***THIS JOB VACANCY HAS NOW CLOSED***
Accountable to: Welfare Manager
Liaison with: VOS management, clinical and administrative staff, volunteers, service users, delivery and VPPP project partners and other external bodies as required.
Overall Purpose: The Welfare Support Worker is part of the Welfare team and is the initial point of contact for LGBT veterans seeking assistance with a reparation process, claiming medals, and pensions by telephone, online and in person. The Welfare Support Worker will assist veterans with claims, benefits and other issues, raise awareness of the challenges faced by veterans affected by the ban internally, to VPPP, delivery partners, and external agencies, liaising with all as appropriate.
Hours: Part time (Approx 15 hours per week) – 6 month fixed-term contract – extendable.
Salary: £20,200 (FTE) – Pro-rata £8,100
Leave: 25 days + Public Holidays (pro rata).
Location: Portsmouth HQ, other VOS locations as well as home working. Travel & accommodation expenses will be reimbursed as required.
Veterans Outreach Support (VOS) is a UK registered charity that offers welfare, wellbeing, mental health and substance misuse recovery support and services to veterans of the UK Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy and their partners in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight. Support ranges from telephone and face to face welfare advice to peer-supported activity and social groups, mental health support and therapies, and substance misuse recovery support. Monthly Drop-Ins in Portsmouth and Newport (IOW) also bring together a wide range of delivery partners and other charities for the provision of comprehensive one-stop shop welfare, wellbeing, and mental health support for service users, in a warm and friendly environment.
Veterans Places, Pathways, and People (VPPP) Programme in the South-East of England. The purpose of the programme is to bring together a portfolio of veteran’s support projects that will take an informed approach across the region. It ensures that there are connected pathways which work well for veterans; that there are safe places for veterans to go which connect into these pathways; and that volunteers and staff who support veterans have access to training and work closely with other organisations within veterans’ mental health pathways. In VOS’s VPPP portfolio named ‘Partnership in Mind’ there are nine project partners managed by the Portfolio Manager, who is located with Veterans Outreach Support.
Welcome Home is a project, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund, aimed at assisting Armed Forces veterans who were affected by the ban on homosexuality in the Armed Forces between 1967 and 2000. The recently published report provides for veterans to apply for compensation and return of medals. Additionally, Welcome Home aims to bring those who have felt isolated by their experience into the veteran community.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Act as initial point of contact for LGBT veterans seeking assistance with any future reparation process arising from the recommendations detailed in the Etherton report.
- Assist with applications for medals, veterans’ badges, pensions etc, arising from the recommendations detailed in the Etherton report.
- Assist service users with any other claims, benefits or other issues, either directly or in collaboration with other service charities and agencies.
- Raise awareness of the challenges faced by LGBT veterans affected by the ban.
- Liaise with VPPP project participants and delivery partners as required.
- Undertake other VOS duties and responsibilities commensurate with this role as may be required from time to time and as a member of the VOS management team.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential:
- Excellent interpersonal written and verbal communication skills.
- Flexible and responsive with ability to work on own initiative and with minimal supervision to meet targets and deadlines within agreed timescales.
- Strong team player and leader, capable of working as part of a dynamic, high-tempo team, including with volunteers and other supporters.
- An understanding and commitment to the mission and values of the Charity.
- Strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Competent in use of IT systems and MS Office software.
- Ability to travel independently, across VOS Locations including the Isle of Wight (IOW).
Desirable:
- Be an armed forces veteran and/or have knowledge of veterans’ issues and be a strong advocate for their support.
- Knowledge of the benefits system.
NOTES:
Training:
Training will be provided in all aspects of the role.
IT & Telephony
Appropriate IT equipment and a VOS mobile phone will be provided.
Responsibilities:
The responsibilities and activities in the job description are indicative but not exhaustive and may be expected to change as the organisation develops. The post-holder will be expected to adapt to changing requirements.
Data Protection Act
The successful candidate will be aware of the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and adhere closely to confidentiality and data protection protocols in the communication of personal information within the charity and between services.
Safeguarding
All VOS staff have an individual responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of individuals and must know what to do if they are concerned that there is an adult is at risk of being abused or neglected. Adherence to the Safeguarding Policy is mandatory for all staff. An enhanced DBS Check is a condition of employment.
Health & Safety
The successful candidate will be required to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by any act(s) of omission. They are also required to co-operate with all staff to ensure that all statutory regulations, policies, Codes of Practice, and departmental safety procedures are adhered to and to attend relevant training programmes.
