Job summary
- Main area
- HOPE Volunteer
- Grade
- Volunteer
- Contract
- Voluntary
- Hours
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 225-Volunteer-May24
- Employer
- The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- New Cross Hospital
- Town
- Wolverhampton
- Salary
- Volunteer
- Closing
- 07/05/2024 23:59
Employer heading
HOPE Volunteer
Volunteer
Job overview
Holistic Opportunities Preventing Exclusion (H.O.P.E) is a 2 year project funded by NHS Charities Together, which will bring our local NHS and voluntary sector together to help prevent social isolation in Wolverhampton.
We would like to recruit volunteers to this exciting role which will place you in the heart of the community, working with social prescribing teams, to support vulnerable residents.
Support will be provided throughout by the Voluntary Services team based within Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, who will guide you through your journey as a volunteer, and provide access to reimbursement of volunteer travel expenses, a range of volunteer events throughout the year, and various online training including mandatory and non mandatory modules.
We ask for a minimum commitment of a few hours per week for a few months in this volunteer role.
We would welcome your application, and can answer any queries you may have during our informal interview.
Main duties of the job
The Social Prescribing service provides a non-medical approach to supporting adults in Wolverhampton to improve their health and wellbeing. Our aim is to link people with activities and support in their local communities which might help them to feel better and more connected.
The aim of the LINK Volunteer role is to support the delivery of the service in a variety of ways (to be agreed with the LINK Volunteer Coordinator and your assigned LINK Worker).
This is an excellent role for volunteers who wish to support others in their community and reduce loneliness and social isolation, while providing a range of supportive opportunities and experiences for volunteers within a health and social care setting.
Working for our organisation
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We’re passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients.
We are delighted that we have been rated as “Good” by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.
The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The tasks you will be asked to perform will depend on the needs of the service, the person you are matched with and your personal level of confidence, experience and interests. This may include the following:
- Telephone or face to face support for isolated housebound people across the city
- Support people to utilise technology to reduce their isolation and ensure that their health and social needs are being met.
Other types of support you might be asked to provide include supporting people
- Identify and attend social activities or groups
- Learn a new skill or find a new hobby
- Help to cope with their long-term conditions by getting involved with community activities
- Link people with support services such as befriending
- Try out new activities that make them feel healthier such as walking or swimming.
The volunteer’s element of the service is managed by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and works in partnership with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Charity and the Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action (WVCA).
Person specification
Experience/Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication skills
- Reliability and commitment
- Understanding of the organisation’s vision and values and willingness to embrace these
- Enthusiasm and strong desire to help improve experiences of service users, and reduce social isolation and associated issues, through the role
- Ability to use some digital technology for training/ communications
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of volunteering in a community setting
- Previous experience of work in the care sector/ caring for dependents
Flexibility
Essential criteria
- We ask that volunteers commit to at least one duty per week for at least 3 months. Shift availability to be confirmed by your supervising Link Worker
Communication Skills
Essential criteria
- Verbal communication is key to this role. You will require the ability to communicate well with service users (some of whom may present challenging communication issues), and staff at all levels.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Patient Experience Team
- Job title
- Patient Experience
- Email address
- [email protected]
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