Advice Caseworker – 15 hrs Colchester, Tendring & North East Essex
As an Advice Caseworker you will join us to advise and support people across North East Essex. Utilising your experience of delivering advice across a range of settings you will also be adept at building successful relationships with internal and external partners and empower clients to maintain choice and independence over the decisions which matter to them through a mixture of face to face home visiting, telephone advice and digital assistance.
Actively contributing towards the development of the service your solution focused approach will help clients to overcome potential barriers to remain independent, connecting them to support and services within the community designed to promote choice.
What will you do as an Advice Caseworker
Welfare Advice
Assess welfare benefits and advice needs upon referral receipt.
Identification and implementation of solutions to support continued choice and independence including supported applications and advice for welfare benefits, housing and care.
Deliver advice through a mix of telephone, face to face and home visiting appointments.
Support navigation to and connection with appropriate community-based services to ensure services and resources are in place to sustain independent living at home or where appropriate to identify suitable solutions towards supported living arrangements.
Identify and develop positive referral pathways with providers of housing options across the community.
Develop and maintain effective reporting of casework and case studies to ensure impact and value of service is captured.
People / Team
Provide a person-centred approach to advice and support for people in later years.
Develop effective relationships with key stakeholders across the community to support positive partnership working and knowledge and skill sharing.
Establish a network of positive relationships with internal and external colleagues effective for improving outcomes for clients.
Be a trusted team member who is reliable and looked up to by colleagues
Be a positive ambassador for Age Concern with all stakeholders
Cover others as needed in periods of absence or holidays
Key Relationships
Advice & Welfare Operations Manager
Colleagues working within Age Concern Colchester & North East Essex
Colleagues working across the community.
Colleagues in the NHS and Local Government
What are your qualities?
You will need to be friendly, outgoing, confident and able to juggle a range of priorities well
Able to understand the confidential nature of our work and put in place relevant safeguarding procedure
You will need an understanding of the issues and challenges people in later years can experience
Be welcoming and empathetic to people living in later years, empowering individuals to live an independent life
Be encouraging and energetic, positive and patient and willing to work as part of a team and support other team members
What do you need to consider before applying?
Must be comfortable working across community settings
All our staff and volunteers go through the DBS process and thorough vetting (no costs)
You will need to have access to a vehicle, full driving licence and before joining business class insurance
Previous experience in a similar role would be an advantage
Previous knowledge of, health and safety procedures and risk assessments desirable
We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
To join a high-performing team in a charity with a great current and future growth plan apply today.
What do we offer?
Age Concern is a friendly and enjoyable place to work. We work hard but also enjoy some downtime together. Due to the nature of our work, this is essential because we all have tougher days and need to be there to work through these days when they happen.
The organisation is growing our reach and activity because of the high demand for support. It is an exciting time to be a part of what we are doing, and this opportunity is about genuinely making a big difference to people. We take great pride in what we do, who we help and how we transform lives.
To apply for this position please download and complete the three-part application form at the bottom of this page and send it to hr@mindinwestessex.org.uk by the closing date of Tuesday 16th November 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put health and social care professionals under increasing pressure. This population is already acknowledged to be at risk of burnout. The Here For You team will be hosting an online webinar for staff members to discuss the concept of Burnout, how to recognise the symptoms, a space for reflection on what Burnout means to you. We will consider some coping strategies and also explore ways in which to identify when more help is needed and where to access this support.
The webinar will include a presentation on Burnout and some space for reflection This interactive webinar is suitable for all staff members who either have an interest in this topic or may be wondering how to support others who may be experiencing these difficulties.
Date: Tuesday 9th November 2021
Time: 10 – 11:30am
Active Essex and Essex Local Delivery Pilot would like to invite you to join a live webinar on Asset Based Community Development: Supporting Essex communities to be resilient, connected, happy and healthy.
About the event: This webinar will explain what ABCD is, and how Active Essex and the LDP are using ABCD to bring local communities together through physical activity. Nurture Development are one of the leading ABCD organisations in the world, and their CEO Cormac Russell will speak about the enormous impact community building can have on places. Active Essex and Nurture Development have already trained over 350 people in ABCD, from local volunteers through to Chief Executives and key politicians. The webinar will also be joined by Community and Local Authority guest speakers who will talk on their experience of the ABCD training and how they are using this training within teams and the communities they support.
In this episode, we hear from two Young Trustee movement ambassadors Amelia Ireland, Trustee at the Holocaust Educational Trust and West Midlands Ambassador for the Young Trustee Movement. We also hear from Kate Roberts, Policy & Campaigns Officer at The Brain Tumour charity.
In this episode we explore why charities should consider working with trustees, barriers young people face when exploring trusteeship, and how charities can work with young people to excel in their position as charity trustees. Both Amelia and Kate share their experience as a trustee and why diverse trustee boards are key to embedding lived experience into charities’ board of trustees.
1)What is the Young Trustee Movement and why is it important that we have young trustees
The Young Trustee Movement aims to double the number of trustees under the age of 30 by 2024. Although the movement focuses on age, it is part of a wider movement calling for diversity on trustee boards. They hope to challenge the norm of what a trustee board looks like.
