Hub Co-ordinator
Driving
- A current driving licence and access to own transport is not required for this role.
Who we are
People First is an independent customer-led charitable organisation that has worked in Cumbria for over 30 years. We are passionate about our values of equality, respect, and inclusion. We provide a wide range of support and information services across Cumbria, Lancashire, and Teesside, all aimed at helping people to live informed, respected, healthy, and fulfilled lives. Our Head office is based in Carlisle, supported by offices in Barrow, Stockton and Lancashire.
The Department
People First’s Independent Advocacy Department hosts a range of projects focussing on supporting people to have their voices heard and their rights and choices respected. This includes both statutory and non-statutory advocacy delivery and the Advocacy Hub which provides information and support to enable people and their referrers to access timely advocacy.
Independent Advocacy is about supporting people to:
- Understand information and processes
- Explore options and choices
- Have their rights respected
- Tell people what is important to them
The hub itself is made up of experts from different departments with-in the organisation. As well as advocacy, the team also consists of experts from our U-Direct team and our Cumberland Carers team. There are some duties which are shared, like telephone support and general team admin.
People First’s Independent Advocacy offer provides both statutory advocacy and non-statutory to people who may need some extra support speaking up for themselves. We do this through a range of projects including:
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy
- Independent Care Act Advocacy
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy
- Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy
- General Independent Advocacy
- Self-Advocacy
The Person
We are seeking a person to provide administrative, customer service, and organisational support to the Advocacy department and wider organisation.
This includes:
- Accepting, logging, assessing, and processing requests for support
- Data recording and reporting
- Providing clear information and signposting support to customers and stakeholders
- Supporting our quality and performance systems and processes
Qualifications
• Good all round level of education
Skills, Knowledge, and Experience
- Good all-round level of education including office and IT skills.
- Ability to listen to, engage and communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, both face to face, written and over the telephone.
- An understanding of the needs and issues faced by people accessing health and social care services
- Ability to display empathy in a range of situations and deal effectively with challenging situations
- A high standard of written and verbal skills
- A ‘can do’ attitude
- A knowledge of the voluntary sector including advice and support organisations would be beneficial but not essential
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage a complex workload and to prioritise effectively
- A good understanding of data recording methods
- Ability to use supervision and peer support
- Willingness to undertake training as identified
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a team player; able to ask for and give support to colleagues, students, and volunteers
- Positive attitude to a fast-paced working environment where tasks and systems need to be developed and updated on a regular and ongoing basis
- Creative, flexible, and enthusiastic approach
- Commitment to valuing diversity and equal opportunities
- Commitment to providing a high-quality service centered on the needs of individuals who are vulnerable and disadvantaged
Duties will include:
- Answer telephone calls, engage in on-line chat, welcome customers, provide self-help information, welfare support and sign posting
- Accept and assess requests for support; Obtain, review, and evaluate information including online referrals. Log referrals onto our database system and answer customer/ stakeholder queries
- Manage an active caseload ensuring timely, prioritised, and responsive interventions
- Work within the appropriate legislation & People First policies and procedures
- Collect data and analyse to inform internal and external reporting
- Record accurate and appropriate data on People First databases
- Provide general administrative and office support
- Ensure all enquiries are dealt with in a timely and courteous fashion within contractual obligations or agreed timescales
- Ascertain the person’s wishes and feelings, as far as possible, and any values or beliefs to be respected and taken into consideration
- Liaise and communicate effectively with a range of people, including health and social care professionals, and family members on behalf of a person, as well as the person themselves
- Good knowledge of local services
- Work as a member of the team, attending team meetings, for advocacy and the wider organisation. Including facilitating continuity for both planned and unplanned leave and taking a full and active part in supervision and referral reviews
- Complete any training as required
Other Duties
The duties outlined above are not intended to be exhaustive and may change as the needs of the organisation alter in line with current agendas.
To Apply
If you’re interested in the role and think you’d be a good fit, we’d like to hear from you.
To apply for this position, please email a copy of your CV including details of two references, to [email protected] or alternatively, you can post for the attention of Barry to People First Conference Centre, Milbourne Street, Carlisle, CA2 5XB
All applications should be clearly marked:
Confidential – Hub Co-ordinator
Closing date - 5.00pm , 21st May 2026 (may close sooner)
If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful
People First is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo a DBS check and any other safeguarding checks as appropriate to the post. The appointment will be subject to the satisfactory outcome of these checks.