INFORMATION OFFICER (Part Time)

REPORTS TO: Information Manager HOURS OF WORK: 3 days per week SALARY: £ (pro rata) – LOCATION: London, N7 Additional benefits: Season ticket loan, 15 days’ holiday, childcare vouchers

About HemiHelp: HemiHelp is the national charity providing information and support to families affected by hemiplegia. The charity was started by a group of parents in 1991 as a response to the lack of support they were receiving from public services and existing charities. HemiHelp receives no government funding and continues to be self-supporting: around half of our funds are raised by family members. A wide network of volunteers work with the staff team to provide HemiHelp’s support and information services for children and young people with hemiplegia, their families and the professionals who support them. Our main aim is to help every child with hemiplegia to reach their full potential.

Hemiplegia is a neurological condition, the effects of which are similar to a stroke. It’s caused by damage to the brain (most often before or around the time of birth) and it results in a varying degree of weakness and lack of control on one side of the body. Hemiplegia affects one child in 1000.

Job Purpose: HemiHelp is a growing UK charity with information provision at the heart of its offer to families. Key strategic goals for HemiHelp are to raise public and professional awareness of the condition, provide information and support to affected families and to promote the rights and well-being of our members.

The charity has a small team of friendly and hardworking staff and a larger network of highly committed volunteers, members and supporters who work together and support each other. This role involves a great deal of contact with HemiHelp members and requires professionalism and empathy. You will need to really care about the important issues that affect families affected by hemiplegia and gradually become well informed and knowledgeable about their needs.

The post holder is also expected to be proactive, self motivated and show initiative and flexibility, taking responsibility for checking their own work.

We are looking for a hands-on person to assist the Information Manager in delivering HemiHelp information products and services. This post involves a wide range of tasks and would suit someone with a good foundation of writing skills, as well as some administrative and project management experience.

In this growing organisation there is flexibility and room for the successful applicant to develop professionally and make their mark on the organisation. For the right person this will be a rewarding and fulfilling role. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Publications and website

 Coordinate the production and revision of HemiHelp information sheets in line with the requirements of the Information Standard quality mark, approaching medical professionals for contributions, collecting feedback from families and liaising with designers and printers.

 Distribute and advertise HemiHelp’s information resources through different channels, including the HemiHelp Magazine and social media.

 Assist the Information Manager in conducting the annual revision of the HemiHelp Information Production System and preparing for The Information Standard external assessment.

 Produce HemiHelp’s quarterly online research update of news and policy change relating to benefits, welfare, education, health and disability.

 Source stories for the HemiHelp Magazine as required by the Information Manager, and liaise with contributors to ensure copy and photographs are delivered on time.

 Write and proofread content for the HemiHelp Magazine as required by the Information Manager.

 Liaise with magazine advertisers, answering their enquiries and ensuring adverts are supplied on time.

 Assist the Information Manager in writing case studies for the Annual Review booklet, sourcing or taking photographs and collecting relevant data.

 Monitor and update content for the HemiHelp website, liaising with members of staff as appropriate.

Administration

 Provide administrative support for the information services and projects, updating the information directory, writing letters, updating the database and organising and keeping files as necessary.

 Respond to enquiries from the public and HemiHelp members about our information services and products.

 Provide support for professionals undertaking research about hemiplegia; sourcing families to take part, following up and publicising results.

 Update and maintain HemiHelp’s photo catalogue including design and roll out of a system for getting and recording permission to use these in a range of HemiHelp literature and other mediums.

 Prepare materials for the information stand at HemiHelp events and store them back in the office appropriately.

Other duties

 Produce reports for staff and trustees as required.

 Carry out any other task or project required from time to time, as directed by the Information Manager. PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Criteria Description Essential (E) / Assessed on Desirable (D) Application form (A)/or at Interview (I) Qualifications Educated to degree level E A Experience Experience of planning, organising and scheduling information- based projects, liaising with experts, users, designers and E A/I printers. Experience of writing and proofreading copy for different E A/I audiences. Experience of updating websites using HTML. E A/I Experience of performing a range of administrative tasks. E A/I Experience of working in the voluntary sector, preferably in a D A/I health or disability setting. Experience using social media and other channels to engage D A/I supporters online. Knowledge Knowledge of hemiplegia and the issues faced by people affected D I by hemiplegia. Knowledge of researching health information using medical D A/I databases and the internet to obtain evidence-based information Knowledge of the Information Standard certification and quality D A/I mark. Skills Ability to prioritise and co-ordinate your work and the work of E A/I others to meet agreed deadlines. Confidence and ability to work with different audiences, from medical professionals to families and people affected by E A/I hemiplegia. Ability to gain an in-depth understanding of medical and social care information and communicate it to families and people E A/I affected by hemiplegia in an easy to understand English. Strong research skills. E A/I Excellent IT skills, with proven ability to use Microsoft Office, E A email and internet. Ability to use initiative and work without day-to-day supervision E A/I Ability to use photo editing programs to modify size, resolution E A/I and other basic photo attributes. Visual sensitivity and the ability to take good photographs. E A/I Organisational Commitment to HemiHelp’s vision, mission and values. requirements E I Knowledge and understanding of the social model of disability and a firm commitment to the inclusion of disabled people E I within society. An ability to understand and work within organisational policies and procedures in your work E I

An understanding of the importance of discretion and confidentiality. E I Availability for occasional evening and weekend work E I

DBS checks will be made for this post