OUR VALUES

Commitment to the aims of the organisation and the ability to demonstrate the following values:
Enabling: We assist older people to live independently and exercise choice
Influential: We listen to older people, represent their interests and ensure their voices are heard
Dynamic: We are innovative, driven by results and consistently deliver for older people
Caring: We are passionate about what we do and care about each individual
Expert: We are authoritative, trusted and quality orientated
This job description may change from time to time according to the needs of the organisation.

THE ROLE

This role sits within a small established Information and Advice and Welfare Benefits team. You will be providing information and advice to support and empower older people on a wide variety of issues associated with ageing, this could be signposting to other services, providing deeper support and guidance or helping them maximise their income with benefits eligibility support. Enquiries come directly from older people in Bucks, their families and friends and professional referrers. You will progress and process these enquiries, liaising with colleagues, clients, partners and other organisations to ensure we provide timely, accessible and accurate information and advice so that the individual can make an informed choice regarding their circumstances.

JOB PURPOSE

Provide friendly, accurate and timely signposting, guidance and advice to older people in Bucks via telephone, online and email platforms so they can make informed choices and maximise their income through benefits support when eligible. Support partner organisations through targeted outreach and training to ensure long term community impact and reach. Manage, record and protect client data. Champion their needs and stories, as appropriate, internally and externally.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

-Provide friendly, responsive and timely support to clients and their families and advocates
-Explore the nature of the client enquiry and, where appropriate, their wider circumstances to gain as full an understanding as possible – including any safeguarding or vulnerability concerns
-Identify and research information relevant to the client’s situation, drawing on all relevant resources
-Process queries appropriately using our database and other tools
- Respond to welfare benefits queries, advise on eligibility and carry out benefit calculations
-Monitor the welfare benefits voicemail inbox and triage calls as necessary
-Signpost and/or refer to other services, both within and outside of Age UK Bucks, processing internal and external referrals as appropriate
-Undertake administrative duties to support the work of the team and wider Age UK Bucks services
- Be confident in identifying own training needs, taking responsibility for own development
-Develop your role and skills by attending meetings, training sessions and supervision meetings as required
-Support the team to effectively record and code the types of enquiries we receive
-Support the team to achieve quality standards and protocols
-Support our communities by delivering service presentations and information and advice at outreach events
-Delivering welfare benefits training to partner organisations in order to ensure long term community impact
-Support events and fundraising activities as appropriate
-Uphold quality assurance standards and demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement, including Age UK’s QISS and QAS quality signposting and advice accreditation processes