Caring

We'd love you to be part of our Team and help support older persons in East Sussex. As a permanent Befriender Volunteer, you will be making sure that older people can access the services they require and making the County a great place to grow old. You will also meet new people, via phone, and occasionally in person (if you want to and its relevant). You will be part of a great team of volunteers. You'll love to speak to people and have a caring and empathetic nature as you will be phoning older people for a chat to identify their service requirements. We will provide you with support, the required training and reimburse your telephone expenses. You will need you own phone (we can show you how to hide your number) and ideally, internet access. The hours for this role are flexible and you can work from the comfort of your own home. Its so easy to start volunteering with us. This role requires you to be aged 18+. Please note that this is an unpaid volunteer opportunity, UK-based, specifically for UK volunteers.

Purpose of role: To join a team of volunteers providing our ‘Carers in Touch’ service, a telephone listening service for unpaid carers who have been identified as at risk of being socially isolated. The service provides an informal, friendly chat with carers to help them keep connected, remind them they are not alone, support their wellbeing and check they have suitable support systems in place. What will you be doing? • Making telephone calls to unpaid carers of up to 30 minutes in length. • Providing a ‘listening ear’ and friendly voice. • Signposting carers to the Care for the Carers Hub if extra support is needed. • Inputting the call information onto Care for the Carers database. • Deliver at least one 2 hour shift per week Monday to Thursday 9am to 3pm. What skills, experience, qualities do you need? • Empathetic, non-judgmental, non-discriminatory approach. • Good communication skills; able to chat with people on the phone. • Reliability and commitment. • Basic IT skills (training will be provided). • A commitment to the vision and mission of Care for the Carers. • A desire to support unpaid carers.

We need your support to enable older people to access critical services within the local community. As a Volunteer Social Prescribing Assistant, you will be working with our Social Prescribing Team to support people over 50 years old to engage with local services. You will need your own car and full driving licence to visit your clients. You’ll be providing information for services such as benefits assistance, social care, living independently, housing, and community activities. There will also be lots of activities to get involved with such as providing support with shopping, escorting to appointments, phone contact, or engaging in community group activities. We will provide you with all the training and support required for the role and will also reimburse your phone and travel expenses. If you would like to get involved and can spare 3-4 hours a week, we would love to hear from you. We are currently looking for volunteers in the Buxted, Chailey and Newick areas. A basic DBS check will be required, and any applicants will need to be aged 18 or over.

A Respite for Healthcare Volunteer spends time with a cared for individual, allowing their carer to attend their healthcare appointments. Notice of any appointments is usually given a week in advance, and volunteers will be briefed on what the interests are of the individual they will attend. This role will suit someone who is good at communicating and listening, but also confident in a crisis should one arise. It's hours are adhoc, providing short term cover. A DBS check is required, which the Association of Carers will apply for on your behalf. Only those aged 18 or over are suitable. Mileage and expenses are paid for. Full training will be given.

This role involves phoning a carer you will be matched with, and having a conversation of roughly 30 minutes, providing an outlet for the carer to discuss their position in confidence. These conversations will take place on a regular basis, gradually reducing in frequency over a 6 month period. The opportunity is perfect for anyone with a background as a carer, or an empathetic individual who is a good listener. A DBS check is required, which the Association of Carers will apply for on your behalf. Only those aged 18 or over are suitable. Mileage and expenses are paid for. Full training will be given.

The core responsibilities of a complementary therapist are to consult with the patient before any treatment, deliver various therapies such as aromatherapy, messages, reflexology or reiki treatments. To record treatments administered, manage your appointments and caseload, and attend team meetings. Anyone applying to this role must have the relevant qualifications in various therapy and treatments to administer them. They must also have 6 months experience in a similar role, and be a member of a recognised professional body (eg FHT).