Please see below for our current vacancies. If you are interested in any of the roles and would like to have an informal chat then please contact the office on 0208 605 0060 or email kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org
Information Technology Volunteer
Step up! Be our new Secretary
About us
Did you know that almost a million people in the UK today have a visual impairment? That means someone you know – friends, family, colleagues or even yourself – is almost certainly experiencing sight loss.
Since 1966 KAB has operated within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London offering a range of services and support for visually impaired people.
Our vision is for all people living with sight loss in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames to lead independent and fulfilled lives.
About you
We are looking to recruit a Secretary and other new volunteer trustees to help KAB remain sustainable, relevant and effective in a rapidly changing landscape of economic, societal and technological change, so that KAB can continue to serve, and be the voice of, local people with sight loss.
Our new Secretary will be someone methodical and able to ensure the smooth running of our trustee meetings, including producing agendas, minute taking, and ensuring that trustee meetings and decisions comply with the constitution and relevant legal frameworks.
We have six 3-hour trustee meetings per year. In addition we anticipate that that trustees will contribute another 4-8 days in preparation, guidance and advice. Trustee indemnity insurance is in place.
This is a unique role in which you will gain valuable experience in a charity adapting for change to support vulnerable people.
If you are interested in becoming our new Secretary then please email your CV to ceo@kingstonassociationforblind.org
If you have friends or family who could step up to the role, tell them about this exciting opportunity.
For an initial discussion about the role please contact Roy Smith MBE on 07803 288083 or email rfsmith88@virginmedia.com
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds to ensure that our trustee board reflects the diversity of our community.
Downloads:
Job description
KAB Strategic Plan for Secretary Role
Closing date: Monday May 22nd
Welfare Benefits Advisor
Contract: 2-year contract, part time
Hours: 20 per week
Location: Greater London
Salary: £15,390 plus 5% pension.
Closing Date: Monday 29th May 10am
Expected Date of Interviews June 7-9th
About the role
Do you want to use your extensive experience to help local people with sight loss realise their welfare rights and entitlements?
Kingston Association for the Blind (KAB) provides a number of services which foster the health and wellbeing of and empower people with visual impairments (VI). This particular project is funded by Trust for London.
Purpose
The Welfare Benefits Advisor will work with the KAB team to deliver a comprehensive, quality and accessible welfare benefits advice service. The post holder will provide the service through a variety of channels at our office, the person’s home, and/or other venues across the Borough.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring check.
If you are interested in becoming our new Welfare Benefits Advisor then please email your CV to ceo@kingstonassociationforblind.org
Downloads:
Application form
Job description
Equalities form
Closing date Monday 29th May 10am
Fundraising Volunteer
We are looking for a Fundraising Volunteer, who can help broaden our fundraising efforts.
A volunteer who is passionate about blind and partially sighted people’s health and wellbeing, with a commitment to helping KAB achieve their income goals.
The Fundraising Volunteer tasks include:
· Research potential funding opportunities and pull together a compelling case for support and help us to successfully apply for funding to help deliver our invaluable services and cover our core costs.
· Maintain a schedule of all grant funding considered, highlighting deadlines, amounts being sought and status on applications and payment timings.
· Timely preparation of grant application and coordinate review and approval process by the Chairman and Treasurer.
· Timely submission of grants within the deadlines for the respective grants being targeted.
The following qualities and skills are desirable but not essential:
· Successful track record of professional fundraising.
· Excellent written communication skills and an ability to build strong relationships and tell compelling stories will be invaluable.
· Numerate and good understanding of financial matters
· Comfortable with speaking to strangers and networking to help build our reach and community engagement.
· Creative person who can formulate solid fundraising ideas, help with awareness and fundraising campaigns, and who can bring a different perspective to the conversation.
· Self‐motivated and able to prioritise a busy workload.
What difference will you make?
The impact you will have is strengthening existing relationships, helping identify new opportunities, building new relationships and helping KAB fund the essential services we provide to the blind and partially sighted living in the borough of Kingston upon Thames.
You will help to increase our sustainability and raise our profile across the borough so more people know how to access our services and how
they can support KAB in whatever way they feel able. The opportunity to help us continue to provide and develop our services for years to come.
We would welcome input varying from as little as 4 – 6 hours per week.
Information Technology Volunteer
We are looking for an Information Technology Volunteer to assist successfully in technology support to our visually impaired and blind members.
The Information Technology Volunteer tasks include:
· Provide support with any tech issues to service users this may include home visits or over the phone.
· Support with the implementation and use of assistive technologies to meet service users accessibility needs.
· Troubleshooting.
· Ensure security and privacy of networks and computer systems.
The following qualities and skills are desirable but not essential:
· Good networking and communication skills: phone, face to face, email
· IT skills/knowledge to enable support to service users.
· Computer access remotely.
· Knowledge of assistive technology e.g., Voice Recognition software.
· Good problem-solving skills.
· Marketing/promotional experience.
· Previous volunteering experience or work with disabled or older people.
· Good knowledge of internet security and data privacy.
What difference will you make?
Many blind and partially sighted, disabled people and older people struggle to get the most from technology and need encouragement from a trustworthy helpful person to offer independent advice and day to day tech support.
Computers can help gain independence, prevent isolation and keep people connected with family, friends, shopping and so much more. When something goes wrong with their technology suddenly all this is taken away, and you can help to give it back.
We would welcome input varying from as little as 3-4 hours per week.
Eye Buddy Volunteer
Eye Buddy and Telephone Befriending Volunteers - Kingston Association for the Blind (KAB)
We are looking for Eye Buddy and Telephone Befriending Volunteers over the age of 18, who are committed to visit or telephone a client once a week, sometimes once a fortnight, on a regular basis.
Volunteers who are enthusiastic and feel passionate about blind and partially sighted people’s health and wellbeing.
Eye Buddy and Telephone Befriending Volunteer tasks include:
· Good communication skills.
· Effective listening skills with patience and empathy.
· Friendly and supportive.
· Keeping regular contact with a blind or partially sighted client to reduce isolation either by visiting in their home or over the phone at agreed mutual date/time weekly or fortnightly.
· Establish client interests, encourage an older person to meet other people and be less lonely.
· Ensure a person with mobility problems can benefit from attending social activities or lunch club by organising transport.
· Tasks either include popping in for a chat over a cup of tea/coffee, taking client shopping, for a walk, reading post, organising paperwork, writing letters, sewing, help with technology or general handyperson e.g., changing light bulbs.
· Confidentiality
· Ensure any concerns are reported to KAB.
The following qualities and skills are desirable but not essential:
· Commitment to client between 6 months to 1 year.
· Previous volunteering experience or work with blind and partially sighted and older people.
· Assertive and articulate making calls on client’s behalf to sort out a problem, when they do not feel confident to do so, themselves.
· Driver would be an advantage but is not essential.
What difference will you make?
This opportunity puts you at the heart of supporting blind and partially sighted, elderly people in our community. A chance to make a huge difference to people living with sight-loss in the borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Also, the opportunity to help us continue to provide and develop our services for years to come.
We would welcome input varying from as little as 1 – 2 hours per week.