Overview
Buckinghamshire has a growing older population who are the heart and soul of our communities - for example as employers, workers, volunteers, mentors, carers and child minders. Age UK Bucks is there to support them when challenges of older age feel overwhelming. Based in Aylesbury and working across the county, our services support older residents to maintain their independence and well-being, especially when times are difficult. We do this through a range of services, including: Information and Advice service; Welfare Benefits service; Loneliness and Isolation service; Home Services; Hospital Discharge Support Service; and Dementia Support Bucks Service. Our Information & Advice and Welfare Benefits services offer clients access to trained advisors for free, confidential and independent information and advice on all matters affecting older people, including support to establish awareness of and eligibility to benefits to which they may be entitled.
The role sits within a small established Information and Advice and Welfare Benefits team. You will provide information and advice to support and empower older people on a wide variety of ageing-related issues; this could be signposting to other services, providing deeper support and guidance, or helping them maximise their income with benefits eligibility support. Enquiries come directly from older people in Bucks, their families and friends, and professional referrers. You will progress and process these enquiries, liaising with colleagues, clients, partners and other organisations to ensure we provide timely, accessible and accurate information and advice so the individual can make an informed choice regarding their circumstances.
Job purpose Provide friendly, accurate and timely signposting, guidance and advice to older people in Bucks via telephone, online and email platforms so they can make informed choices and maximise their income through benefits support when eligible. Support partner organisations through targeted outreach and training to ensure long term community impact and reach. Manage, record and protect client data. Champion their needs and stories, as appropriate, internally and externally.
Responsibilities
* Provide friendly, responsive and timely support to clients and their families and advocates
* Explore the nature of the client enquiry and, where appropriate, their wider circumstances to gain as full an understanding as possible, including safeguarding or vulnerability concerns
* Identify and research information relevant to the client's situation, drawing on all relevant resources
* Process queries appropriately using our database and other tools
* Respond to welfare benefits queries, advise on eligibility and carry out benefit calculations
* Monitor the welfare benefits voicemail inbox and triage calls as necessary
* Signpost and/or refer to other services, both within and outside of Age UK Bucks, processing internal and external referrals as appropriate
* Undertake administrative duties to support the work of the team and wider Age UK Bucks services
* Be confident in identifying own training needs, taking responsibility for own development
* Develop your role and skills by attending meetings, training sessions and supervision meetings as required
* Support the team to effectively record and code the types of enquiries we receive
* Support the team to achieve quality standards and protocols
* Support our communities by delivering service presentations and information and advice at outreach events
* Deliver welfare benefits training to partner organisations to ensure long term community impact
* Support events and fundraising activities as appropriate
* Uphold quality assurance standards and demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement, including Age UK's QISS and QAS quality signposting and advice accreditation processes
Qualifications & Experience
* Experience of working with the public in an Information & Advice or similar environment
* Experience of the different welfare benefits available to the elderly and delivering advice and support appropriate to their individual situation
* Experience of inputting data onto database systems and the ability to retrieve statistical information as required
* Friendly, personable and calm under pressure
* Strong telephone and in-person communication skills
* Sensitivity to older people's needs and resilience and sensitivity to callers in distress
* Ability to prioritise tasks and follow data recording processes
* Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
* Willingness to represent AUKB in the community at targeted outreach events
Desirable
* General administrative experience
* Safeguarding experience
* Knowledge of health and social care systems
* Excellent standards of literacy and numeracy
* Strong research and information-finding skills
* Experience working with older people
Terms and Conditions
The position is office-based with some flexibility to work from home.
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