Meals4Health Support Worker
Lead the Nourish and Connect Project with COPE Galway
About COPE Galway
COPE Galway has been providing essential social services in Galway for 60 years. We respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support older people towards healthy, independent ageing. Ourvision is for a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life.
COPE Galway is deeply embedded in the Galway community. We are founded on the belief that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve and our community.
Our People
Our People, COPE Galway staff and volunteers, are the driving force behind everything we do. Their passion, commitment, and professionalism enable us to deliver a wide range of services, support more people, and make a real impact in the community.
We have a diverse range of roles, from frontline support workers and social care professionals to catering, community engagement and other professional roles. Each role is crucial in ensuring we deliver our services effectively and make a positive impact in the community.
Working with COPE Galway
Joining our team means you will make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the families and individuals we support and contribute to driving meaningful social change in the community. Whether you are a frontline worker directly supporting clients or in an administrative role, you are vital to our efforts to address critical issues like homelessness and domestic abuse and to ensure that older people are valued and supported.
At COPE Galway, we prioritise the development and wellbeing of our people. We offer a supportive work environment, with opportunities for ongoing training, personal and professional growth, and leadership development.
Our Culture
We foster an inclusive, supportive and respectful workplace, where diversity is valued. Our team is united by a shared mission and a genuine passion for empowering people and creating meaningful change. We take a trauma-informed approach to the way we work and foster this culture in every aspect of the organisation, including a focus on the health and wellbeing of our staff.
Senior Support Service
COPE Galway Senior Support Service supports older people to live healthy, independent and connected lives in their homes and communities. We provide a range of social, nutritional and practical supports through our community support programme, befriending services and community spaces like Sonas Day Centre and The Bungalow. These are welcoming spaces where older people can meet, receive support, and participate in social and wellbeing activities.
We also offer a premium meal delivery service through Meals4Health, a COPE Galway social enterprise which prepares nutritious, tasty, and affordable meals and delivers them to people at their homes.
Social Care Support Worker – Nourish & Connect project - Job Description
The Role:
The social care support worker will lead the implementation of the 'Nourish and Connect Project' - an initiative designed to enhance the befriending aspects of the Meals4Health phone service for older people. This role will strengthen social connection, promote nutritional wellbeing, and provide signposting to relevant supports, activities and services. The role will support an integrated approach to reducing isolation and enhancing social connection for older people. The social care support worker will actively liaise with, network, and collaborate with community, charitable and statutory agencies that support older people in the Galway area. The position will promote Meals4Health delivery and befriending service, ensuring older people experience warmth, dignity and inclusion.
Key Responsibilities
Project Leadership
1. Provide empathetic, person-centred phone support to older people, including those placing meal orders and those seeking social connection or guidance.
2. Develop and share information on age-friendly initiatives and community resources.
3. Act as a liaison between older people and relevant services, providing signposting and advocacy.
Volunteer leadership
4. Lead and support a team of friendly phone call administration volunteers, ensuring they are trained, motivated, and resourced to provide high-quality, compassionate service.
5. Coordinate volunteer schedules and provide ongoing guidance and supervision.
Finance & Accounts Administration
6. Support finance-related tasks including month-end and year-end accounts administration.
7. Assist with invoice processing, reconciliation, and budget tracking.
8. Liaise with finance team to ensure timely and accurate reporting.
Administration & Reporting
9. Data collection - maintain accurate records of all project activities, including client interactions and referral to other services
10. Prepare reports for funders and management on project progress and impact
11. Ensure compliance with data protection and safeguarding policies
Qualifications & Experience:
12. QQI level 5 in social care, community development, or related field
13. A candidate with a lower qualification may be considered suitable if the candidate demonstrates relevant experience, skills and attributes.
14. Strong communication and interpersonal skills with an empathetic approach
15. Ability to work independently and as part of a team
16. Experience in working with volunteers/staff in a management capacity
Core Competencies:
17. Empathy and active listening
18. Organisational and time management skills
19. Digital literacy for record keeping and communication
20. Experience of working on a one-to-one basis with older people or vulnerable populations.
21. A positive and "can-do" attitude
22. An ability to maintain professional boundaries.
23. An ability to encourage and promote positive community spirit.
24. An ability to foster positive relations with colleagues and other professional agencies.
25. Own transport and a full driver's licence.
Key Terms and Conditions:
26. Contract Period: Fixed Term 3 Year Full-Time Contract
27. Salary & Scale: €38,334
28. Method of Pay: Monthly
29. Annual Leave: 24 days per annum
30. Employee Assistance Programme (up to €240 for private counselling)
31. Trauma-Informed Practice training
32. Learning and Development opportunities
33. Pension Scheme
34. Bike to Work Scheme
35. Christmas Savings Scheme
36. Subsidised Study Assistance
37. Access to Hospital Saturday Fund
38. Staff discounts with selected local businesses
Equal Opportunity Employer
COPE Galway is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and working environments for all our employees.