Dementia Adviser

As a Dementia Adviser, you will have the rewarding opportunity to provide support, information, and guidance to people with dementia and their carers; helping to maintain their independence, improving their sense of well-being, and putting them in more control of their lives. This Dementia Adviser role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to people affected by dementia in Belfast. The role will include information programmes (CrISP) and peer support groups for people with dementia carers, and dementia support.

Your role as a Dementia Adviser will include:

• Planning, administration and delivery of an information programme for carers in the Belfast area and group facilitation of number of peer support groups for people with dementia and carers (this will include a monthly evening carer support group, and evening information programmes every 2-3 months, subject to need and contract requirements)
• Improving people’s sense of well-being, enabling them to have more control over their lives
• Assisting with the identification of needs, providing information and access to relevant services
• Supporting people affected by dementia, families and carers to access vital services, and processing referrals into the local services
• Promoting local and national services and building relationships with a range of health and social care professionals

The Dementia Adviser will be the role manager for a team of volunteers who support the local services. The successful candidate will also be required to provide support as required with other services throughout Northern Ireland and may provide support within the dementia support service as required. The role is funded by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

Please note that local team meetings currently take place on Wednesday.

Interviews will take place on the 12^th June.

We are looking for someone with:

• Experience of planning, delivery and evaluation of group services
• Confident presentation skills, both in-person and online
• Understanding of dementia and the needs of those living with dementia and their carers would be an advantage but if you have had experience supporting with other diagnosis or support requirements this would be taken into consideration.
• Able to network effectively and collaborating with other professionals, both internally and externally, to achieve a positive outcomes for people.
• Ability and interest in supporting people to maintain their independence, improve their sense of well-being, and help them take more control of their lives.
• Experience of volunteer management, including volunteer recruitment and support, who will support with delivery of the local services
• Good IT skills, experience working with databases and virtual meeting software (Teams / Zoom).
• Excellent organisational skills as the role has administration responsibilities.
• The ability to travel across local area independently when required.

The successful candidate will work within the Belfast trust area. The role is community-based, meaning that the staff member will work from home or within the community as the role requires. The successful candidate will be eligible to claim mileage from the boundary of the trust area and travel within the trust area. If the successful candidate lives within the Belfast trust area, they will be eligible to claim travel within the trust area relating to the role. If the successful candidate lives outside the Belfast trust area, they will be eligible to claim travel within the trust area relating to the role only when they reach the trust boundary.

As the Dementia Support Service reflects the needs of the people we support, you will be required to work some evenings and weekends.

About Alzheimer's Society - who are we and what’s our mission?

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.