a place where everyone has the opportunity for good quality of life in later life.

Our MissionTo provide services and activities to promote and improve wellbeing and quality of later life in Horsham District

Our Values Integrity Professionalism Team Work Recognition Commitment

1.1 What we do across Horsham District?The team of staff and volunteers at Age UK Horsham District work with, advise, provide practical support and crucial companionship to between 7,000 and 8,000 local older people every year. We do this through our essential services, many of which are free, and include:

Information and Advice is a free service providing essential advice, assistance and support to those needing help with a range of issues, including: finances, housing and health. This will be facilitated by the Community Officer Team as they provide expert advice to maximise income and benefits entitlements; in addition Advisory Volunteers will support lower level needs such as Attendance Allowance claims and Blue Badge applications, out in the community.

Home Visiting is a free service for the most lonely, isolated and vulnerable people. A volunteer is carefully matched to provide friendly companionship and support, offering a lifeline to the outside world. This support can help build confidence, improve mental well-being and encourage a sense of security and independence.

Help at Home signposts to reliable sources of help and support in the home, to enable the individual to remain independent and in their own home for longer.

Home from Hospital and Relative Support is a free service for older people with no one to help them when they return home from an unplanned hospital stay. This service provides a support network upon discharge from hospital, enabling them to get back on their feet, improve their well-being and ensure they have the necessary means to access services and

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

support to help them to continue living well. Support is also available to help families make informed choices about future care for their loved ones.

An innovative Village Agent scheme, based on tested models from other rural communities across the UK – a village agent is a single point of contact in a community for local older people and families, local groups, public sector colleagues and the business sector; they work on what is important to help us all to live independently in later life.

Local day-clubs and clubs for people with dementia, where those over 50, their families and carers can receive support, enjoy social activities and interaction.

1.2. Working with and on behalf of local older peopleInvolvement and seeking and listening to the views of local older people, including:

Participating in National Campaigns

Influencing our MPs and local government

Informing local media

Linking with Horsham District Older Peoples Forum and using every opportunity to work with the many local organisations and decision-making groups, to ensure that our people and communities are equipped to make the most of later life.

For further information about our work visit www.ageukhorshamdistrict.org.uk

2.0 Governance, Structure and ManagementAge UK Horsham District (AUKHD) was registered as a charity in 1983. It was established under a Memorandum of Association and is governed by its Articles of Association. The directors of the company are also the charity trustees and Board is diverse and represents people from across Horsham District to reflect and represent the rural/urban dynamic of the district.

New employees joining AUKHD undergo a comprehensive induction and training available via Age UK, nationally and locally. The Community Officer Team and quality of advice is governed by Age UK National Quality standard and the Horsham team will receive guidance, support and updates to social policy and quality through these channels. On a day-to-day basis, operational support will be provided by the Managers.

The charity employs 30 members of staff, 150 volunteers and 50+ local self-employed people to deliver its work. The day to day responsibility of the Charity’s operation is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer.

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

About Sonia Mangan (CEO)Sonia has been with us for three years and as she moved down from the North she still describes herself as new to Horsham district but not new to Voluntary Sector leadership.

She has been Chief Executive Officer for an Age UK in the South Lakeland in Cumbria for eleven years, led a small team working with people with sight problems in the same area and latterly led a team of 200 staff, working across Cumbria with people with a range of mental health problems.

Her value is to make a difference and Sonia has a lot of experience of the needs and issues older people navigate as they move through their later life. Recently, Sonia completed her Masters in Dementia Studies with the University of Stirling. She started her career as a nurse and has worked in NHS management and private sector care home management.

The charity plans to implement a three year strategic plan to achieve future goals:

Goal 1: Increase our impact Goal 2: Develop financial stability Goal 3: Work in Partnership Goal 4: Raise our profile Goal 5: Develop the internal capacity we need to deliver

5 Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

3.0 Village Agent – Broadbridge Heath Background

Since April 2014 local funders have supported an Age UK Horsham District Village Agent for the areas of Rusper and Colgate and up to December 2017 for Billingshurst and Shipley.Village Agents are an important key to reducing social isolation, loneliness and poverty amongst older people, particularly in areas where rural isolation is prevalent.

