Information & Advice Volunteers

**THIS IS AN UNPAID POSITION**

**Responsible to**: Information and Advice officer.

**Role Summary**:

- Providing information and advice to older people and their care givers.

**Principle duties and responsibilities**:

- Interviewing clients in person, in their own home or by telephone
- Exploring the nature of the problem and where appropriate, their wider circumstances
- Identifying and researching information relevant to the situation
- Presenting and discussing information with the client, enabling them to identify a suitable solution
- Acting on their behalf, where appropriate, and representing their interests with third parties
- Helping with letter writing and completing forms
- Maintaining statistical and case records using manual and electronic systems
- Working with other relevant local agencies in developing the information and advice service
- Keeping up to date with relevant laws, policies and procedures - locally and nationally

**Personal qualities most suited to this role**:

- Understand information by listening and reading
- Write legible and intelligible notes and records, write letters and fill in forms, and carry out basic calculations.
- Work according to guidelines and standards and take a flexible approach to work requirements
- Avoid judging and stereotyping
- Listening to others and to explain things clearly without jargon or being patronising
- Identify problems and solutions in meeting the needs of older people
- Work as part of a team and to work with other Age UK Thanet staff, volunteers and other agencies
- Knowledge of the benefit system to assist clients with form filling

**How much time is involved?**
- Flexible as agreed with your line manager. You can stop volunteering at any time, but please do let us know as soon as possible.

**Expenses and Insurance**:

- We will cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses for volunteers (e.g. travel costs). We will also insure you for the time you are volunteering with us.

**General Administration**:

- To comply with the appropriate procedures for reporting and record keeping.

**External Relations (for people outside the Day Service)**:

- To ensure that service users, family carers, relatives, staff from other agencies and members of the public (all regardless of their attitude) are dealt with in a friendly, courteous and efficient manner as expected of a caring organisation.

**Internal Relations**:

- The organisation aims to maintain goodwill amongst all staff and volunteers. To assist in achieving this aim, volunteers are expected to work with staff and other volunteers in a courteous, co-operative and sympathetic manner.

**Policy and Development**:

- To read and comply with the policies and procedures of the organisation.
- To identify training needs and undertake any such training as requested.
- To attend staff meetings as required.

**Equal Opportunities**:

- Age UK Thanet Ltd believes in the value and dignity of all people and expects that all employees and volunteers will actively encourage and include such an ethos in all their work.

**Health and Safety**:

- In accordance with the current Health & Safety at Work Act, the post holder has the responsibility to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of colleagues and the public and must co-operate with the organisation in meeting the statutory requirements of the act.

**Data Protection**:

- To always comply with the Data Protection Act.

**Training**:

- Online training provided by the organisation in the following modules is required:

- Health & Safety
- Dementia Awareness
- GDPR
- Cyber Security
- Confidentiality

**Additional Information**:
A role description is not rigid but acts as a guide to the functions of the post holder.

The list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as reasonably required.

**How do I apply?**

We would love to hear from you

**Job Types**: Part-time, Volunteer

Work Location: In person