Dementia Adviser (Rare Dementia Support)

At Alzheimer's Society, we believe no one should face dementia alone. Every conversation, every visit and every small moment of reassurance can make a real difference.

We are looking for a warm, thoughtful and organised Rare Dementia Adviser to join our partnership service with Rare Dementia Support (RDS), based at the Hilary and Galen Weston Rare Dementia Support Centre, working 35 hours per week on a permanent basis. This is a hybrid role involving regular travel across the Bloomsbury, London area.

You will work closely with people living with rare dementia and those who care about them, providing personalised support throughout their journey. You will listen carefully, understand what matters most to each individual and provide information, guidance and reassurance that helps people feel informed, supported and more confident in managing the challenges they face.

Your days will be varied and meaningful. You will spend time at the Rare Dementia Support Centre supporting members in person and online, facilitating peer support groups, undertaking assessments and working collaboratively with professionals to ensure people receive the right support at the right time.

You will participate in a triage system for new referrals, helping to ensure enquiries are responded to promptly, sensitively and effectively. You will also manage your own caseload, maintain accurate records and contribute to the ongoing development of this exciting partnership between Alzheimer's Society and Rare Dementia Support.

You will be part of a supportive and dynamic team, with opportunities to develop your knowledge of dementia, strengthen your skills and contribute to innovative ways of supporting people affected by rare dementias.

You do not need direct experience of supporting people affected by rare dementia to apply. However, an understanding of dementia, experience supporting people with complex needs, or a willingness to develop specialist knowledge of rare dementias will be important.

About you

You will have:

• An understanding of rare dementia, personal experience of supporting someone affected by rare dementia, or a willingness to learn about the experiences of people living with rare dementia and those who care for them.

• Experience providing information, guidance, advice or emotional support. This may have been gained through health, social care, community, voluntary, customer service, education, housing, retail, hospitality or other people-focused roles.

• Excellent listening and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with people from a wide range of backgrounds and adapt your approach to meet individual needs.

• Experience of working collaboratively with a range of professionals, organisations or services to achieve positive outcomes for people affected by dementia.

• An understanding of the value of partnership working and the ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, healthcare professionals and external stakeholders.

• The ability to manage your workload effectively, balance competing priorities and work independently with appropriate support.

• Confidence using IT systems to maintain accurate and confidential records.

• A compassionate, non-judgemental and person-centred approach, with respect for diversity, inclusion and individual lived experiences.

• The ability to travel independently across the service area.

• Confidence representing Alzheimer's Society and Rare Dementia Support at local events, providing information and signposting people to relevant support and resources.

Key responsibilities

• Build supportive and trusting relationships with people living with rare dementia and those who care for them, recognising and respecting individual needs and circumstances.

• Provide personalised information, advice and emotional support that reflects each person's circumstances, preferences, culture and values.

• Deliver support through in person settings, telephone contact, virtual appointments and partnership working with other professionals.

• Participate in the triage rota, ensuring new referrals are responded to promptly, sensitively and appropriately.

• Manage a defined caseload, maintaining accurate, respectful and confidential records.

• Signpost and connect people to relevant services, community resources and support networks, helping to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing.

• Work collaboratively as part of the Alzheimer's Society and Rare Dementia Support partnership, building positive relationships and contributing to effective joint working.

• Contribute to reflective practice, service development and continuous improvement within the team.

• Facilitate and deliver peer support groups, creating safe and inclusive spaces where people affected by rare dementia can share experiences, build connections and access tailored support.

• Act as an ambassador for Alzheimer's Society and Rare Dementia Support, helping to raise awareness and understanding of rare dementia amongst professionals, communities and partner organisations.

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. Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society. We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply. To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice. We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice. We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.

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