Village Agents can often identify those, who due to their circumstances, may be reluctant to engage with the community and are therefore hard to find but may be known to people such as the postman or shop keepers for example.

2. Current positionWe are currently working with a proportion of older people from the Broadbridge Heath area:

40% of whom are between 75 and 84 years of age and 33% are 85 years of age or older

45% of whom live on their own Predominantly they have accessed our Information and Advice and Help at

Home services 18% of them are accessing more than one of our services

Our new service in Broadbridge Heath

Our Village Agents open another door to our specialist services closer to where older people live, and therefore their work in identifying lonely and isolated older people often involves referring them on to our (or our partners) other services. The new agent will enable us in year one to:

Work with 75 older people (numbers may be adjusted to take into account demography) from the area, at least 25% of whom will report feeling less lonely and isolated, as a result of accessing a wide-range of information and practical support services;

Greater numbers of older people in the area will report a feeling of improved psychological, financial and physical wellbeing - we will increase our casework and signposting activities by 20

We will recruit 3 new local volunteers from the areaThe post is for one year initially and will be reviewed by December 2019 to identify whether it will be continued for year two.

For full details, please refer to the job description at the end of this pack –Appendix 1

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Working HoursThe Village Agent will work 8 hours per week and the expectation is that the hours can be worked flexibly to support both the successful candidate and the needs of the service. Any out of pocket expenses incurred in delivering the services will be reimbursed. On occasions there may be courses or training days linked to the service or strategy which may extend beyond these core hours for which time will be compensated.

Salary

The Salary for this role is £18,691 per annum, for full-time working per post. This salary will be pro rata for part-time working.

4.0 How to ApplyApplications need to include:

A covering letter explaining:

a) Why you wish to be a Village Agent with AUKHD b) How your skills and experience will make a difference and add value

The completed AUKHD application form – see separate Word document(Please kindly note that we do not accept CVs)

Completed Equal Opportunities form (Appendix 2)

If you wish to enquire more about this opportunity, please call the Clubs Manager on 01403 260560

Please email your completed application to:

finance@ageukhorshamdistrict.org.uk

Or post it to:Finance & Operations Manager

Age UK Horsham DistrictLavinia HouseDukes Square

HorshamWest SussexRH12 1GZ

Deadline for applications: Friday March 1st 2019Interviews: 14 March 2019

Age UK Horsham District welcomes applications regardless of gender, age, ethnic background, disability, sexuality or religion.

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Appendix 1

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Village Agent

BASED AT: Home Based

HOURS: 8 hours per week Monday – Friday

POSITION REPORTS TO: Clubs Manager

JOB PURPOSE SUMMARY: As part of Age UK Horsham District team the village agent will provide a local, trusted and well-known friendly face at the heart of rural communities. The village agent will make a positive impact by identifying isolated and vulnerable older people helping them to gain access to services and information

JOB DIMENSIONS: Responsible for local volunteers

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Services:

To act as a first point of contact for older people and/or their carers who need information and support. Carry out holistic assessments and, if required, further detailed checks in clients’ home and signposting clients onto other services effectively when applicable.

Become part of the community by networking and participating in community asset building activities

Work within the designated Horsham District Ward in both a reactive and proactive way

Respond holistically and appropriately to the issues and needs identified and provide accurate, high quality information.

Create referrals of appropriate urgency to relevant agencies and service providers

Engage with others in a friendly, courteous, prompt and appropriate manner using excellent communication skills and ensuring delivery of high quality service delivery at all times.

Develop effective working relationships with all partners and stakeholders including parish councils, voluntary and statutory organisations

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

People;

Work closely with the Community Officer team leader , Information and Advice, Help at Home, other Age UK Horsham District services and other key stakeholders.

Attend staff forum meetings twice annually.

Comply with Health and Safety Guidelines (see Staff Handbook)

Implement Health and Safety Policies and Procedures; ensuring that risk assessments are carried out for all aspects of work

Participate fully in Rural team meetings, and other meetings as appropriate

Support the Clubs Manager in the recruitment and induction of volunteers within the Village Agent scheme

Attend training, keeping up to date with current trends and developments in the field .

