Event Assitant

Job summary In this role you will co-ordinate the production of the events.
You will lead the design of specific events and to be on team at several events, engaging with, supporting and welcoming families.
Tasks include team prep meetings, shopping for resources, risk assessment, creating Eventbrite and webpages, inviting families, prepping, hosting the event and follow-up feedback.
Events take place at our hospices and in the community across our catchment.
The Events Assistant is part of our Psychosocial Services and will hear about current families in need, including end-of-life children who may require a wish organised (such as their room decorated in a special theme, or a trip out to a favourite, magical place).
The Events Assistant will help think about which events may be helpful to families referred.
The ambition of our strategy is to ensure every family affected by a life-limiting condition, or the sudden death of a child, has access to the specialist care that they need.
This includes providing opportunities for children and family members to meet others who have experienced this.
Our events programme is key to this success.
Main duties of the job About youThis role requires experience of working with children and families, and the passion to add sparkle to the lives of those we support.
We are looking for someone who enjoys the buzz of a party, who is able to help create joyful memories for our families.
The individual in this role needs to be organised, able to multi-task (planning multiple events at once) and good at working in a fast-paced environment.
You should be someone sensitive to the needs of families, comfortable supporting families experiencing incredibly challenging times, willing to listen and care.Once or twice a month the Events Assistant is asked to lead an event on a Saturday or Sunday.Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Childrens Hospices.
About us We have an exciting opportunity for an Events Assistant to join our Family Support Team at Shooting Star Childrens Hospices.Shooting Star Childrens Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or whose child has died.
Rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.
Our Care Events team provide an extensive programme of groups and events for the 750+ life-limited children, their families and bereaved families.
There are themed family events, social groups for siblings of different ages, pamper days for mums, counselling groups, memorial days and many festive events such as ice-skating at Hampton Court.
There are 3-4 events each week, making many opportunities for families to make memories together.
Job description Job responsibilities Introduction to Team Family Support Family Support Team: Our Family Support Team offers emotional,practical, and spiritual support to families navigating the challenges ofcaring for a seriously ill child.
This team includes counsellors, socialworkers, and volunteers who provide specialist interventions, guidance,companionship, and resources to help families cope with the emotional andpractical aspects of their journey.JobProfile a) Main purpose of job in delivering our strategy The Care Events team provide acomprehensive programme of exciting groups and events for the 750+ life-limitedchildren, their families and bereaved families.
This includes interactive,themed family events, social groups for siblings of different ages, Pamper Daysfor mums, counselling groups, memorial days and many festive events such as ice-skatingevenings.
There are 3-4 events each week, making for a busy programme.
The mainpurpose of this role is to co-ordinate the production of the events led byvarious members of the team, to lead the design of some events, and to be onteam at several events, engaging with, supporting and welcoming families.
Productiontasks include team prep meetings, shopping for resources, risk assessment, creatingEventbrite and webpages, inviting families, prepping, hosting and follow-upfeedback.
Events take place at our hospices and across our catchment.
CareEvents sits within the Psychosocial Services, where the Events Assistant willhear about current families in need, including end-of-life children who mayrequire a wish organised (such as their room decorated in a special theme, or atrip out to a favourite place).
From multi-disciplinary discussions aboutfamilies, the Event Assistant helps consider which events might support afamilys need or emotional wellbeing.
Our strategy aims to ensure everyfamily affected by a life-limiting condition, or the sudden death of a child,has access to the specialist care that they need.
This includes providingopportunities for children and family members to meet others who haveexperienced this.
The Events programme is key to this success.
b) Main duties and key responsibilities Planningthe Annual Event ProgrammeWorking with the Events Manager andPsychosocial Leads to design the Annual Event Programme, considering successes,areas for improvement and new opportunities.Ensuring a varied programme that engages bothlife-limited children and their families, and those who are bereaved.Ensuring events for families from diversebackgrounds, celebrating various festivals and considering different ways toengage families.Ensuring events are accessible to families,with opportunities local to them.Supporting bereaved families with safefirsts, for example, attending a grotto for the first time at the hospice,after one of their children has died.EventProductionFacilitating Look and Feel meetings withthose leading eventsEvent research regarding venues, providersand engaging opportunitiesResearching and purchasing materials forevents Co-ordinating with the admin/facilities teamto arrange catering and equipment/spaces.
Creating outlook appointments for events,with key event informationCalling venues and service providers to bookand confirm details Making Eventbrite pages and proof-readingtext created by others.Updating social media with posts aroundevents and important informationSending monthly texts via Firetext, notifyingfamilies of eventsIdentifying key families to invite/remind.
Ensuring RSVPs are processed and recordedEnsuring media consent is in place forfamilies Ensuring staffing is in placeSeeking approval for risk assessmentsManaging waiting lists of popular eventsWorking with the PR & Comms team topublicise low take-up eventsSetting up text notifications to remindfamilies of eventsOrganising and assisting with foodprep/collection for eventsEvent TeamEvent set-up / facilitation/ take downWelcoming families and helping them to feelsettledSupporting children, young people (andadults) to engage with activities, including those with profound and multiplelearning disabilitiesListening to and talking to families as theyengage with activitiesFacilitating family members to build theirsupport network by getting to know other SSCH families (for example dadsmeeting other dads, siblings meeting other siblings).To supervise activities to ensure safetyTo adapt and flex within event plans toensure high quality experience and responsiveness to needs.Collecting feedback, using interactive andcreative methods for children and young people.Post-Event ProductionRecording attendance on Excel.Inputting notes concerning attendance andchildren and families on to the Care Database.Sending families professional photos taken ofthem at events as precious keepsakes.Post event admin and thank you cards etcCollating feedback and sharing this data withrelevant staff members, volunteers and leads.WishesIdentifying opportunities where children maybenefit from wishesBeing allocated referrals for wishes at MDTmeetingsTalking to family members about their wishResearching potential items to decoratebedrooms, visits or trips out.Liaising with relevant staff membersFacilitating wishes events/setting updecorationsCollecting feedback sensitively from staffmembers, and where appropriate, familiesContinuing to revise and improve our wishesprocess/planning/facilitation.VolunteerCo-ordinationInformal interviews with potential volunteersBooking volunteers for eventsHelp directing donations Help support wider team eventsAssistingwith producing wishes for end-of-life children and familiesCo-ordinatingMaterialsCo-ordinating storage and organising toydonationsStoring and organising event items for futureuse enabling creative recycling of resourcesMulti-disciplinaryContributionAttending multi-disciplinary meetings wherefamilies needs and referrals are discussed by professionalsContributing to discussions, identifyingwhere events may support the needs of families Providing a focus on wellbeing opportunitiesat eventsAttending in-house team meetings tounderstand need and promote events.
To consider development and improvement ofthe events programme through reflection on emerging needs from familiesCreating presentations for the wider team,sharing learning, training and event data c) Other Requirements These requirements will beapplicable to some posts.
The postholder must be able and willing to travel to and work in both hospices.The post holder will needto travel extensively throughout the SSCH geographical area in other parts ofSurrey, North-West London and South-West London.Events takeplace during evenings and weekends.
This is likely 1-2 each month.
Hours ofwork and days of work can be swapped on weeks where this takes place.The post holder will berequired to apply for an Enhanced