The TSA is currently recruiting for a Support Line Adviser to join their Support and Information team.
The job description and person specification can be found below. Further information, including how to apply, is available via CharityJob.
Job description and person specification
Support Line Adviser
Reports to: Head of Support and Information Services
Location: Home based, with regular travel within the UK
Hours of work: 21 hours per week (0.6 WTE, flexible arrangements possible)
Salary: £16,000 (whole time equivalent £27,300, 35 hours per week)
Pension: Non-contributory pension scheme (after six months’ employment)
Holiday: 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata)
Notice period: Three months
The role of the Support Line Adviser
You will provide information and support to individuals living with TSC and their families on the telephone, by email, by post and through web chats. You will attend TSA events to market the support line service and encourage the TSC community to get in touch. You will provide information and training to health, social care and education professionals to ensure that individuals living with TSC and their families get the best possible support from health, social care and education services. You will provide training about TSC to the external organisations that the TSA signposts people to, so that they also have a good understanding of TSC and its impact on individuals and families affected by the condition.
Responsibilities
1. Support Line
1.1 Deliver four shifts each week on the Support Line service providing information and support to individuals living with TSC and their families by telephone, by email, by post and through web chats, ensuring that:
· All enquiries received through the Support Line receive a response based on high quality, up-to-date and evidence-based information.
· You log, triage and respond to enquiries received by telephone, email, through the website or through web chat in line with agreed timelines, policies and procedures.
· You are sensitive and responsive to the needs of the individuals living with TSC, family members and health, social care and education professionals using the Support Line.
· You provide time-limited, structured support through formal case management processes for a small number of individuals and families who are most vulnerable and who need regular help and support. This includes individuals with learning disabilities, autism and behavioural problems, and complex families who face a wide range of challenges accessing health, social care and education services for their loved ones.
· You collect and accurately record data enabling the TSA to monitor and evaluate the performance of the Support Line, including usage data (such as number and length of calls), qualitative information (feedback from service users) and data collected in conversation (such as logging broad categories of issues that service users are facing).
· You support individuals and families who wish to apply for support from the TSA Support Fund, helping them to complete the relevant application forms, ensuring that they supply documentary evidence of their eligibility to apply, and logging their application appropriately for audit and compliance.
· Your support demonstrates best practice and complies with the law on safeguarding (making sure we are working appropriately with vulnerable adults and children) and data protection (making sure that we are handling all sensitive data appropriately).
· You proactively engage with regular supervision to safeguard your own health and wellbeing and support individual and team learning. This will include individual supervision through regular 1-2-1s with your line manager, team supervision through weekly calls for all those working on the support line, and clinical supervision which will take place at quarterly team face-to-face meetings.
· You will contribute your expert insight into the challenges and issues that the TSC community are facing to help colleagues across the organisation develop information materials, online resources and event agendas for communications channels including Scan magazine, the website, social media and events.
2. Support and signposting materials
2.1 Work with the Information Officer to ensure that high-quality, up-to-date and evidence-based templated information about supporting people with TSC and their families is available to respond to enquiries from health, social care and education professionals working with individuals and families affected by TSC.
2.2 Work with the Information Officer to develop appropriate and consistent information to signpost Support Line service users to external partner organisations that can provide specialist support for specific aspects of TSC (such as autism or mental health issues) and living with TSC (such as finding a job or facing bereavement).
2.3 Initiate and maintain regular contact with an agreed number of TSC clinics across the UK. Make sure that information about clinic dates, venues and clinicians is regularly updated and available for use on the Support Line, the website and in Scan magazine. Maintain a positive working relationship with each clinic to ensure that the TSA can refer individuals to the clinic, and the clinic will refer to the TSA. Over time, develop a range of materials to support vulnerable individuals and families who are attending each clinic.
3. TSA events
3.1 Attend a small number of TSA events each year to market the support line service to people living with TSC, their families and professionals and encourage the TSC community to get in touch. General events assistance for the event on the day will also be expected (for example, this could include time on the reception desk or directing attendees between sessions). This will include at least four of the following annual one-day events: Outlook (for individuals living with TSC), Big Day (for families), Family Fun Day (for younger families), Scottish Get Together, Welsh Get Together, Northern Irish Study Day and TSC Clinics Day. (You will be able to take time off in lieu for attending evening and weekend events.)
4. Training for health, social care and education professionals
4.1 Deliver remote and face-to-face training based on training materials developed by the TSA to help health, social care and education professionals understand TSC and how to adapt their practice to support those living with the condition.
4.2 Deliver remote and face-to-face training about TSC based on training materials developed by the TSA to the external organisations that the TSA signposts people to and the health, social care and education professionals who support those affected by TSC.
4.3 Work with the Head of Support and Information Services and Information Officer to develop a range of information and training materials that can be used by staff and ambassadors to help health, social care and education professionals understand TSC and how to adapt their practice to support those living with the condition.4.4 Act as a point of contact for professionals who contact the TSA, working alongside colleagues to build credibility and strong working relationships with them.
Other requirements of the post
The post holder must be prepared to work flexibly to meet the needs of the organisation. This will entail occasional evening and weekend work. Regular travel within the UK will be needed for team meetings, TSA events and training provision. This would normally require access to a car (mileage will be paid) or travel by public transport (tickets will be paid).
A DBS enhanced disclosure will be required prior to taking up post.
Training on helplines from the Helplines Partnership and on the Virtual Call Centre and Harlequin by the in-house team will be provided.
Person specification
Essential
· Experience of working on a Helpline or providing similar services to people living with TSC and their families
· Experience of following timelines, systems and processes needed to deliver a high-quality, evidence-based Helpline
· Excellent listening and communicating (written, verbal and non-verbal) skills
· Able to collect and record monitoring and evaluation data accurately and in a timely manner.
· Understand law on safeguarding and working with vulnerable adults and children
· Understand law on data protection and handling sensitive information
· Understand the distinction between information, advice and advocacy services
· Able to work with people with a wide range of abilities, with a warm, empathetic style
· Ability to work to deadlines and appropriately prioritise competing deadlines
· Strong time, budget and project management skills
· Self-motivated with ability to plan, prioritise and manage own workload
· Willing to work flexibly to support the needs of the charity and the TSC community
· Educated to degree level or equivalent
· Relevant professional qualification in health or social care sector (for example, nursing or social care qualification)
Desirable
· Experience of working with people living with rare diseases, learning disabilities or autism
