Online Dementia Carers Group Assistant - Zoom Tech Support

Who Are We? 

Carers Support West Sussex is an independent charity supporting some of the 89,000 family and friend carers living in West Sussex. With more than 19,000 carers currently registered with the charity, we run Carer Groups, a Carer Response Line, help carers access equipment to assist them in their caring role or provide funds so that carers can do something for themselves. We can also help carers access counselling and call back services, wellbeing support and have teams in all the of the major hospitals in West Sussex, as well as East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

With more than 90 members of staff and over 60 volunteers, as well as a dedicated team of Trustees, Carers Support is committed to ensuring carers are recognised and listened to. Carers save the UK economy more than £1 billion pounds to the West Sussex economy and more than £150 billion across England and Wales.

The Role: 

Within a group setting, carers are encouraged and enabled to share their emotions to reduce stress and feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is achieved by us actively listening, providing relevant information, responding to issues and concerns raised by the carer, feeding back to the Carer Wellbeing Worker for further action to be taken on a 1:1 basis, or by signposting the carer to call our Carer Help Line. The Co-Facilitator would also be responsible for alerting the Carer Wellbeing Worker to any Safeguarding related concerns or disclosures.

Practical tasks will involve a suitable laptop or tablet that has the capability to use Zoom calls. You would also need to ensure a private space for the entirety of the call.

We ask for volunteers to give 4 hours per month on average (including on-going training and regular reviews). The group takes place from 10.15am-12.15pm on the second Thursday of the month (13/6, 11/7, 8/8, 12/9 etc.)

What skills do I need?

• Able to use a laptop/tablet to receive a Zoom call in a private space where you can actively join in.
• Active listening, and excellent and effective communication.
• Confident to engage with others within a group setting.
• An insight into issues carers face on a daily basis.
• An empathetic, caring approach when engaging with others.
• Personal/professional insight into Dementia (preferred but not essential).
• To be non-judgemental and be able to maintain personal boundaries.
• Encourage and promote carer health and wellbeing.