Research and Engagement Volunteer

Research and Engagement Volunteer

Purpose of the role:

  To help improve local health and social care services by:

• Promoting and raising awareness of Healthwatch North Tyneside activities and purpose

• Gathering feedback on peoples experience of health and social care

• Feeding back observations, experiences, views and issues to the staff team

What you will be doing: 

• Promoting Healthwatch North Tyneside at community venues and different events, and reporting back to the staff team.

• Going into services to observe, and to listen to people’s views and experiences.

• Talking to different groups of people within the community to find out about the services that they use. 

• Providing information on local services and where appropriate signposting to these organisations

• Informing people about how they can make a complaint and who will help them to do this.

• Attending briefings and volunteer meetings 

• Working with the team to identify what’s working and what need improving 

• Taking notes

• Contributing to reports

What’s in it for you:

  • You will receive a full induction to give you the necessary knowledge and skills to perform your volunteer role.  This will include training in equality and diversity, health and safety, dementia and safeguarding.

• We will provide you a reference after 30 hours of volunteering with us, together with certificates for any training you do with us.

• Having new experiences and meeting new people.

• The satisfaction of knowing that you are giving back to your community.

• Learning new things and having fun.

• Developing your confidence

• Feeling valued and being part of a team

• Enhancing your curriculum vitae (CV)

About Healthwatch North Tyneside

Healthwatch North Tyneside Is the local independent voice for people using local health and social care services in North Tyneside.

Healthwatch talks to users of local NHS and social care services to hear about their views and experiences. It identifies what’s working well and what could be done better so that services can improve. Healthwatch North Tyneside is here to:
Listen to your views and gather feedback about health and social care services
Provide information and signposting so that you get the support you need
Improve the quality of services by making sure service providers and decision makers listen to your views and make services better
Encourage people running services to involve local people in changes to care.

What skills do I need?

Time commitment:

• We normally expect volunteers to contribute about 4 hours a month, but some periods are busier depending on the activities you get involved in

You will need to be:

• Confident at talking with people.  

• Good at listening to people

• Organised

• Able to write basic notes

• Professional and have a commitment to confidentiality and safeguarding

• Able to work as part of a team 

• Willing to participate in one to one and group support sessions

Knowledge needed:

• No previous knowledge is needed though you must be committed to the induction and ongoing training.

• Knowledge of health and social care services is an advantage

Attitudes and values:

• Commitment and enthusiasm

• Interest in helping people to have their voices heard

• Be non-judgmental, respectful, polite and sensitive when speaking and listening to people

• Be committed to equal opportunities 

Additional information:

• You will need to agree to follow the Healthwatch North Tyneside Policies and Procedures

• The volunteer role is dependent on a satisfactory DBS check.  This does not mean that having a criminal record will automatically prevent you from volunteering with us

Details

• DBS check required
• Training provided
• Volunteer induction

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