About this role
Job summary
Reduce loneliness.
Build connections.
Change lives.
Are you passionate about bringing people together and making a real difference in your community? Do you have experience coordinating volunteers, building partnerships and supporting people who may be facing loneliness, serious illness or the end of life?
At Keech Hospice, we're looking for an enthusiastic and compassionate Compassionate Neighbours Coordinator to lead and grow our award-winning community programme. You'll recruit, train and support volunteers who provide friendship, companionship and connection to people who need it most.
Main duties of the job
Recruit, train and support Compassionate Neighbour volunteers
Match volunteers with individuals who would benefit from companionship and connection
Develop relationships with healthcare, social care, voluntary and faith organisations
Promote the programme across our communities and stakeholders
Monitor impact, maintain records and contribute to service development
Help create compassionate communities
About us Keech Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care for people of all ages. We support adults in Bedfordshire. Children and their families in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes. At home, in hospice, or wherever were needed.
As a teaching hospice, our exceptional people, training, and facilities are helping local communities to live and die well.
Job description Job responsibilities
Participate in local / regional / national networks relevant to this role.
Consistently and regularly communicate with the Hospice care services teams to identify possible beneficiary referrals.
Consistently and regularly communicate with the Hospice services teams to identify possible beneficiary referrals to the programme.
Be responsible for distribution of web-based information and hard copy materials which describe the Compassionate Neighbours project.
Liaising closely with the Communications Team, Fundraising and other key individuals within the Hospice to encourage engagement of local people in target communities.
To be a point of communication for matched Compassionate Neighbours and community members, dealing with any problems if/ as they arise.
Provide regular supervision, peer-support opportunities and reflective spaces for volunteers
Develop, coordinate and sustain a Compassionate Neighbour programme within defined local areas
Recruit, train and match volunteers with people who may benefit from social companionship through 121 and or hub support
Monitor and support Compassionate Neighbour relationships to ensure quality, safety and wellbeing
Recruit, train and manage key volunteers.
Maintain accurate records in line with GDPR and provide required service data and reporting.
Lead on volunteer recruitment, training and retention, working with volunteering team to onboard volunteers and manage via Volunteer Management System.
Ensure volunteers feel valued, supported and confident in their role
To attend outreach events as required, to highlight the service and encourage connections with new Compassionate Neighbours as well as referrals of Community Members.
Build strong relationships with community groups, health services, social care and VCSE partners
Promote the Compassionate Neighbours model locally and support awareness-raising activities
Work collaboratively to identify people who may benefit from connection and companionship
Ensure safeguarding policies, risk assessments and lone-working procedures are followed
Maintain accurate records, case notes and impact data in line with GDPR requirements
Respond appropriately to concerns, boundaries or changes in peoples needs
Assessing Community Members suitability for the programme and carry out home visits and regular check in Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
Collect qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate impact
Contribute to reports for funders, partners and internal stakeholders
Use learning and feedback to continuously improve the programme
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Experience of coordinating volunteers, community projects or support services Experience of engaging and working with community leaders Experience of facilitating training and group work sessions. Experience of patient/user involvement in health or social care/ community development Experience of engaging with people with a wide range of health and/or social needs A strong understanding of the needs of older people and able to identify community assets which might be available to aid in community development An understanding of the services available in the community to support people to live and die at home Excellent IT Skills Understanding of health and social care issues An understanding of the impact on staff/ volunteers of working with people who are facing the end of life and methods to help manage this impact
Desirable
Significant experience of community development as part of a previous role Experience of working with people who face a terminal or life-limiting illness Experience of working in Luton Experience of event management, organizing training such as venues, facilitators, catering. Understanding of the role of hospice care
Qualifications Essential
A good standard of education with at least 5 GCSEs or equivalent one of which must be in English
Desirable
Degree in relevant subject
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Keech Hospice Care
Address Keech Hospice
Great Bramingham Lane
Streatley
LU3 3NT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.keech.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)