Carer Within Reach Worker

Sunderland Carers’ Centre

Job Description

Post

Salary

Carer Within Reach Worker

£22,931.88 (pro rata)

Hours of Work

18 Hours per week (times and days negotiable)

Holidays

25 Days per Annum (pro rata)

Location:

Sunderland Carers Centre, Thompson Road, Sunderland

Responsible to:

Service Manager

Job  Summary.  The  Carer  Within  Reach  Worker  will  be  initially  responsible  to  the  Service
Manager  at  Sunderland  Carers’  Centre.  Emphasis  will  be  placed  on  the  development  of  a
whole  family  approach  to  engage  families  in  services  which  are  appropriate  to  identified
needs.

The Carer Within Reach Worker will act within the Carer Contact Team to provide a listening
ear  service  to  those  carers  identified  as  being  socially  isolated  and  would  benefit  form  a
Within Reach call. The post holder will provide accurate and appropriate information, advice,
and guidance to carers within the Carer Contact Team function as needed.

Equal  opportunities.  Sunderland  Carers’  Centre  recognises  that  the  needs  of  carers  are
paramount within the services it offers. The Centre is committed to a policy of equal access
to employment and provision of its services regardless of race, religious or political beliefs,
ethnic or national origin, culture, gender, sexuality age or disability

Working Relationships.

Internal: The post holder is accountable to the Service Manager with whom they will liaise on
a regular basis.

The  post  holder  will  be  ultimately  accountable  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the  Chief
Executive Officer.

The post holder will support activity from the mechanisms within the Carers’ Centre to ensure
all carers are supported via the services delivered by Sunderland Carers’ Centre.

External:  The  post  holder  will  ensure  Sunderland  Carers’  Centre  influences  decisions  that
benefit carers at a locality level, working closely with the partners from both statutory and
voluntary sectors.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

To provide Within Reach calls to carers identified as in need of social contact so tackling social
isolation, loneliness and addressing wellbeing

To recognise the signs of issues and problems associated with the caring role and escalating
to the most appropriate team member

To input onto the Customer Relations Data base contacts made by volunteers to carers, as
part of the Within Reach project

To  form  part  of  the  organisation’s  Contact  Team  function  to  provide  information,  advice,
guidance  and  support  with  an  outcome  focus  to  support  carers  in  a  format  which  most
appropriately meets their individual needs as needed

To provide a first contact service to those contacting Sunderland Carers’ Centre via telephone,
email,  face  to  face  or  via  website  enquiries  and  providing  the  person  with  relevant  and
accurate information, advice, guidance and support as needed

Provide a professional welcome to all customers and visitors, presenting a positive impression
of the organisation

To ensure that incoming telephone calls are answered in a professional and timely manner
and transferred, where appropriate, to the relevant team member as needed

Carry out the necessary administration for this role accurately and within organisationally set
standards including updating the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System (Charity
Log)

Input activity and outcome records to CRM system. Work to achieve agreed carer outcomes,
contract  Key  Performance  Indicators  and  targets  as  agreed  with  the  organisation’s
frameworks and commissioning contracts

Also

Working  as  part  of  the  wider  team  to  provide  a  range  of  support  options  which  includes
support  via  telephone,  e-mail  and  1:1  meetings  plus  support  at  a  range  of  meetings  both
internally and externally.

To  develop  and  maintain  meaningful,  effective  on-going  relationships  with  other
organisations and professionals to ensure that carers have a range of accurate information,
knowledge and opportunities available to them.

To attend and/or support promotional events, training opportunities or social activities for
carers.

To work with the wider Carers’ Centre team and partners to identify and engage hard to reach
carers.

To support carers to have a life of their own along-side their caring role

To represent Sunderland Carers Centre in order to promote and encourage understanding
and  awareness  of  carers  issues  for  example  through  the  delivery  of  agreed  training
programmes for carers, partners and the wider community

To support the communication of National Legislation regarding carers and how this affects
carers.

To  contribute  to  good  practice  and  development  of  the  organisation  including  service
evaluation

Work with and mentor designated volunteers with the support of the management team

Work with and mentor students on placement within the organisation with the support of the
management team

To  support  the  development  of  written  and  verbal  reports  to  the  Service  Manager,
Management Team, Chief Executive Officer and the Board

To participate in set supervisions and appraisals with line manager

To adhere to all policies and procedures of the organisation

To observe strict confidentiality regarding information obtained during the course of the role
and maintain professional boundaries

To provide support and assistance, whilst carrying out any other duties as and when required
by the Management Team, Chief Executive Officer and Board

Person Specification – Carer Within Reach Worker

Criteria

Essential

Desirable

Education
and
Qualifications

Experience

Skills,
Knowledge
and Abilities

•  Excellent standard of English

•  Have undertaken within the

and Maths
IT Literate

•

•  Current or recent experience
of providing customer related
services.

•  Experience in providing

frontline information, advice
and guidance

•  Experience of managing
conflict resolution

•  Experience of partnership
working building excellent
relationships with a wide
range of professionals and
families

past year, Continued
Professional Development
qualifications and/or
training(please evidence within
application)

•  Experience of engagement and

support of families
•  Understanding of the

safeguarding process for adults
and children

•  Experience of community

development work within a
voluntary or community sector
•  Experience of managing a case
load and associated time
management

•  Experience of using an electronic

data base system

•  Experience of partnership
working building excellent
relationships with a wide range
of professionals and families

• Ability to use basic Microsoft Office

•  Ability to work with complexity

and emotional situations

•  Knowledge of impacts of caring
which could include lived
experience

packages

• Clear knowledge and

understanding of issues that affect
carers and their families

• Motivated to deliver positive

change for carers

• Excellent customer service,

communication and interpersonal
skills

• Ability to be resourceful and seek
out information, suggestions and

•  Full Driving Licence and Access
to the use of a car (business
insurance required)

Personal
Attributes

possible solutions for carers in a
challenging environment

• Ability to value and support team

and multi-agency working
• The ability to work within a

blended working environment (in
office and/or home working)

•  Commitment to the values of
Sunderland Carers’ Centre

•  Commitment to detail,

ensuring all work is accurate,
concise and comprehensible
•  Commitment to equality and

diversity

•  Respectful of  working within
professional boundaries
•  Willing to work in cooperation

with team members

•  Willing to work flexibly within

the organisation

•  Ability to work evenings and

weekends

•  A willingness and ability to

undertake further training to
understand the complexities
of both adult and children’s
social care, education and
health legislation