This role will primarily work with the Good Neighbour Scheme team, but there may be scope at times to support our other services.

The Good Neighbour Scheme is SCCCC’s longest running project, having started in 1966. The scheme offers a range of services to older people and their carers through volunteers who offer the kind of support a ‘Good Neighbour’ might give. The service is provided free of charge with the basic aim of enhancing quality of life and helping to combat loneliness for people over 65 living in Sheffield. Over 170 active volunteers help the scheme both as visitors and at times offering practical help.

We consider this to be an important and sensitive service as many of the people who are referred to the Good Neighbour Scheme have complex health needs and may be housebound.

Co-ordinators accept requests for help from a wide range of referrers from Health and Social Care services, other charities and organisations and we take self and family referrals too.
Referrals may include:
• Regular or occasional friendly (social) visits.
• Telephone calls
• Penpal/Happy Post Scheme
• Holiday checks - short term for the duration of a relative’s holiday.
• Re-arranging furniture to enable greater mobility.
• Occasional sitting to give a carer time to attend an appointment
• Escorting to hospital appointments (service user to bear the cost of
any taxi)

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Work closely with other team members to take referrals from a range of referrers, including health and social care staff, friends and family members and the individual themselves, and allocate volunteers where appropriate.
• Follow up, check and review all referrals with volunteers, service users and service providers in a systematic way.
• Be available for enquiries from service users and their families and respond to any requests for information in a timely and professional manner.
• Ensure that each service user receives a home visit prior to allocation of a volunteer, in order to confirm personal details, undertake a risk assessment and better understand them and their needs.
• Provide support to service users waiting for a dedicated volunteer by offering support in person or over the telephone where appropriate
• Ensure that those service users with complex needs and who are not appropriate for a volunteer receive a monthly visit from a relevant staff member.
• Work with colleagues who co-ordinate SCCCC’s other services and take referrals from health/social care professionals when they are unavailable.
• Provide ongoing support and supervision to volunteers on the Good Neighbour Scheme and ensure that the service is responsive to the needs of its volunteers.
• Provide support where required to maintain, promote and develop the Penpal/Happy post scheme.
• Ensure compliance with SCCCC’s policies and procedures.
• Liaise with the fundraiser in order to maximise donations to the organisation.
• Liaise with staff in all the relevant hospital departments and community teams to ensure effective operation and uptake of the scheme and all other SCCCC’s services.
• Publicise the scheme through all appropriate channels.
• Liaise with the Operational Lead to participate in volunteer training as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records of work undertaken and produce oral/written reports as required.
• Ensure that appropriate monitoring and evaluation procedures are put in place and used effectively.
• Cover the work of other Good Neighbour Scheme Team Members during periods of leave.
• Attend the meetings of the organisation and any other meetings as required.
• Attend appropriate training courses to enhance/develop his/her own skills.
• Carry out other duties and relevant tasks consistent with the responsibilities of the post which from time to time may be required as agreed between the postholder and the Senior Management Team.

If there are no available shifts in a month a retention fee of £75.72 will be paid for that period.

Retention payments will be rescinded if 3 shifts are declined consecutively.