Independent Living Service Volunteer

Independent Living Service Volunteer
Location: Flintshire

About the role
The aim of this role is to place the person at the centre of what we do and help them get through a crisis by offering positive encouragement, practical help and emotional support. The Independent Living Service Volunteer will be the 'point of contact' for the service user and will enable them to access the services they require to alleviate the crisis and move on with their lives. The Volunteer will support the person to meet their goals and outcomes.

As an Independent Living Service volunteer the primary aim is to enable the service user to recover from their crisis and to receive practical and emotional support.

About the Team
In the UK, our Independent Living services responds to the needs and wishes of service users who are in crisis. We offer 'one point of contact' to help the service user access a suite of services, everything is together in one package as needed and required. We work with a range of issues from people recovering from illness, surgery or an accident, to struggling with a life-changing event.

The volunteer will enable people to live as independently as they can at home, building trusting relationships and helping them to regain their confidence and well-being. Working closely with the independent living Service Manager / Co-ordinator, volunteers can make the difference by undertaking an agreed selection of tasks including preventing an admission to hospital, enabling a discharge from hospital, transporting people to and from hospital and appointments. As well as supporting people to cope in their home, providing hand arm and shoulder massages, helping people with mobility aids and signposting to other services in their area.

About the person
We keep the service user at the heart of what we do, working to understand their needs and the difference we make. You need to have good interpersonal, diplomacy, communication and teamwork skills. Full training can be given for any necessary technical requirements. Also:

• Sensitivity when working with people vulnerable to crisis and an interest in their well-being and regaining independence
• An ability to provide patient, positive encouragement with the aim of helping people to help themselves
• An understanding of the diverse physical needs of service users
• Ability to work independently and as an effective member of a team
• Willingness to attend volunteer induction and appropriate training for the role
• Uphold the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and adhering to the Society's Equal Opportunities Policy

This role requires a DBS/PVG check to the appropriate level.

Tasks Included in this Role:

• Visiting the service user in hospital with a view to supporting their discharge
• Transporting the service user home from hospital
• Visiting the service user on their arrival home from hospital and settling them in
• Keeping someone company for a few hours at a time
• Helping the person to regain independence by supporting them with practical tasks such as shopping, collecting prescriptions and light meal preparation
• Sitting with the service user and relieving the relative or carer of continuous care
• Keeping paper records of contact and activities undertaken with the service user
• Referring the service user to mobility aids and to other external services where appropriate

What We Offer:

• The chance to work with a variety of different people from different walks of life and make a real difference to their lives
• Recognition of the skills and experience you bring to the organisation with additional training given as required, so you can represent the Red Cross with confidence
• A great opportunity to develop your existing skills and to gain new ones

About the organisation
The British Red Cross helps millions of people in the UK and around the world to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies, disasters and conflicts.

We are part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian network and we refuse to ignore people in crisis.

Young People and This Role
We value the energy and enthusiasm that young people bring to this role. Anyone can volunteer with the Red Cross from the age of 15. An individual risk assessment, parental consent and safeguarding considerations will be required from those aged 15 - 17. Volunteers will need to be at least 18 to visit service users on their own but those aged 15 - 17 can be involved in a variety of activities such as promoting the service, supporting service volunteers, providing administrative support and undertaking training, if appropriate.

Our Promise
We value the skills and experience that people bring to the organisation. We will work with you to look at your knowledge and skills and help make an assessment about which elements of the learning for your role you will need to complete with us and recognise where you may already know all that you need to confidently and safely carry out your duties. We want to try and make sure that you get all the training you need, no more and no less.