Community Support Officer – Scotland (and Northern Ireland)

Location: Scotland / Remote

Salary: £25,000 to £27,000 (depending on experience)

Role Status: Full Time – 35 hours per week (Part Time – 28 hours per week considered)

Closing Date: 4 Nov 2024

About the job

Our client is looking for a Community Support Officer to successfully continue this work in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Please note that there will be a requirement to travel between Scotland and Northern Ireland up to three times a year.

This post will be home-based in Scotland with frequent travel within the region including Northern Ireland, occasional travel around UK for attendance at events, plus travel approximately three times a year to Head Office Stroud, Gloucestershire.

As a centre of expertise for after-care and support, they have established successful community support for those impacted by meningitis. By providing tailored regional support and information they help those affected by meningitis to feel more informed, less isolated, and more empowered to manage the impact of the disease.

What our client is looking for
• To manage an active case load, predominantly supporting those living in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• To offer a listening ear, emotional support and practical information to those you support.
• To respond to new enquiries and referrals within an agreed timeframe.
• To provide equitable support using a variety of face-to-face, telephone, email, video calls and social media channels.
• To identify the support needs of those affected by meningitis.
• To signpost and refer individuals to services offered by third party partners and organisations where appropriate, and to support access to these third-party services.
• To lead on and organise virtual and face-to-face support events according to the wider operational plan and charity objectives.
• To support those affected by meningitis to access the charity’s support services such as the Rebuilding Futures Fund, Peer Support Groups, Support Events, and Believe and Achieve Programme.
• To moderate membership and content of our client’s, Meningitis Now, online peer support forums, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for members and providing occasional out of hours cover.
• To work with the Believe and Achieve Programme Co-ordinator to offer joint support to family members when needed.
• To actively reach out to those who may not be aware of the charity’s support services and explain the opportunities available.
• To build relationships with education, health and social care professionals and regional partner organisations, to encourage awareness of and referrals into their support services.
• To deliver relevant meningitis and support information to education, health and social care professionals, family, friends, workplaces and colleagues to help support people to manage the impact of meningitis.
• To attend professional meetings where appropriate to help support people e.g. education support meetings, meetings with employers.
• To provide accurate and up-to-date information about meningitis, recovery and after-effects.

What they are looking for

Essential experience
• Experience of working in a support/social care/healthcare/community outreach position.
• Experience of working across different agencies such as health, social work and education.
• Experience of working with children, adults or families in need of support and empowering and motivating them.
• Experience of working on cross-departmental projects.
• Experience of organising events face-to-face and/or online.
• Experience maintaining accurate case file records.
• Experience supporting individuals and families affected by illness, death or disability – Essential skills.
• Great listening skills and ability to empathise.
• Diplomacy skills and ability to work in confidence.
• Excellent service delivery and relationship management.
• Ability to communicate (verbally and written) both sensitively and effectively with a diverse range of individuals/organisations.
• Ability to self-motivate and work on own initiative.
• Excellent organisation skills including planning and prioritisation and an ability to work to multiple deadlines.
• Excellent IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office packages and social media platforms.
• Knowledge of relevant codes of practice/child protection/vulnerable adult protection procedures.

Desirable Selection Criteria
• Experience of working within the charity/voluntary sector.
• Knowledge of the services available to the charity’s supporters in the designated region.
• Experience of presentation and public speaking skills.
• Experience of using a CRM database, e.g. Salesforce.
• Awareness of the issues facing individuals affected by meningitis.
• Experience of moderating online peer-support forums.

Ready to apply?

Click apply now and you will be redirected to our client’s website to complete your application. Please complete the application form at the bottom of the page once you have been redirected. Please note that due to using an anonymised recruitment process, only responses to the application questions will be used for shortlisting. If you choose to upload a CV or cover letter, this information won't be seen until after shortlisting has been completed. Therefore, please ensure you clearly demonstrate in the application form how your experience and skills fit with the requirements outlined.

Closing date for applications: 10am on Monday 4 November 2024

Interviews: 18 and 19 November 2024

Note: Our client, Meningitis Now, reserves the right to close this advert early or extend it depending on the number of sufficient applications received. If you are interested, please apply as soon as possible.