Job summary
Are you a great listener who enjoys helping people feel more confident and connected?
We're looking for a compassionate and organised individual to join our team at Carers in Bedfordshire to support unpaid adult family carers with their wellbeing and access to information, services, and community connections.
Main duties of the job
In this varied role, you'll build relationships with carers, provide one-to-one and group support, and help them navigate local services and entitlements. Youll also run carer groups, support outreach events, and work closely with our wider team to make sure every carer feels heard, valued, and supported.
If youre empathetic, digitally confident, and enjoy making a difference in your community, wed love you to apply.
You'll know what caring is like for families and the impact it has on wellbeing and life chances. And you will be able to bring to this role the skills you have built up through your experience in advice, information or support. Maybe you have worked for a voluntary organisation, or have a background in health or social work, but you'll be keen to join an organisation with strong values and a passion for quality. You'll know why confidentiality and safeguarding are so important, and will have lived that out in your day to day work.
The role is permanent, full time (35 hours/week) or part time (28 hours/week). Salary listed is the full-time equivalent.
About us
Carers in Bedfordshire are a strong and well-respected local charity with an ambitious plan to expand so that we can do more for carers.
Our staff are our most precious resource who make a difference in carers lives, whether they support someone caring for another adult in the family, a parent caring for a child with additional needs or a child who has caring responsibilities.
Our working culture is inclusive, friendly and collaborative with a strong focus on flexibility and an embedded can-do approach. Your skills and passion for our cause will make a direct difference to carers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose:
To support unpaid adult family carers to maintain their wellbeing,
and access information and other support.
Job Context:
Carers in Bedfordshire is a registered charity that is governed by
Carers, for Carers. Its work is to ensure carers are properly
valued and supported by the government and the community,
thus enabling them to perform their caring role as effectively and
happily as possible.
Reports to: Carer Service Co-Ordinator
Grade/Salary: £25,098 - £27,235 (FTE)
Hours: 28-35 hours per week.
Some activities and services take place
during evenings and weekends
Location: Carers in Bedfordshires Bedford Office, Bedford
The role will also require travel to all areas of Bedfordshire when
facilitating groups/events.
Duties and responsibilities:
Carer Support:
- Work within our support worker protocol to ensure ongoing support where
appropriate and to identify the appropriate level of need for all carers.
- Hold a caseload of carers and follow the Support Worker handbook KPI
metrics to meet the needs of carers and the service to deliver the best
customer service.
- Support carers to access both statutory, public and other voluntary services
within Bedfordshire when appropriate.
- Deliver individual and group support as appropriate to carers, in line with
internal processes and standards; this will include face to face, phone and
video links.
- Identify where face to face support may be appropriate in the community, offer
meetings in group settings where requested.
Cross Organisational:
- Collect data and monitor and evaluate activities to ensure outcomes are
achieved and documented and report on such outcomes to meet contractual
obligations.
- Ensure the service operates within local Safeguarding Board practice; engage
in training and apply appropriate safeguarding practice.
- Keep up to date with changes in legislation and local services which may
affect the lives of carers and/or impact our service.
- Keep orderly and confidential records of all work completed (on Salesforce)
and ongoing for individual carers, ensuring continuity of services for them in
your absence.
- Ensure expenditure is maintained within budgetary constraints.
- Represent Carers in Bedfordshire and act as a local ambassador for carers.
- Support outreach and awareness raising work, for example in Carers Week
Groups:
- Attend and organise monthly hubs and take part in a minimum of two
Saturday social activities each year with the WEG Team.
- Step in for the Early Response Team when necessary.
- Provide 1-1 support at groups when required.
Other responsibilities:
- Ensure personal information is collected, stored, and managed appropriately
within confidentiality and data protection requirements.
- Ensure central information systems are up-to-date including shared and personal
calendars.
- Adhere to Carers in Bedfordshires standards, policies and procedures.
- Participate in training and other organisational briefings and activities and
maintain an up-to-date knowledge of carers needs and Carers in Bedfordshires
services.
- Attend regular supervision sessions and staff/team meetings.
- Undertake such personal training as may be required to keep up to date and fulfil
professional requirements.
- Have a collaborative and flexible approach to work.
- Some evening and weekend working is expected as part of your normal
designated hours, and occasional nights away from home may be required.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
This post needs a full driving licence with access to a car with business insurance
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose:
To support unpaid adult family carers to maintain their wellbeing,
and access information and other support.
Job Context:
Carers in Bedfordshire is a registered charity that is governed by
Carers, for Carers. Its work is to ensure carers are properly
valued and supported by the government and the community,
thus enabling them to perform their caring role as effectively and
happily as possible.
Reports to: Carer Service Co-Ordinator
Grade/Salary: £25,098 - £27,235 (FTE)
Hours: 28-35 hours per week.
Some activities and services take place
during evenings and weekends
Location: Carers in Bedfordshires Bedford Office, Bedford
The role will also require travel to all areas of Bedfordshire when
facilitating groups/events.
Duties and responsibilities:
Carer Support:
- Work within our support worker protocol to ensure ongoing support where
appropriate and to identify the appropriate level of need for all carers.
- Hold a caseload of carers and follow the Support Worker handbook KPI
metrics to meet the needs of carers and the service to deliver the best
customer service.
