Peer Mentor - Inclusion Gloucesteshire

Summary of the Role

To support the Advocacy project in delivering advocacy and mentoring to people with a range of disabilities across Gloucestershire.

There are a number of different ways you could get involved with this, through:

·        1:1 mentoring

·        Befriending – including escorting people to attend Inclusion hubs and other local activities and events

·        Group advocacy (speak up groups) online or in person

·        Supporting people with completing forms and other administrative tasks as needed which would be tailored to your abilities.

Role Purpose  

To support others with the benefit of your life experience. To develop and enhance your new skills.

Reports to

Advocacy Coordinator

Working Pattern:

Weekly hours: Variable - depending on the amount of work we have and the amount you would like to do.

Working Days: Monday, Wednesday or Friday, to fit in with the Advocacy Team – some flexibility around this if possible, but not essential.

Location: Inclusion Gloucestershire, Railway House, Bruton Way, Gloucester, GL1 1DG.

You may be able to work from home on some occasions. Support will be offered if this is the case.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Roles will be tailored to individuals and may include any of the following:

1:1 Mentoring:

Working with individuals as a peer mentor, providing support on a 1:1 basis, using the benefit of your life experience or knowledge.

Using your personal skills and experience to provide advocacy support for individuals to identify and achieve their goals (training provided).

Being able to discuss any issue with a staff member in a confidential manner. To seek help and support from staff at any time.

Supporting individuals to understand and complete the required paperwork.

Researching and identifying relevant external support and enabling individuals to understand and access this for themselves.

Befriending:

Befriending and providing social support to meetings, activities and new opportunities.

Supporting with access to transport and route planning

Escorting people to attend Inclusion Gloucestershire’s Hubs (Gloucester, Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean).

Group Advocacy (Speak Up Groups):

Supporting the Advocacy Coordinator with the admin and organisation of Speak Up Groups (online or in person).

Co-facilitation of Speak Up Groups with Advocacy Coordinator.

Working together with other volunteer mentors in the planning and delivery of Speak Up Groups to develop a “team approach” and new ideas.

Actively encourage new members to join Speak Up Groups (either online or in person) and exploring reasonable adjustments to enable this to happen

Completing Forms and General Admin Tasks:

Supporting people to complete the advocacy referral form using Google Forms (done in our office or over the phone).

Supporting people to complete PIP forms or other important paperwork – this would be filling out the forms by listening to what people want to write.

Keep a regular log of activities carried out for each individual.

General Duties that may be required:

·        Establish and maintain professional working relationships with colleagues, volunteers and stakeholders of Inclusion Gloucestershire and the broad range of external organisations we work with.

·        Be aware and act on the need to report safeguarding concerns (this may include providing some initial support to individuals in the office, before passing on to the Safeguarding Lead).

·        Advocate for Inclusion Gloucestershire and its projects at meetings and events and within your own appropriate networks.

·        This role profile is not exhaustive and may be subject to change to meet the operational needs of the charity.

Essential Requirements for this Post

·       The ability to develop positive working relationships with others

·   To be honest, reliable, trustworthy and committed to your volunteering role

·        To adhere to confidentiality

·        To attend meetings regularly and on time

·      To let the Advocacy Coordinator know in good time if I cannot attend a planned volunteering session

·        To be open and honest, to seek help and support when needed

·        Ability to relate to others.

Desirable

Previous experience of working or volunteering with an advocacy team.

Values and Personal Beliefs

Inclusion Gloucestershire is driven by its values, at the heart of all that it does. Teams are expected to share and demonstrate these values:

·        We are a user-led organisation, driven by the social model of disability, which sees people as disabled by society rather than by their impairment or difference.

·        We make sure everyone is meaningfully involved and included

·        We empower choice and control through peer leads and place experts by experience at the forefront of our delivery

·        We challenge when things aren’t right and give people facing disabling barriers a strong voice

·        We believe it is right to treat people fairly and always behave in a way that is honest and trustworthy even when nobody is looking

·        We are a caring and professional organisation who work together towards shared goals

·        We work in partnership to deliver exciting new ideas and support each other, our members and our community.