Although many charities support young people, they are missing potential insights from a lack of young trustees. There is a clear need to diversify charity trustee boards, with 75% of current UK trustees earning above-average household income and the majority of trustees are above the age of 65.
2) Barriers to trusteeship for young people
The first barrier young people do not necessarily understand is that a trustee role is something they can do. Charities can tackle this by editing the job description and reflecting on whether you need 20+ years for the role. Additionally, the way trustee roles are advertised, often it’s word-of-mouth and community networks, which is why it’s important to advertise trustee roles on a wide variety of platforms so you can reach different audiences. Once you have a young trustee on the board, the charity should empower them to take up space on the role.
3) How can charities recruit and work with young trustees?
Additional training is a great way to support young trustees; Amelia shared that financial training has helped her in her trustee role. The charity has also supported her with a mentor, this has enabled her to talk through any questions she may have about charity governance.
Job Title Corporate Communications Manager – Marketing
Directorate Communications, Marketing & Brand
Reporting to Assistant Director
Grade Grade 10
Salary c.£42,821 – c.£47,747 per annum
Working Hours 37 per week
Contract Fixed-term contract (maternity cover, anticipated to be for up to nine months)
We’re looking for a Marketing and Communications Manager to join Essex County Fire and Rescue Service on a nine-month fixed term contract.
Our mission is to make Essex a safe place to live, work and travel, and when they’re done right the safety campaigns we run help to change people’s behaviour and make a real difference to our communities.
We need a brilliant communicator who can manage a small team, producing engaging communications across a wide-range of print and digital media for all our audiences.
No two days are the same; we need a fast-paced thinker and confident individual who works to high standards and challenging deadlines. Flexibility, a can-do attitude and the ability to develop excellent collaborative relationships with partners will all be second nature.
As part of a rota system that provides a 24/7 media service, you’ll also help report Service incidents to the press and the public via our website and social media.
Our people are our service, and we all play a role in making Essex a safe place to live, work and travel. We know that for many of our support colleagues, there are various ways and places to work that can then lead to better delivery outcomes. That’s because, for some, work is something you do, not somewhere you go. So, we trust them to decide how, where and when they work, combining remote and collaborative working with a flexible approach.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the role, you will have
• Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma or Certificate and / or a degree or professional qualification in public relations, or equivalent.
• Proven track record in managing successful marketing campaigns which have delivered against objectives.
• Experience of producing advertising copy, media releases and PR materials, often to tight deadlines
• Experience of managing a diverse group of staff to ensure effective service delivery
How to apply
You are required to submit a supporting statement of no more than 1000 words detailing how you meet the essential criteria from the person specification and would be an ideal candidate for the role. Please ensure you have uploaded the supporting statement before clicking Apply.
Assessment and selection
The assessment activity will involve a combination of values and leadership, and job specific assessments:
Stage 1
• Shortlisting
Stage 2
• Values & leadership presentation; job specific interview;
Should you wish to have an informal discussion with regards to the role, please contact Emily Cheyne, Assistant Director on 07736198279 or via emily.cheyne@essex-fire.gov.uk
Closing date to be considered for this vacancy is 12pm, Thursday 4th November 2021
We anticipate the interviews will be held virtually in the week commencing 8 November 2021
Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
It is our policy to require all applicants for employment to disclose if you are currently being investigated by any regulatory body or have any decisions or sanctions pending or in progress in respect of your suitability to work for the Service.
You agree to inform the Service within 24 hours if you are subsequently investigated by any agency or organisation in relation to concerns about your behaviour towards children, young people or vulnerable adults.
The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and will be considered only in relation to the appointment for which you are applying.
We are an equal opportunities employer who welcomes applications from everyone and values diversity in our workplace. A commitment to promoting diversity and developing a workplace environment where all staff are treated with dignity and respect is central to our recruitment process. All applications will be considered solely on merit.
The full agenda for the event is out now! To see what sessions will be running, head over to the sessions tab.
If you’re already signed up, head over to the Event Hub, once you’re logged in, to see full agenda details including all timing and speaker information.
About Charities Against Hate Live
Charities Against Hate is a broad coalition of charities and campaigners who are working together to bring positive change to social platforms.
Join Charities Against Hate at their first event to learn more about what they do, hear from some great speakers, and help shape the work going forward. There will also be an opportunity for you to find out the different ways you can get involved.
Sign up above to join us at November’s event!
To access this event you are required to sign up to Charity Digital, so we can monitor those who wish to attend.
Make the best out of your corporate relationships by following our easy tips
Having a great partner to work with makes a real difference. For charities, corporate social responsibility (CSR) means building a relationship with the right business partner increases fundraising potential.
CSR can also give charities an increasing pool of volunteers and a partner willing to support marketing and comms. There are myriad benefits to CSR programmes. In the present article, though, we show charities how to successfully plan and raise funds through CSR programmes.
Understand your partner’s needs
Before thinking about ways to increase fundraising efforts, consider the aims of your corporate partner. Put yourself in their shoes. Forbes Magazine says that businesses pursue CSR because they are expected to. Firms are “obligated to pursue achievable and good long-term goals for its people and the world at large”.
