Volunteer caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families who need financial, practical, and emotional assistance.
Upon accepting a potential beneficiary’s case, a caseworker becomes their SSAFA point of contact.
Caseworkers listen without judgement, gather information and assess support needs.
They then complete a written case report outlining the help required.
A successful outcome could mean securing funding for; special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so a beneficiary can remain at home, or for a rental deposit.
Caseworkers also sign-post people to specialist advice for example, support with benefits, housing, debt and mental health. The assistance provided through casework will often be life changing.
What would you be doing?
- Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
- Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good
communication skills, empathy and understanding.
- Sign-posting beneficiaries onto local services providing specialist advice.
- Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system.
- Arranging for the purchase of goods and services.
- Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
- Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
- Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
- Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
- Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA.
- Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.
What skills do I need?
A military background and/or prior casework experience is not required as full training will be provided.
- Good listening and communication skills including written and spoken English
- Respectful and non-judgemental with clients, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
- Willingness and ability to learn basic digital skills.
- Ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role
- Ability to make enquires on behalf of clients by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms
- If required, willingness to use our on-line case management system (this is covered in the caseworker training course)
- Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
- Reliable attitude, contact clients promptly, keep appointments, update the branch regarding your availability
- Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients
- Friendly and approachable with some experience of coordinating people and admin
- Practice confidentiality and data protection in line with SSAFA policies.
- Access to a computer/laptop, internet, and a private space for confidential calls/meetings is necessary.
- Access to a car or public transport is also highly desirable because a visit to the home of a beneficiary will need to be made at the start of a new case but the rest of the administration and research tasks can be done at home.
When do I need to be available?
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Details
It's a flexible role which typically requires 1-2 hours per week once assigned a case, with cases usually resolving in about a month.
