Live ChatMeet The Team: The Remote Caseworker
02 June 2020
Throughout its long history, SSAFA has had to adapt in order to continue to meets its objective of providing life-long support to serving and veteran servicemen and women and their famillies. The Coronavirus has changed all our lives, and for SSAFA's caseworkers - many of whom are themselves in the vulnerable category - it has brought real challenges. They are used to visiting people in need, to reassure and gather information before finding solutions to their problems, and that is simply not possible.
Remote Caseworkers are a product of the Coronavirus pandemic, and are trained to deal with clients by phone without face-to-face contact, assisting them to identify and explain their needs and to complete the relevant application. Remote Caseworkers will have to carry out a conversion course before having face-to-face contact with clients once the pandemic is over.
One such is Alan Large, a recent recruit to our band of volunteers in Wiltshire, and one of SSAFA's first batch of Remote Caseworkers. Although Alan believes there is no substitute for personal contact, particularly when a client has complex needs, he has been trained to build a relationship with a client and to encourage them to open up about their problems. Not easy when working remotely, but Alan has been trained to try to "sniff out" any wider issues.
Having worked as a lawyer in Somerset and the West Country for many years, Alan started working with the Armed Forces in Bulford. After seven years of daily commuting up and down the A303, he and his family decided to move to Wiltshire and have now settled in Durrington. After so many years of a three-hour round trip, Alan is very much enjoying the 10 minute commute and has even been known to run to work.
Encouraging anyone considering volunteering for SSAFA to find out more, Alan says that he "found the induction and training process very well organised and efficient, and everyone I have dealt with has been extremely friendly and welcoming."