Reception/IRC Support Volunteer

Reception/IRC Support Volunteer

Role summary Help Shelter in providing a welcoming and efficient customer service experience by supporting the Reception and Information Resource Centre (IRC) with clients who are accessing our services

Suggested Involvement Half a day or one full day per week for a minimum of 6 months but this is flexible

Location Shelter Dorset (Bournemouth), 30 Poole Hill, Bournemouth BH2 5PS

Supervised by ASG Team Leader

Why get involved with Shelter?

At our Dorset service, based in Bournemouth, Shelter offers free advice and specialist help on a wide range of housing issues. We support and guide clients on a number of issues including homelessness, disrepair, overcrowding, problems with landlords or tenants, and also housing benefit matters. Our Bournemouth hub has a client drop-in advice service available and a contract to provide Legal Aid. We also offer a Court Desk service in both Bournemouth and Weymouth county courts on possession days. As a Reception/IRC Volunteer, you will be acting as our initial point of contact for clients visiting our drop-in advice service and IRC. You will be an invaluable part of our team as Shelter support thousands of clients a year and we need your help to deliver more of what we do to the people who need us most.

Main Tasks can include

·  Volunteering on reception during the drop-in service from 10am to 2pm

·  Meeting and greeting clients

·  Assisting Clients with form filling

·  Support Clients to use Choice Based Lettings systems

·  Answering calls and responding to enquiries

·  Signposting people to appropriate services

·  General basic admin

Skills and Abilities Required

·  Experience of working with the public

·  Interest in social welfare law e.g. housing; welfare benefits; debt; community care

·  Effective communication skills and the ability to understand the needs of our customers

·  Ability to organise your own work, manage your time and work on your own initiative

·  Confident using computers and programs such as Word and Excel to a good standard

·  Willingness to follow Shelter’s policies, including volunteering, health & safety, equality & diversity & confidentiality

Induction, Learning & Development

To enable you take part in this opportunity Shelter will

·  Provide a volunteer induction and Volunteer Handbook with the relevant policies and procedures

·  Access to our online E-Learning Suite including mandatory training: Equality & Diversity, Health & Safety, Data Protection, Safeguarding and Case Management Systems

·  Provide relevant in-house training, coaching and shadowing to enable you to fulfil your role

·  Provide regular 1-2-1s to discuss your role and volunteering experience

Benefits of Volunteering with Shelter

·  Supporting and learning about the work of a large national charity

·  Developing transferable skills

·  Enhances your CV, we can help you to update this and will provide references when you leave our services

·  Reimburse “out of pocket” expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer expenses policy

Next Steps

·  Please apply online by clicking the ‘apply for this position’ button for the application form. Alternatively, if you have received an application pack via post or email, please complete the application and return it to . After you have applied, we will invite successful candidates to an informal interview to discuss the role further.

·  As this role may require you to handle sensitive information, we may have to carry out a basic DBS check

·  Please note, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions. Having a criminal record does not mean that you cannot volunteer with us. It may limit the different ways that you can get involved, but please contact us (using the email stated above), if you require more information.

This is a voluntary position that supports the work of our services and is not replacing the work of a paid member of staff. This role description does not form part of any contract of employment.