Job Title: / Freedom Project Assistant – Greater London
Reporting to: / Freedom Project Co-ordinator (in their absence Head of Outreach Projects)
Location: / Islington, London EC1V (office based)
Contract: / Maternity Cover - (from 18th May)
Hours: / Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm
Revised: / Feb 2015
Post details / This post is for women only and is exempt under section 7.2 (e) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Summary
Dogs Trust Freedom Project is a pet fostering service for families fleeing domestic violence. The service places dogs into volunteer foster homes on a temporary basis until their owners are able to have them back. We also take referrals for cats and arrange care for them with Cats Protection. The Freedom Project has been running successfully in the Greater London Area since June 2004 and in Yorkshire since July 2005 to date we have helped over 1,200 pets.
The project takes referrals from various agencies, including; women’s refuges, the police and local authority housing departments. Each foster placement is continually monitored and each volunteer foster carer receives ongoing support and advice. For safety and confidentiality reasons owners are unable to visit their pets during placements. However, regular updates and photographs are sent. Pets are either returned to their owners once they are settled in a new home or rehomed via one of our 20 rehoming centres.
The Freedom Project Assistant will have experience of assessing and handling dogs in a working environment. They will have excellent communication skills, having worked in a public facing role, and will have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office. A large part of this role involves transporting dogs and cats across London and the Home Counties, so candidates should have a full UK driving licence and experience of driving as part of a previous role.
Duties
Freedom Project
The Freedom Project Assistant is managed by the Freedom Project Co-ordinator and will undertake tasks to enable the efficient running of the service, to include:
- Deal with pet referrals into the project from clients and referral organisations such as refuges, the police and housing departments
- Working alongside the Freedom Project Co-ordinator to assess and match dog referrals with suitable registered volunteer foster carers
- Work alongside the Cats Protection Freedom team in order to manage cat referrals and client contact during cat placements
- Collect and transport dogs and cats from safe locations in Greater London and the Home Counties
- In conjunction with the Freedom Project Co-ordinator, assess suitability of volunteer foster carers by carrying out home checks, interviews and referencing
- Carry out monitoring visits and support/advise volunteer foster carers during foster placements for dogs
- Monitor the welfare and behaviour of foster dogs during each placement and discuss any concerns with the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Sign up private veterinary surgeries to our veterinary payment and invoicing procedures on authorisation of the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Order dog food and necessary dog accessories/equipment for the project
- Update clients on their pet’s progress including sending them monthly updates and photographs. Discuss any concerns regarding client contact immediately with the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Maintain contact details for foster carers, clients and foster dogs on DTS (our internal database)
- Answer public enquiries coming into the project via telephone, email and letter
- Organise and attend events to promote the service and recruit Volunteer Foster Carers
- Attend regular update meetings with the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Cover the day to day running of the service in the absence of the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Collate weekly reports for the Freedom Project Co-ordinator
- Cover the out of hours mobile phone rota for both the Yorkshire and London Projects (one week in every six)
Duties Continued
General
- To assist and support the Freedom Project Co-ordinator and Outreach Projects team when required
- Liaise effectively with internal Dogs Trust departments where required
- To implement and abide by all Dogs Trust and Freedom Project service policies
- Ensure that all Health and Safety procedures, as deemed necessary after assessment of risk, are implemented and followed
- Carry out any other duties as directed by the Freedom Project Co-ordinator, Head of Outreach Projects or Campaigns Director
Person Specification
Essential
Experience and overall competency of assessing and handling a variety of dogs and breed types in a working environment
An overall commitment to the wellbeing and care of animals
Competent driver, with a valid driving licence, who has driven as part of a previous role
Confident and personable communicator (written and verbal), able to deal with sensitive and challenging situations in an appropriate and mature manner
Experience of working in a public facing role
Ability to work and communicate as part of a team but able to prioritise and to take responsibility for own workload
IT literate, able to use elements of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel & Outlook) and in-house databases
An understanding of the problems faced by families fleeing domestic violence with pets
Desirable
- Experience of transporting animals as part of a previous role
- Experience of home visiting in either voluntary or paid capacity
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