This exciting post has been made possible by a recent Lottery award, allowing Herefordshire Headway to further develop established Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) reablement, maintenance and social support services.
The application to the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) grew out of a wish list created by our clients to help us understand how we could better support their needs in what is a very changed post covid environment.
This project will allow us to:
1. Invest in staffing so we can develop services to meet increasing client numbers and service demands from individuals, carers and families.
2. Grow our service offer to (i) help people take advantage of rather than become disempowered by technology; (ii) assist clients stay well at a time when getting access to Health and Social Care Services is beyond just challenging and (iii) encourage those utilising our services to be more active, thus helping maintain their physical and mental resilience.
3. Support people with more complex long term health conditions. Growing carer support services and resilience planning to meet client need for advice and information so they can support themselves more effectively.
4. Increase the number of social activities from one a month to a range of activities families can do together. Events that suit different age groups, family structures and needs, that everyone can afford and enjoy working.
Herefordshire Headway is a large Rehabilitation Centre, situated on the outskirts of Hereford. It boasts a variety of re-ablement services for those with ABI and their families, including exercise classes, speech therapy, art, music, woodwork and a therapy garden.
Other NLCF funded posts that will be advertised as part of the NLCF Project include a Project Lead, Life Coach, Community Activity Tutor, Woodwork Tutor, IT Tutor and Community Music Tutor.
The ideal person for this role would be someone with lived experience of acquired brain injury (ABI) in a personal or professional capacity.
The Communications & IT Support Officer will support delivery of National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) projects at Herefordshire Headway by providing systems of improved communication for people living with ABI and their families. They will work closely with clients, speech and language colleagues, carers and / or families to undertake this.
The post holder will support the client to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to communicate more effectively. They will facilitate individual and group sessions to explore issues relevant to members and look to work together to find solutions.
The post holder will also assist those caring for someone who has sustained an ABI to communicate more effectively with that person and other agencies involved in their support.
The post holder will encourage social and peer support for clients and their carers / partners, by organising group training sessions, support groups and other social opportunities where lived experiences related to speech and / or communication can be shared.
The Communications & IT Support Officer will also support the Speech & Language Therapy Team situated in the Centre and colleagues linked to the NLCF posts.
For more information contact Steve@herefordshire-headway.co.uk