Outreach and engagement advisor jobs in Belfast

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Outreach, Wheelchair Skills and Wider Engagement

· Engage the widest possible range of people with spinal cord injury to sign up for further contact with Back Up, through organising and/or delivering wheelchair skills training sessions and talks for patients and families at the spinal cord injury centre in the region, general hospitals and with other key partners or locations as identified.

· Coordinate, support and manage volunteer trainers who are helping to deliver sessions and talking to patients and families.

· Lead, sustain and develop strong and effective working relationships with a wide range of health professionals and other charity representatives e.g. through presentations, calls and meetings, to ensure that people access seamless support.

Proactive Contact with People Affected by Spinal Cord Injury

· Maintain and support relationships with a large number of people affected by SCI (adults, children and young people and their parents) through regular proactive contact. This could be in person in the spinal cord injury centre, other settings or through events, telephone contact or other interactions.

· Explore their feelings, wishes and needs and provide tailored peer support to help them feel supported, access relevant services from Back Up and elsewhere through proactive referrals, and become more aware of the possibilities of life after SCI.

Networking, Partnerships and Sustainability

· Develop and maintain a map of touchpoints in the region, where people with an SCI will come into contact.

· Develop partnerships, referral routes and signposting processes to develop reach beyond the spinal cord injury centre.

· Develop and manage a network of community ambassador volunteers to support the wider work and sustainability of Back Up through fundraising and other related activities.

· Take a lead on encouraging localised fundraising activity; working towards wider income targets that support ongoing sustainability.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

· Maintaining accurate records on the database.

· Work as a team, consulting with others to ensure you give and receive high quality support.

· Keep Back Up informed of the issues affecting the people you are supporting and of developments at the spinal cord injury centre, general hospitals and other settings.

· Input into team planning and activities.

· Manage the budget relating to activities in your region.

· Help recruit new volunteers as needed to ensure a diverse team representing Back Up.

· Other duties as required by the Regional Outreach & Engagement Team Leader.

The above list is not exclusive or exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be expected within the scope of this role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential:

• Experience of working to support vulnerable people to achieve goals/move forward in life
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• High standard of IT including experience of using databases and MS Office
• Self-starter; highly organised, able to drive own workload
• A creative and proactive approach to all areas of work with a 'can do' attitude, in line with the charity's values
• Commitment to delivering a high-quality service
• Respect for confidentiality
• Suitable to work safely and appropriately with children and vulnerable people
• Strong team working orientation with a flexible and adaptable approach to work demands across the whole organisation, a real people person
• Respect for others; able to work in a way that respects diversity and values equality
• Great listener, warmth, empathy, respect for everybody. Able to be non-judgmental and focus on the individual and their needs
• Willing and able to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends including overnight stays
• GCSE Maths and English A-C or equivalent

Desirable:

• Spinal cord injured person or family member
• Experience of working with and supporting volunteers
• Experience of working with people in trauma
• Presentation skills and the ability to manage a group
• Proactive approach to own support needs, health & wellbeing
• An understanding of the needs of people adjusting to life with spinal cord injury

This role can be worked either as a remote homebased role, or as a hybrid role based in our London office, with London-based colleagues attending the office a minimum of four days per month.

Independent Age is the national charity focused on ending financial hardship in later life. We want every older person to be able to afford to live well.

We stand with older people in financial hardship, offering urgent help today and shaping a fairer, more secure tomorrow. Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on. Through our grants programme, we support hundreds of local organisations working with older people across the UK. And we use the knowledge and insight gained from our services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

The Stories and Participation Officer is a fundamental cross-organisational role.  Working directly with older people in financial hardship, the role will source, capture and collaborate to share stories, advice and insights from older people, whilst maintaining the highest level of stewardship and safeguarding for this group and supporting organisation wide participation activity.

