Banbury’s hospital, health and wellbeing broadcasting service, Radio Horton has an exciting new opportunity for a Care Home Liaison Assistant. The role would be suitable for anyone looking to get into the charity or voluntary sector as a beginner or someone with previous career experience wishing to dedicate their time as a volunteer.

The charitable objectives of Radio Horton are to relieve sickness, infirmity & disabilities attendant on old age amongst persons living in Banbury & the surrounding area, by providing a local broadcasting service for hospitals, hospices, residential homes & similar institutions, & wherever possible, providing a similar service within the local community to assist patients receiving “Care in the Community”.

With over 57 years heritage under its belt, Radio Horton is proud to be Banbury’s longest serving radio station, broadcasting to patients at the Horton General Hospital. We are committed to improving patient experience by way of providing comfort and solace through being a friend at the bedside, music and entertainment.

The station has recently began broadcasting into local care homes and hospices, offering a dedicated request service for residents and the infirm, providing a dedicated internet radio for care homes and investing in new technologies to expand our outreach beyond the Horton Hospital.

The successful candidate will be volunteering alongside our incumbent Care Home Coordinator, to help Radio Horton continue to deliver our strategy for working with care homes, expanding the offering of programming and services, and providing auxiliary support, so you’ll need to have great organisational and interpersonal skills. Our Care Home Coordinator has had to step back temporarily due to personal reasons, so we are looking for someone to oversee day-to-day activity and relationship management with care homes and Radio Horton volunteers. However, this is by no means a temporary role, and we’d be delighted for the successful candidate to continue in-post, supporting our Care Home Coordinator when they are able to return.

We currently work with several local care homes and the Katharine House Hospice, whom all have internet radios so residents are able to access Radio Horton and benefit from our programmes. It is envisaged we will be able to resume our Care Home Request Programme in the near future and organise for our volunteers to visit the care homes, meet the residents, discuss their musical tastes/interests and gather requests.

Duties may include:
• Establish, manage and maintain relationships with care homes and external providers.
• Lead on projects with care home partners to help further Radio Horton’s charitable objects.
• Ensure consent is obtained and recorded for specific projects or activities.
• Facilitates with Radio Horton volunteers on visiting care homes and ensuring risk assessments are completed as necessary.

Previous experience working or volunteering within the healthcare sector would be beneficial but is not essential.

The post holder should have access to a computer with proficiency in using Microsoft Office. A Radio Horton email address will be provided.

As this role is voluntary, candidates are not expected to be able to perform the above list in its entirety. However, these skills and attributes are desirable. There is no minimum time commitment although the successful candidate should be fully committed to performing the role to the best of their ability at the time available or suited to them. There is also opportunity to role-share should multiple candidates apply.

Whilst this is a behind the scenes role, there are also opportunities (again not essential) for the post holder to become involved with the station in other elements, for example ward visiting, fundraising or on-air broadcast/presenting a programme.

You will be expected to attend monthly committee/trustee board meetings or membership meetings, reporting on activities undertaken and sharing or discussing any current projects or concerns. You are also welcome to give input during the meetings. Typically, our meetings take place on weekday evenings in the Waitrose Community Room (OX16 2FW) or the Horton General Hospital (OX16 9AL) so access to transport is essential. Due to COVID-19, meetings are currently being held virtually/online via the Google Meets platform.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. You must be 16 years old to join Radio Horton and 18+ to undertake this role. There is no upper age limit.

The successful candidate will enrol as a Member of Radio Horton and must complete a membership application form for Radio Horton.

Come and be part of a great local charity -and team of hospital, health and wellbeing broadcasters!

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or call Sam on 07857070638.