Volunteer Caseworker

This role covers Stockton-on-Tees and surrounding areas.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You don’t need a military background, just the ability to listen, some basic I.T skills and good written and spoken English. If so, this could be the role for you.

**What is a caseworker?**

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of help they need. Next, they find the right sources of support and arrange for clients to access it. This might be funds for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

**Why do we need you?**

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan. Our trained volunteers listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help people navigate life in and beyond military service. We need you to join your local SSAFA team to help us achieve this.

**When would you be needed and where would you be based?**

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but many volunteers are based at home.

**What does this role involve?**
- Contacting clients and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time
- Meeting clients and completing a form to assess their circumstances
- Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice
- Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
- Keeping in touch with the client so they know how their case is progressing
- Keeping in touch with your branch so they know your availability
- Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients
- Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer or fundraiser
- Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA including observing our policies such as the Volunteering policy and data protection policy (these will be covered in your training and local induction.)

**What can you gain from this volunteering role?**
- Support people in your community with a military background
- Use your skills, knowledge and life experience to benefit others
- Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
- Experience, training and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
- Better physical and mental health -studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression

**What training and support will you receive?**
- On-line or face to face instructor led training and e-learning modules, to prepare you for your voluntary role.
- Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
- Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
- Most branches have regular gatherings for caseworkers to meet and share ideas
- Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses

**What skills or experience do you need?**
- Good listening and communication skills including written and spoken English
- Respectful and non-judgemental with clients, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
- Willingness to use our on-line case management system (this is covered in the caseworker training course)
- Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
- Reliable attitude, contact clients promptly, keep appointments, update the branch regarding your availability
- Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients
- Friendly and approachable with some experience of coordinating people and admin
- Practice confidentiality and data protection in line with SSAFA policies.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

**References Required**: Yes. We will ask for two references, this can be former employers or people that know you well (other than relatives)

**Is a criminal record check required?** Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. *A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands or other inf