**Please note that applicants will be forwarded an application form to complete upon receipt of expression of interest in the role**
Hours: 18.5 hours, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm (Flexible working) Occasional Weekends
Accountable to: CEO
Responsible to: Service Manager
Status: 18-month Fixed-term contract
Base: Office/Community – Scarborough Town
Probation: Subject to a 3-month probationary period
Requirements: Enhanced DBS check, driving license and access to a car
Who are SWR Mind?
We are a small team of passion outreach workers, advocates and support staff who work in collaboration with clients, partner agencies etc., to support people to improve their mental health and live a meaningful and rewarding life. We have lived experience of mental illness which drives our ambition to see a community where everyone living with mental ill health experiences compassion, opportunities, support and respect.
Background
‘Our Neighbourhood’ is a new and exciting partnership between three locally based charities, joining forces to bring something fresh to Scarborough central. Our Neighbourhood has been designed to
• Help prevent, reduce or delay people’s need for statutory social care
• Build resilience of both our communities and residents so that people can live the life they want, where they want, supported by the resources available in their own community
• Build communities, places and spaces which offer people somewhere or someone to turn to when they are facing difficult times, and to support them find solutions to their challenges
Carers Plus Yorkshire (CPY), Scarborough Whitby Ryedale Mind (Mind) and Coast and Vale Community Action (CaVCA) have come together to provide the following community services:
• A network of activities and opportunities delivered within the Public Living Room within The Street
• A Volunteer Hub - a central point of contact for information about volunteering, including volunteer brokerage.
• Localised Befriending - a volunteer friendship service, focused on getting people to move into socialising or volunteering themselves. The service is ideal for those presently struggling with loneliness, isolation and barriers to moving forward.
• Information, support and guidance for new clubs, community groups and/or activity co-ordinators based in the community and wanting to build their offer more local to their base.
Purpose of the role
Within the overall project, you will be taking responsibility for co-ordinating the provision of befriending to people who are experiencing loneliness and isolation as well as working with individuals and voluntary sector organisations to identify volunteering roles, help to make them as accessible as possible and support people identify and take up volunteering roles that suit their skills, areas of interest and help improve their wellbeing through connecting with and giving back to their community.
You will meet with individuals seeking support to carry out a short needs assessment, identifying what interests them and the kind of activities they would like to participate in. You may provide a short period of one-to-one support to address any practical issues or signposting needed before creating a match with a trained volunteer who has shared common ground. You will support people to move from client to volunteer (where appropriate) encouraging them to participate in the short training programme to become a volunteer, thus widening the number of connections they have.
Supported by the administration team, you will recruit new volunteers and deliver short training sessions to befriending volunteers, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to support their match and have good awareness about safeguarding, boundaries and keeping safe in the community.
You will also act as a point of contact for information about volunteering, developing a simple resource directory of opportunities and the skills and experience required. This could include running drop ins for people interested in volunteering or partnership working with small VCSE organisations to understand the roles they need as a priority. This will enable you to match up people who want to give their time to the organisations that need it most!
Key responsibilities:
• Undertake an initial needs and risk assessment of people referred for befriending
• Deliver clear, accessible training to volunteers and oversee the volunteer recruitment process (supported by the SWR Mind team)
• Create a match with a trained volunteer, where possible between people with shared interests and goals. This includes creating a simple match agreement that details what the match will be doing together and when it will be reviewed
• Monitor and review the volunteer matches to ensure they are continuing in a safe, supportive way and identify any further training opportunities that volunteers could access
• Working alongside project partners, support clients to engage in and lead on the development of the service through co-creation
• Encourage and support clients to build up a network of services, places, people and meaningful activities that will keep them connected to the community.
• Ensure client and volunteer Exit Surveys are completed to gather feedback to ensure service meets needs and continually evolves and improves
• Network with a wide base of VCSE and statutory partners to ensure reach of service
• Administration of and compliance with project paperwork, systems etc.
• Identify and develop volunteer roles within the project and the wider VCSE and support people to explore and access volunteering as a tool to improve wellbeing
• Representing the service at planned events
• Providing awareness talks to local groups, businesses or partner organisation
• Be involved with wider organisation activities and events
• Undertake any other reasonable tasks as and when need
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .