Volunteer Form Filler (Mid Notts)
OFFERED BY:
Age UK Nottingham & NottinghamshireLocation(s): Outside of Nottingham City
Address where volunteering takes place: The Lifestyle Centre 16-18 Bridgeway Centre Nottingham NG2 2JDHow many places are on offer?
Purpose of Role:
The volunteer form filler role is an essential role in helping to ensure that people in later life can claim benefits they are entitled to. The role primarily involves supporting older clients with long-term health conditions or disabilities to complete applications forms which could include new claims, upgrade, or renew claims.
ROLE DESCRIPTION:
Department: Advice Service
Role Location: Predominantly home based with occasional travel to Mansfield areas. Advice appointments can range from telephone and *home visits.
Role Support: You will be supported by a member of the Advice Team
*Which are allocated under certain exceptions.
What is the purpose of this role?
This is an essential role in helping to ensure that people in later life can claim benefits they are entitled to. The role primarily involves supporting older clients with long-term health conditions or disabilities to complete applications forms which could include new claims, upgrade, or renew claims for the following: Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance, Blue Badge, Council Tax Support and Housing Benefit.
What impact does the role have?
This role provides vital support in helping ensure that people in later life are able to meet the extra costs involved in living with a long-term health condition or disability by claiming the benefits they are entitled to.
What activities might you be involved in?
• Undertaking telephone and *home visits with clients and their loved ones.
• Working together with clients and their friends and family members to complete benefit claim forms with accurate information regarding their health conditions and the impact these have on their day-to-day lives.
• Building a rapport with clients to identify any other support needs they may have and working to ensure these are met together with the Advice staff team.
• Recording accurate case notes on our secure electronic database
• Assisting the data team in meeting targets of the Advice Service e.g., providing extra information about service users’ needs for case studies, funding monitoring etc.
• Volunteering in line with the Charity’s policies and procedures and adhering to the Volunteer Code of Conduct
When would you be needed to volunteer?
The needs of the role and your availability will be discussed at interview, but we would like you to be available for at least three hours each week as a minimum – days and times can be discussed.
What training will you be given?
You will be given all the training you need to enable you to carry out your role. This will include a thorough induction to provide you with further information about your role and the Advice Team, and specific training on completing the relevant benefit claim forms and completing the customer database. The thorough training programme is likely to take 6 months to complete.
What can you gain from this opportunity?
• The chance to make a difference to the lives of older people.
• The opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
• Ongoing support, ensuring your volunteering experience is a fulfilling and positive one.
• A comprehensive training programme.
• The opportunity to learn new skills.
• Experience to add to your CV.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses as defined in Age UK Notts Volunteer Handbook
Additional Information
Please note an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring check) is required for this role which will be undertaken by the Charity at no cost to the volunteer, after being offered the role.
Role Location: Predominantly home based with occasional travel to Mansfield areas. Advice appointments can range from telephone and *home visits.
Role Support: You will be supported by a member of the Advice Team
*Which are allocated under certain exceptions.
What is the purpose of this role?
This is an essential role in helping to ensure that people in later life can claim benefits they are entitled to. The role primarily involves supporting older clients with long-term health conditions or disabilities to complete applications forms which could include new claims, upgrade, or renew claims for the following: Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance, Blue Badge, Council Tax Support and Housing Benefit.
What impact does the role have?
This role provides vital support in helping ensure that people in later life are able to meet the extra costs involved in living with a long-term health condition or disability by claiming the benefits they are entitled to.
What activities might you be involved in?
• Undertaking telephone and *home visits with clients and their loved ones.
• Working together with clients and their friends and family members to complete benefit claim forms with accurate information regarding their health conditions and the impact these have on their day-to-day lives.
• Building a rapport with clients to identify any other support needs they may have and working to ensure these are met together with the Advice staff team.
• Recording accurate case notes on our secure electronic database
• Assisting the data team in meeting targets of the Advice Service e.g., providing extra information about service users’ needs for case studies, funding monitoring etc.
• Volunteering in line with the Charity’s policies and procedures and adhering to the Volunteer Code of Conduct
When would you be needed to volunteer?
The needs of the role and your availability will be discussed at interview, but we would like you to be available for at least three hours each week as a minimum – days and times can be discussed.
What training will you be given?
You will be given all the training you need to enable you to carry out your role. This will include a thorough induction to provide you with further information about your role and the Advice Team, and specific training on completing the relevant benefit claim forms and completing the customer database. The thorough training programme is likely to take 6 months to complete.
What can you gain from this opportunity?
• The chance to make a difference to the lives of older people.
• The opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
• Ongoing support, ensuring your volunteering experience is a fulfilling and positive one.
• A comprehensive training programme.
• The opportunity to learn new skills.
• Experience to add to your CV.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses as defined in Age UK Notts Volunteer Handbook
Additional Information
Please note an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring check) is required for this role which will be undertaken by the Charity at no cost to the volunteer, after being offered the role.
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
What are we looking for?
Essential
• A genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people and a calm, sensitive approach to providing advice to older people, their family, and carers.
• Friendly personality with excellent interpersonal and listening skills.
• Ability to treat customers with sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Ability to think holistically, identifying issues and make referrals when required to fellow volunteers or staff members.
• IT literacy and a willingness to input own client case notes on to the Charity’s database, together with recording of the appropriate individual client consents.
• Ability to record information accurately that is essential for funders.
• Willingness to undertake training essential to the role, including form completion and case recording training along with benefits training
• Willing to attend one to one support sessions, and volunteer meetings which will be held in Nottingham.
• During the training period, it will be a requirement of the volunteer role to be office based at The Lifestyle Centre (16-18 Bridgeway Centre, NG2 2JD).
• Willing to volunteer within the guidelines of Age UK Notts’ Volunteering policy and adhere to the Volunteer Code of Conduct.
Desirable (any of the following):
• Previous experience of working with older people.
• Previous experience of either working or volunteering in an advice role at CAB, Welfare Rights, Housing association or similar or to have worked in an advisory role for a statutory agency including DWP, Housing and Council Tax department, Adult Social Care department or a Housing Association.
• A sound knowledge of health and welfare benefits and claims processes (inc. Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, PIP) and ideally, experience of providing welfare benefits checks.
• Ability to accurately complete detailed forms.
• Ability to record information for reporting purposes, including writing case studies where applicable.
• Ability to work alone and using own initiative.
Essential
• A genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people and a calm, sensitive approach to providing advice to older people, their family, and carers.
• Friendly personality with excellent interpersonal and listening skills.
• Ability to treat customers with sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Ability to think holistically, identifying issues and make referrals when required to fellow volunteers or staff members.
• IT literacy and a willingness to input own client case notes on to the Charity’s database, together with recording of the appropriate individual client consents.
• Ability to record information accurately that is essential for funders.
• Willingness to undertake training essential to the role, including form completion and case recording training along with benefits training
• Willing to attend one to one support sessions, and volunteer meetings which will be held in Nottingham.
• During the training period, it will be a requirement of the volunteer role to be office based at The Lifestyle Centre (16-18 Bridgeway Centre, NG2 2JD).
• Willing to volunteer within the guidelines of Age UK Notts’ Volunteering policy and adhere to the Volunteer Code of Conduct.
Desirable (any of the following):
• Previous experience of working with older people.
• Previous experience of either working or volunteering in an advice role at CAB, Welfare Rights, Housing association or similar or to have worked in an advisory role for a statutory agency including DWP, Housing and Council Tax department, Adult Social Care department or a Housing Association.
• A sound knowledge of health and welfare benefits and claims processes (inc. Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, PIP) and ideally, experience of providing welfare benefits checks.
• Ability to accurately complete detailed forms.
• Ability to record information for reporting purposes, including writing case studies where applicable.
• Ability to work alone and using own initiative.
WHEN REQUIRED:
This grid shows when you can volunteer for this opportunity.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Are there age restrictions for this opportunity? Yes
Age Restrictions:
Aged 18 and over
Are there gender restrictions for this opportunity? No
Gender restrictions:
Is the opportunity accessible to disabled people? Yes
Disability restrictions:
How long before volunteer can expect a response?
We aim to get back to volunteers within 2 weeks
How long to complete training and recruitment?
You will be given all the training you need to enable you to carry out your role. There is an application form & vetting checks. Approx 8-10 weeks.
Volunteer Expenses offered? Yes
Induction and Training offered? Yes
Support and Supervision offered? Yes
Has a risk assessment been carried out? No
DBS Disclosure required? Yes