Support at Home

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Are you looking to make meaningful use of your spare time, and enjoy supporting others? Come and join the London Independent Living team! Volunteering with us will enable you to be active in your own community, meet new people and gain new skills.

Returning home after an illness or accident is a worrying and anxious time for anybody, especially for many older people. The Independent Living team strives to make a positive change, supporting people in their own home to recover and remain independent.

Description:

To offer the practical and emotional support some people require to settle comfortably and securely back into their own homes after a hospital visit. To support service users and their carers in the immediate hospital post-discharge period and for up to four weeks following according to need.

Typical tasks may include:

• Visiting service users in their home and assisting them to settle in after a stay in hospital.

• Providing practical home support as appropriate e.g. assisting with meal/drink preparation, light housework etc.

• Undertaking shopping, collecting prescriptions, and helping to fill in forms.

• Accompanying service users to GP/hospital appointment, local community groups and other relevant agencies to improve well-being and reduce isolation.

• Re-visiting service users to check upon their well-being and have a friendly chat.

• To help service users to regain independence and the confidence to look after themselves.

• Communication to British Red Cross staff about concerns over service users’ ability to cope with day-to-day activities at home.

• Keeping accurate records.

• Participating in training and development programmes appropriate to the role.

• Maintaining service users’ confidentiality in line with the Red Cross policy.

• Working within the British Red Cross Health & Safety Policy to maintain a safe working environment at all times.

• To uphold the Fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and to work within the society's equal opportunities policy.

Who we looking for:

• Minimum age of 18 years.

• Ability to offer a regular voluntary commitment with an understanding of the importance of working in a professional manner.

• An understanding of the needs of service users of different ages, differing physical needs and varying backgrounds.

• Good interpersonal, communication and empathetic skills.

• An active listener, who can respond sensitively to people's needs and concerns.

• Ability to work unsupervised and as part of a diverse multi-cultural team.

• Ability to follow policies procedures and complete records accurately.

• Willing and able to treat all information given as confidential.

• Willing and able to uphold the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross / Red Crescent movement and to work within the Society's equal opportunities policy.

What can you expect:

• Being part of an internationally recognised organisation.

• A great level of satisfaction, helping those who are most in need.

• British Red Cross Foundation Courses - ongoing, in-depth training and development programmes.

• Learning new skills and building on your professional experience.

• Working within a team of highly dedicated and motivated individuals who work together tomake the world a better place one day a time.

• Full travel expenses reimbursement.