Onside Advocacy (Bromsgrove and Redditch)
Description of the role
Part of the Advocacy Services that Onside provides, a Community Advocate supports vulnerable people in a variety of ways. You may help them to make a complaint about a service or situation they are unhappy with, such as a housing or benefits issue or to make a complaint about their health care or treatment. You may help people to live independently by dealing with issues with utility providers or setting up a bank account or assisting them to access services that support with financial matters.
Responsibilities:
An advocate does not provide legal or specialist advice, but helps the individual:
- Have access to information and professional advice and guidance
- Consider options, make decisions and act on information and advice
- To be afforded fair and equal treatment
- To have their voice and views heard
- To produce letters to outline their concerns/ complaint
- Prepare for meetings by accompanying them to meetings
- Make phone calls
We are looking for the following in our volunteers:
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Empathetic
- You will have, or be willing to learn, basic computer literacy skills in order to log your contact / work on our database system.
- Comfortable completing forms and applications
- Organised
Practical Considerations
- Mileage and expenses can be claimed.
Any specific requirements
- Requires references
- Requires Criminal Record Check
- Must own a computer or have secure access to one
- Must be 18 or over to apply
Where is the opportunity based?
This opportunity is hybrid working. You will be matched to service users according to your location and access to transport.
When is the opportunity available?
The time is flexible and can be agreed with the service user.
About the organisation
ONSIDE is a charity working across Worcestershire and Herefordshire, established in 1993 stemming from a belief that everyone has the right to be a valued human being and to be treated in a just and fair way.
In support of this belief we provide a range of support and services to ensure fairness and equality for adults who may be vulnerable, disadvantaged or discriminated against. This includes mental and physical ill health, sensory impairment, learning disability, drug and alcohol misuse, older people, and carers. ONSIDE is funded through a range of sources to maintain its independence and ensure that the support it provides reflects the views and perspective of the people it wishes to help.
We make a difference to the lives of over 11,000 people a year through our dedicated team of experienced staff and volunteers recruited, trained and supported to work as advocates, mentors, befrienders and appropriate adults.
Bromsgrove and Redditch Network 