DATE:October 2016

POST:Get Volunteering Coordinator North West

CONTRACT:Fixed Term 3 years

HOURS:22.5

SALARY: £13,466 pa + pension & other benefits

HOLIDAY: 25 days + bank and statutory holidays pro rata

RESPONSIBLE TO:Regional Programmes Team Manager

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An enhanced DBS check is required as this position will involve directly working with vulnerable young people.

BACKGROUND

Depaul UK delivers a wide range of support and housing services for young people and adults at risk of homelessness. We specialise in the provision of services that; prevent homelessness, increase the resilience of those we work with and energise opportunities for employment, education, training and volunteering in the communities we work within. Our organisation reaches from Newcastle to London, Greater Manchester to Sheffield and Kent.

SUMMARY OF JOB

We are seeking a new coordinator to work within Depaul’s Big Lottery funded ‘Get up and Go’ progression programme. The focus of this role is to develop and then coordinate our new ‘Get Volunteering’ sub-focus of Get up and Go. This will be achieved by working flexibly across the region in brokering and supporting internal (Depaul based) and external (community based) volunteering placements for young people who access support from Depaul. The role will also include coordinating the regional client involvement efforts and supporting with other elements of Get up and Go delivery where required.

Your work will be underpinned by the Depaul Endeavour model of assets based, psychologically informed delivery, the aim of which is to ensure that every client leaves a Depaul service with the skills and resilience to be confident and self determining in their lives.

Key Deliverables

  • Proactively recruit young people from Depaul services (people aged 16-25 who have faced homelessness in the past) to get involved in volunteering activity. In doing so ensuring Depaul’s policies and procedures relating to client volunteer recruitment and support are implemented.
  • Monitor and record levels of client volunteering and participation.
  • Produce regular reports and case studies detailing client volunteering and involvement.
  • Build a network of external local organisations who will offer volunteering opportunities for the young people.
  • Develop and coordinate a series of one off volunteering taster days.
  • Deliver all relevant induction training and on going support for client volunteers, including ensuring appropriate reference checks are carried out and recorded where required.
  • Lead on the generation of evidence for client volunteering awards / qualifications.
  • Coordinate a team of client community ambassadors
  • Promote and coordinate regional client involvement forums.
  • To be involved in any celebration events for all volunteers.
  • To support with other elements of Get up and Go where required including general volunteer recruitment, covering sessions, activities and assisting with supporting our regional Erasmus + funded full time European volunteers (here with us on 12 month placements).
  • To ensure that all processes for distributing volunteer expenses are inline with Depaul financial policies.
  • Ensuring lone working, safeguarding and quality assurance measures are followed and managed appropriately, reporting any relevant issues in accordance with project procedures in a timely manner.
  • To work proactively across all Depaul local project teams, championing volunteering and understanding the needs of individual services and the needs of young people when developing new volunteering roles and initiatives.
  • To keep accurate records of all volunteers and any records needed for the safe and effective running of the service, complying with Data protection legislation and Depaul UK policy in regard to the storage and sharing of personal data of staff, volunteers and young people.
  • To participate in internal/external meetings as required, and attend training events, conferences and other functions as necessary.
  • To participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal, and help in identifying your own job-related development and training needs.
  • To ensure that all Depaul policies and procedures are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, Code of Practice and Confidentiality.
  • To contribute to the effective implementation of the Depaul Diversity and Equality Policy as it affects both Depaul and its work with young people.
  • To at all times undertake your role in a professional manner maintaining a high quality standard of work, and to always work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of Depaul
  • Undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role.

What we are looking for from you – Person Specification

When completing your application form please address all the points set out below.

  • Managing volunteering programmes in a charitable setting.
  • Experience of individual and group working with young people from our client group.
  • Experience of developing co-produced progression programmes and empowering clients to take a leading role.
  • Experience of developing and coordinating partnerships
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety and anti discriminatory working practices, and the implications of both in the working environment.
  • Experience of ensuring Safeguarding procedures are followed and managed appropriately, reporting any relevant issues in accordance with project procedures in a timely manner.
  • Ability to focus on views and needs of clients, developing effective, quality driven services and Client Participation opportunities
  • Effective organisational skills e.g. achievements of deadlines, planning and coordinating events/activities, priority setting, maintenance of accurate administrative records, etc.
  • Experience of delivering training to various groups
  • Written and verbal communication is precise and accurate.
  • Promotes equality and diversity, upholding the rights of clients, staff and volunteers
  • Microsoft office skills
  • Motivated, adaptable, perseverant and accurate.
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Ability to practically implement new ideas to solve problems, bringing about improvement to service and resources
  • Ability to build up and maintain a network of external contacts who can help achieve service goals.
  • Can travel where required and attend evening meetings, conferences as appropriate to the needs of the job
  • Effective collaborative working
  • Ability to effectively reflect on own practices for ongoing learning and development
  • Respect for the values and ethos of Depaul and its founding partners

What we will do to support you in this role

Will provide the following resources to assist in the successful achievement of the responsibilities outlined above:

  • A full induction and training to enhance the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills required’.
  • Continuous support and supervision including reflective practice to develop your learning and skills as a practitioner.

Vincentian Values

The Depaul Group began in the UK in 1989 at the initiative of the late Cardinal Basil Hume, as a response to the needs of the growing numbers of homeless people on the streets of London.

Vincentian values are at the heart of what we do, they focus on:

  • A commitment to rights and responsibilities
  • A focus on putting our words into action
  • Taking a wider role in civil society
  • A belief in the potential of people

You can read more about St Vincent Depaul, Depaul UK and Depaul International on our website.

THE DISCLOSURE & BARRING SERVICE – DISCLOSURE

Depaul UK aims to promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. Depaul UK welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Criminal records will be taken into account for requirement purposes only when the conviction is relevant.

As Depaul UK meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013) by SI 2013 1198’. All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings, as well as convictions.

This job description is a statement of requirements at the time of writing and is not contractual. It should not be seen as precluding future changes after appointment to this role.

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