Links

link

"(You're brilliant). How are you doing...?"
Every Supported and Advocate Member has a Link to help them with co-operative membership.
To be a Link for someone you will:
  • Be an informal mentor and cheerleader for that person
  • Meet regularly, no less than once every three months - you and your linked person decide this together (this can be a longer time period for Supported and Advocate members)
  • Remember their birthday! Mark special occasions and co-ordinate kindnesses.
  • Remind others about any health or accessibility needs your linked person has and ensure equipment, venues, meetings, events etc are bearing these in mind.
  • Keep them up to date with news (as appropriate)
  • Introduce them to Equal Care Co-op and support them in the work they are doing, whether that's unpaid or paid
  • Be the problem-solver. Share the problem, solve it together. Enlist others' help.
  • For those volunteering their time, you will help them plan and carry out their role, including:
    • a role description shaped to suit them – we support role-shaping and ‘role-carving’ (matching and creating roles to fit the person)
    • the amount of time it is likely to take up
    • where the volunteering will take place
    • any formal training or additional support that needs arranging
    • support for their future aspirations, which may include paid work with Equal Care Co-op or moving into employment elsewhere.
Being a Link can be a lot of work, or a little, depending on who you are linked to, their strengths, needs and experience.
  • Everyone contributing their labour to Equal Care Co-op (regardless of whether they are a Member or not) has a Link.
  • Every Supported and Advocate Member has a Link, usually this role is filled by the Equal Care Facilitator.
  • Everyone else can ask for a Link and you never know, one might come along!
  • You cannot be a Link for someone if you have trouble seeing their value and potential.
  • You cannot be a Link for someone for more than one year.
  • People change link worker at the beginning of a new year.