- Support carers to access both statutory, public and other voluntary services
within Bedfordshire when appropriate.
- Deliver individual and group support as appropriate to carers, in line with
internal processes and standards; this will include face to face, phone and
video links.
- Identify where face to face support may be appropriate in the community, offer
meetings in group settings where requested.
Cross Organisational:
- Collect data and monitor and evaluate activities to ensure outcomes are
achieved and documented and report on such outcomes to meet contractual
obligations.
- Ensure the service operates within local Safeguarding Board practice; engage
in training and apply appropriate safeguarding practice.
- Keep up to date with changes in legislation and local services which may
affect the lives of carers and/or impact our service.
- Keep orderly and confidential records of all work completed (on Salesforce)
and ongoing for individual carers, ensuring continuity of services for them in
your absence.
- Ensure expenditure is maintained within budgetary constraints.
- Represent Carers in Bedfordshire and act as a local ambassador for carers.
- Support outreach and awareness raising work, for example in Carers Week
Groups:
- Attend and organise monthly hubs and take part in a minimum of two
Saturday social activities each year with the WEG Team.
- Step in for the Early Response Team when necessary.
- Provide 1-1 support at groups when required.
Other responsibilities:
- Ensure personal information is collected, stored, and managed appropriately
within confidentiality and data protection requirements.
- Ensure central information systems are up-to-date including shared and personal
calendars.
- Adhere to Carers in Bedfordshires standards, policies and procedures.
- Participate in training and other organisational briefings and activities and
maintain an up-to-date knowledge of carers needs and Carers in Bedfordshires
services.
- Attend regular supervision sessions and staff/team meetings.
- Undertake such personal training as may be required to keep up to date and fulfil
professional requirements.
- Have a collaborative and flexible approach to work.
- Some evening and weekend working is expected as part of your normal
designated hours, and occasional nights away from home may be required.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
This post needs a full driving licence with access to a car with business insurance
Person Specification
Skills, Abilities and Qualities
Essential
- Comfortable in speaking to and engaging both professionals and carers
- The ability to adapt in accordance with service needs
- Skills to bond a group, facilitate relationships and nurture dynamics in a face to face and online setting
- A compassionate person who can support people to come to terms with their caring role
- Highly organised and able to juggle multiple pressures
- Digitally competent and a natural tendency to take a digital first approach
- Demonstrates client focus
- Effective in collecting and sharing data and record keeping including use of a database
- Proven reliability, friendliness, enthusiasm, professional demeanour and sense of humour
- Willingness to travel across Bedfordshire where needed
Desirable
- Experience of working with volunteers and their role in delivering services
- Experience of making assessments of need in a voluntary, social work, health or similar setting
- Experience of using a dedicated client database
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a customer facing role
- Understanding of and sensitivity to the needs and difficulties faced by
- carers, and families affected by a caring role
- Experience in an advice, information or support role in a voluntary, social work, health or similar setting
- Experience working with people from diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds
- Familiarity with Carers Rights and relevant legislation pertaining to Carers issues
Desirable
- Awareness/understanding of the not-for-profit sector and the challenges it faces
- Full understanding of Data Protection legislation and good practice and data security issues relevant to the post
- Experience of developing and delivering training courses
- Safeguarding knowledge and qualification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educational qualifications to A level or equivalent level or equivalent professional experience, for example in health, social care and/or working
- with families with caring responsibilities G.C.S.E or equivalent English Language and Mathematics
Desirable
- Educated to Degree Level or equivalent experience
- Information, Advice and Guidance L2 or above Qualification
Person Specification
Skills, Abilities and Qualities
Essential
- Comfortable in speaking to and engaging both professionals and carers
- The ability to adapt in accordance with service needs
- Skills to bond a group, facilitate relationships and nurture dynamics in a face to face and online setting
- A compassionate person who can support people to come to terms with their caring role
- Highly organised and able to juggle multiple pressures
- Digitally competent and a natural tendency to take a digital first approach
- Demonstrates client focus
- Effective in collecting and sharing data and record keeping including use of a database
- Proven reliability, friendliness, enthusiasm, professional demeanour and sense of humour
- Willingness to travel across Bedfordshire where needed
Desirable
- Experience of working with volunteers and their role in delivering services
- Experience of making assessments of need in a voluntary, social work, health or similar setting
- Experience of using a dedicated client database
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a customer facing role
- Understanding of and sensitivity to the needs and difficulties faced by
- carers, and families affected by a caring role
- Experience in an advice, information or support role in a voluntary, social work, health or similar setting
- Experience working with people from diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds
- Familiarity with Carers Rights and relevant legislation pertaining to Carers issues
Desirable
- Awareness/understanding of the not-for-profit sector and the challenges it faces
- Full understanding of Data Protection legislation and good practice and data security issues relevant to the post
- Experience of developing and delivering training courses
- Safeguarding knowledge and qualification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educational qualifications to A level or equivalent level or equivalent professional experience, for example in health, social care and/or working
- with families with caring responsibilities G.C.S.E or equivalent English Language and Mathematics
Desirable
- Educated to Degree Level or equivalent experience
- Information, Advice and Guidance L2 or above Qualification
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.