Reporting into the Participation Manager, you will work champion and deliver meaningful involvement and authentic storytelling to ensure that the experiences of older people are at the centre of Independent Age’s work. You will ensure that participation processes maintain and develop our storytelling expertise and follow good-practice in the sector. The role will recruit and induct older people on a low income to our Lived Experience Network, alert them to opportunities to get involved in shaping and informing Independent Age’s work, facilitate two-way engagement, and work with willing members of the network to share their lived experience and insights, including sharing their story on public and private platforms.

You will need exceptional organisational skills and the ability to proactively drive lived experience work and effective storytelling. Strong verbal and interpersonal skills are essential, along with knowledge of best practice in supporting and co-ordinating lived experience participation including online and offline events, groups and meetings to create listening spaces.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification.  If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits. 

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office are required to attend the office a minimum of 4 days per month). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. 

With an employee engagement score of 98%, colleagues say Independent Age is a great place to work. You can find out more about what it’s like to work for us on the careers page of our website.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification, by visiting our jobs website,

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you require any specific arrangements or adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, such as having the job description in a larger text format or to apply in an alternative format, please get in touch with us via the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ page on our jobs site.

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Please don’t include your name, photo, or any information that could indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement, and don’t include your name in the title of any documents that you upload. However, please do include all dates of employment.

Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A Basic Level DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.

Closing Date: Sunday 23rd August, 11:59pm

We are looking for a Community Support Coordinator, who will lead and develop a team of Volunteers, helping to deliver safe, inclusive and person-centred support.

You will work closely with health and social care professionals, MDT’s, local partners and volunteers to connect people affected by MND with the information, services and support they need. 

At the Motor Neurone Disease Association, we work to improve care, support and quality of life for people affected by MND. As a Community Support Coordinator, you will play a key role in ensuring our support reaches people when they need it most. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead, recruit, develop and support a team of Community Support Volunteers.
• Respond to enquiries and referrals, providing information and connecting people with appropriate support.
• Build effective relationships with health and social care professionals, hospices and local partners.
• Support volunteer groups and branches to understand and respond to local needs.
• Facilitate collaboration between volunteers, staff and external stakeholders.
• Promote safe and inclusive services, ensuring compliance with safeguarding and organisational policies.
• Work with regional colleagues to support awareness, fundraising and campaigning activities.
• Monitor activity, maintain accurate records and contribute to service development.
• Identify gaps in local support and contribute to improvements in services.
• Encourage effective communication and engagement across the volunteer network 

About You 

• Experience leading, managing or coordinating volunteers or volunteer-led services. 
• Understanding of care and support services within the statutory, voluntary or private sectors. 
• Knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and supporting people at risk of harm. 
• Strong communication, relationship-building and presentation skills. 
• Full driving licence and willingness to travel within the region 
• Experience supporting people and assessing needs using a person-centred approach. 
• Ability to build partnerships and influence a wide range of stakeholders. 
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. 
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise and make decisions independently. 
• Good IT skills and confidence using a range of digital systems. 

This is a home-based role with frequent travel across Northern Ireland 

Further information about MND Association and full job description is available in the attached Candidate Pack. 

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We work to remove barriers for everyone affected by MND, employees, volunteers, and stakeholders. 

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the role's requirements. 

What We Offer 

• 28 days holiday, increasing to 33 days after 5 years, plus Bank Holidays 
• Access to UK Healthcare, including dental, eyecare, health screenings, and therapies 
• 24/7 GP access via phone and video 
• Life assurance and confidential counselling helplines 
• Salary sacrifice schemes (Cycle to Work, Buy/Sell Annual Leave) 
• Access to Benefit Hub for discounts on everyday shopping 
• Enhanced pension scheme 
• Opportunities for training and personal development 

About Us 

MotorNeuroneDisease moves fast. It takes away time, it takes awayindependenceand it has no cure. Every day we support people affected by MND.Wefundground-breaking research. We campaign for better care.We’rehere for everyone who needs us. Because with MND,every daymatters.