For charities, it’s important to understand what that perspective looks like. Oonagh Turnbull, who runs Boots UK’s CSR programme says she gets cold calls from potential charity partners. “Lots are very professional,” Turnbull says. “But many could do much more research about us and our CSR – and would get a better reception if their approaches were properly targeted.”
The Giving Machine puts things more bluntly: “The focus of CSR is to boost shareholder trust and increase long-term profits in a sustainable and ethical way by taking ownership of corporate decisions and improving them.”
Do your homework and think about what the business wants from a CSR relationship. Once the strategy is established, consider how fundraising events align with the company’s ambitions and brand.
Fundraise from company employees
One of the best ways that charities can fundraise through their corporate partner is payroll giving. Payroll giving is a tax advantageous way of giving directly from wages.
The programme is set up from the side of the business partner. Donations are made through the PAYE system. From a tax perspective, donations are made from wages before National Insurance payments are deducted. Employees get tax relief from being generous.
Charities are using digital to take advantage of the huge fundraising potential that comes with payroll giving. Barnardo’s, Crisis, The Royal British Legion, RNIB, and WaterAid have come together to launch Good Giving. The joint venture will use digital software to increase donation opportunities. The aim is to raise £150 million from payroll givers.
Summarising the advantage of payroll giving, Richard Packman from Good Giving says: “Giving through payroll is the most tax-efficient way for employees of any company to donate to any charity of their choice.”
Allocations for the first round of the Levelling Up Fund and details of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund were among the announcements included in today’s Budget statement.
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, unveiled his Autumn Budget in the House of Commons today.
Sunak has been under pressure to help people with the cost of living as he announced plans that he hopes will transition the economy beyond the pandemic.
Here are some of the main points of his statement that affect charities:
Under the umbrella of levelling up, the chancellor announced more than £2.6bn for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund over the Spending Review period, which he said would focus on helping people into jobs and “getting on in life” across the UK.
£560m will be given in funding for youth services in England over the next three years, enough to fund 300 youth clubs.
The first round of the UK-wide Levelling Up Fund has been allocated with £1.7bn of local investment in local areas, which include the redevelopment of Inverness Castle in Scotland.
21 projects will benefit from the £150m Community Ownership Fund, which will help communities around the UK to protect and manage their assets, such as pubs or Post Offices.
£850m will be given to protect museums, galleries, libraries and local culture in England.
The Chancellor confirmed that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will at a minimum match the size of EU funds in all nations each year. He also announced £11bn in Overseas Development Assistance, and an additional £458m for asylum and refugee support that would be delivered by 2024-25.
The Recovery Loan Scheme was extended until the end of June next year, although there was no mention of the Community Renewal Fund.
Business rates will be reduced by 50 per cent, said Sunak, alongside further tax reliefs for cultural venues, museums and galleries.
Other announcements likely to have an impact on charities and their service users include billions in spending on health and social care, cutting the Universal Credit taper rate by eight per cent and an increase in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour from the start of April next year.
Samantha Mercadante, policy manager at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said on Twitter that the organisation welcomed the commitments made in the budget.
“NCVO welcomes new spending commitments on sport, culture, and public services and we are pleased to see that the Chancellor has listened to charities by acknowledging the need to bolster local government funding and make changes to Universal Credit,” Mercadante said.
“However, today’s announcements will not be enough to support charities and communities to recover from the pandemic and build a stronger society.
“In the forthcoming levelling up white paper, we want to see investment in social infrastructure, the creation of a Community Wealth Fund, and reform of the existing funds designed to support communities to level up.”
Full coverage of the sector’s reaction to the Autumn Budget to follow.
A new initiative has been launched to help charities close the digital divide.
The ‘Deloitte Digital Connect’ will be delivered in collaboration with CAST, a charity helping organisations use digital for social good. The programme will bring together up to 50 charities, including Deloitte’s ‘5 Million Futures’ existing charity partners, and connect them with expertise, advice, and a network to support their digital development.
Deloitte UK senior partner and chief executive, Richard Houston, said: “New technologies are rapidly changing how charities need to operate and there’s a growing digital skills gap that threatens their future. The pandemic has inflicted huge disruption to fundraising and volunteering and through our 5 Million Futures strategy we want to share our knowledge and resources to ensure that no charity is left behind.”
Deloitte’s ‘5 Million Futures’ team and CAST will be gathering information from all the charities to assess their digital needs and identify the most useful interventions to assist them.
The charities will also have access to a variety of mentors, workshops and one-to-one support from teams across Deloitte from tech and digital to law in addition to Deloitte’s offering of pro bono business support.
CAST director and co-founder, Dan Sutch, said: “The pandemic has shown how critical it is that charities have digital capabilities and capacity for service delivery, fundraising and how they operate. Over two-thirds of organisations see digital as a priority yet less than half, 42%, of charities have someone leading on digital as part of their role. Together with Deloitte, we are here to connect charities with expertise, advice and knowledge sharing – and to support charities to grow their influence and impact.”