Healthwatch BrentVolunteer Application Pack

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Healthwatch Brent Volunteering Opportunities

Thank you for requesting an application pack, contained within;

Volunteer Role DescriptionInformation about the volunteer role, what the duties and responsibilities will be and some of the key skills, knowledge and experience needed to undertake the role;

An application form

An Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Why Volunteer with Healthwatch Brent?

At Healthwatch Brent we have many opportunities for our volunteers to get involved in helping us deliver a valuable service to the community of Brent.

Volunteering with Healthwatch Brent give you the opportunity to:

Make a difference to your local community by helping people to have a voice about local health and social care services

Meet new people

Enhance your skills and knowledge

Access to training and support

Use existing skills

Add valuable experience to your CV

About Healthwatch Brent

Healthwatch Brent is your local consumer champion on health & social care services delivered in Brent. We are an independent organisation with the aim of giving people in Brent a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided in the borough.

Healthwatch Brent is a department of Community Barnet, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. In accordance with the contractual requirements between Healthwatch Brent and its commissioning body, Brent Borough Council, and the legal status of Community Barnet, the accountability for delivery and final decision-making are undertaken by the Healthwatch Brent staff, the Chief Executive and Board of Trustees for Community Barnet

What type of person should apply? The roles are open to anyone who is a resident of Brent, with an interest in improving health and social care. If you are passionate about shaping Healthwatch, or spreading the word across the borough then we would be delighted to hear from you. We want people from a wide range of communities and backgrounds with contacts and networks that can help Healthwatch Brent.

All Healthwatch volunteers will be provided with:

Training and support to undertake the role

An induction into Healthwatch Brent

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Ongoing appropriate training and support from the Healthwatch Brent Core Team

Group support and review sessions

Out of pocket expenses in line with Healthwatch Brent’s Volunteering and Travel Policy

You will be asked to: Sign up to a Volunteer AgreementFor some projects, such as Enter and View, a full DBS check

Where possible travel across the city to attend meetings and role related events

Completed application form should be returned to:

By post/by hand: Healthwatch Brent, 3 Rutherford Way, Wembley HA9 0BPBy email: Elaine.fletcher@healthwatchbrent.co.uk

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Healthwatch Volunteer

General purpose of our roles:

Healthwatch Brent’s sole objective wants to reach people in every community. To help us do this we want to recruit a team of volunteers to help us with our outreach and engagement activities.

Volunteers will play an important part in spreading the word about Healthwatch and in shaping local health and social care services to be the best for the residents of Brent.

As a Healthwatch Volunteer you are asked to:

Promote Healthwatch Brent

Talk to local people or groups about Healthwatch (either through groups you are involved in or groups suggested by HWB) to tell them about Healthwatch Brent and discover their views and experiences of local health and social care services

Be supportive, respectful and empathetic to others

Accurately report the views of your group to Healthwatch

Feedback information from Healthwatch to your group in a way that is easily understood

Where necessary investigate an issue i.e. by talking to your group

Organise and/or get involved in publicity events

Attend local events/meetings

Maintain knowledge of Healthwatch Brent and its work

Undertake introductory training session and participate in ongoing training if necessary

Keep a record of expenses and submit them monthly

Be able to commit the time required to the delivery of the role

Inform the Healthwatch Brent office if you cannot keep a commitment relating to the role.

Skills knowledge and experience needed:

Good local knowledge

Able to talk to individuals and community groups and support them to speak up about their views

Able to share and present information to different audiences

Able to separate your experiences from other people’s issues and present the viewsof those you represent

Willing to ask for support if necessary

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Additional language skills are desirable of those you represent

Willing to ask for support if necessary

Additional language skills are desirable

Attitudes and values needed:

Committed to helping people have a voice

Non Judgemental

Committed to equal opportunities practice

Reliable and trustworthy

Respect for others

Interested in developing new skills

Please click this link for a description of the roles we are recruiting to at the moment.

http://www.healthwatchbrent.co.uk/content/volunteer

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Healthwatch Brent - Volunteer Application Form

Name: Date:

Address:

Contact Number:

E-Mail:

We will contact you via e-mail unless you notify us otherwise.

Please tick the box if you wish to receive correspondence by post

Why are you interested in being a Healthwatch Volunteer?

Please tell us about the personal qualities you can bring to the role

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Which areas of activity you would be interested in:

Promotional Activities Gathering Views (surveys etc.)

Developing Contacts/networks Raising Awareness/seeking involvement

Producing Reports Other please specify…

Enter and View

What is your availability? (e.g. Time/Days/Evenings/Weekends)

If interested Enter and View, please tells us what interests you about this role?

Please explain why you think you are suitable for this role. Please tell us what experience you have that would be helpful and where you do not have direct experience, please explain why you think you would be good at this role.(continue on a separate sheet if required)

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Please provide the contact details for two people who can act as a reference for you:

Name

Address

Tel

Email

Name

Address

Tel

Email

The information I have supplied is a true and accurate account of my experience and suitability to perform this role.

Signed: Date:

Completed application form should be returned to:

By post/by hand: Healthwatch Brent, 3 Rutherford Way, Wembley HA9 0BPBy email: Elaine.fletcher@healthwatchbrent.co.uk

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES - MONITORING FORM

The information on this form is collected so that we can assess the effectiveness of our equality policy and monitor our recruitment processes. We aim to representative of the community in which we work and by monitoring the diversity of our applicants, we can assess our effectiveness in achieving this goal.

The information you give will only be used for this purpose and no other. It is entirely anonymous and this form will be detached from your application before we look at your application.

Please read through each section with care before completing it. If you do not want to answer any specific question then please leave it blank.

PERSONAL DETAILS

1. AgeUnder 16 o16 – 25 o 26 – 36 o 40 – 64 o 65 – 80 o 80+ o

2. GenderMale o Female o Other o please state........................

3. DisabilityDo you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes o No o

If you have answered yes, please give details of your disability below:

.............................................................................................................................................

4. Sexual orientationWhat is your sexual orientation?

Bisexual o Gay man o Heterosexual/Straight o

Lesbian/gay woman o Other (please state) o .................................

5. Ethnic Origin

A. Whiteo English/Welsh/Scottish/British/Northern Irish/Irisho Gypsy/Irish Travellero Romao Other European (please state) ........................................

B. Mixed/Dual Heritageo White & Black Caribbeano White & Black Africano White & Asiano Other mixed background (please state) ..............................

C. Asian or Asian Britisho Indiano Pakistanio Bangladeshio Chineseo Other Asian background (please state) .......................................

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D. Black/African/Caribbean or Black Britisho Caribbeano Somalio Other African background (please state) ......................................

o Other Black background (please state) .........................................

E. Other ethnic groupo Yemenio Other Arabo Other ethnic group (please state) ..................................

6. Faith/Religion/Beliefo Atheist/none o Baha’io Buddhism o Christianityo Hinduism o Humanismo Islam o Judaismo Sikhism o Other (please state) ............................______________________________________________________________________

Postcode: (first part of the code only eg S1)

How did you find out about this role? Healthwatch Sheffield newsletter, flyer oHealthwatch website oVoluntary/community organisation (eg website, newsletter) o

Other o (please state) ........................................

Please tell us any other considerations you would like us to know for example any specific communications needs: .................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form

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