Keep up-to-date with all legislation relating to areas of work

Finance and Administration;

Working with the Clubs Manager to create a robust and sustainable database of clients and completing the Client Recording system as required

Access and accurately maintain electronic/hard copy client records, calls and referrals ensuring compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations, maintaining management information to assist in workload/demand profiling and to inform continuous improvements to the service provided.

Take responsibility for your own time management and administration.

Use the IT equipment provided, appropriately and effectively

Contribute to revision of policies and procedures as required

Comply with policies and practices of Age UK Horsham District (see Staff Handbook)

Community:

Effectively promote Village Agent and other Age UK Horsham District services and to engage older people in the most appropriate way.

Develop strong purposeful links with the local communities within the ward.

Ensure work delivered in the district relates to the organisations’ values and strategy

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Undertake any other duties as required by the Clubs Manager, which are commensurate with the responsibilities of the post.

Quality:

Ensure compliance with internal Quality Assurance standards and Age UK national standards and guidelines

Put client needs at the heart of all services and activities

Ensure that effective and regular processes for customer feedback and engagement are in place. That suggestions, comments and complaints are recorded, communicated and acted upon.

Sustainability:

To actively protect the environment by increasing recycling rates; saving energy and promoting sustainability in our plans and actions

NOTE: The post holder will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure Baring Service check.

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

PERSON SPECIFICATIONJob title: Village AgentCriteria:-E= Essential D = Desirable

E or D

ExperienceExperience in providing information to members of the public and professionals using telephone and active listening techniques

Experience in carrying out research to find a range of solutions or to enable a greater understanding of service provision

Experience of working with older or vulnerable adults

Experience in working effectively with people who may be confused, distressed, angry etc.

Experience of Rural issues

E

E

E

D

D

Knowledge & Skills

Ability to communicate with a wide variety of people both verbally and in writing

Excellent planning, organisational and administration skills

Articulate, well organised and enthusiastic Community Awareness

Ability to take initiative in both familiar and unexpected situations

Ability to work independently

Understanding of Equal opportunities policy and practice and a commitment to its implementation

Demonstrate a understanding of Health and Safety policies and practice

E

E

E

E

E

E

E

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Knowledge of rural issues

Excellent Knowledge of Broadbridge Heath

An understanding of confidentiality and commitment to uphold professional and organisational values and standards

High competency IT skills and use and able to manage own administration

Report writing skills

The ability to undertake public speaking

To Work as part of a team by: contributing to meetings, attending relevant training, cascading information and providing on-going support and information to managers to enable the smooth running of the project

E

E

D

E

D

D

E

CompetenciesPatience and a sense of humour

An understanding of the need for discretion and confidentiality

Problem solver, pragmatic and resilient

The initiative to develop the role

Live in the Ward

D

E

E

E

DOther RequirementsAbility to travel within a rural area

Ability to work flexibly with some evening and weekend work if required

Full driving licence and access to a car for work purposes

Ability to work from home

E

E

E

E

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019

Appendix 2

Age UK Horsham District welcomes applications regardless of gender, age, ethnic background, disability, sexuality or religion. Please ensure that you also complete the Age UK Horsham District equal opportunities form.

Equal opportunities Monitoring Form

Please help us by completing this form. We use this information to monitor the effectiveness of our equal opportunities policy. Your answers will be treated as confidential. This form will be filed separately from your application.Name and the job applied forName: Which role have you applied for?

Community Officer

Are you: Male Female (please circle)Do you have: Dependent children? and/or Other dependents

Your ethnic originHow would you describe your ethnic origin?Ethnic origin refers to members of an ethnic group who share the same cultural background and identity. These categories are approved by the Commission for Racial Equality.Black African Black Caribbean

Bangladeshi Black other (please specify)

Chinese Indian

Pakistani White

Any other ethnic group (please specify)

Do you consider yourself to be disabled? (please circle) Yes No

If “Yes” please give details of any special equipment or arrangements that would help you to do your job most effectively.

Signature: Date:

Thank you for completing this form.

Age UK Horsham District Recruitment PackFebruary 2019