Robes Project Coordinator - Job Description

ROBES PROJECT COORDINATOR - JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title: Project Co-ordinator

Employed by: The Robes Trustees

Responsible to: The Robes Trustees

Line manager: A Robes Trustee

Hours: 37.5 Full time or a job share between two people

Holiday: 25 days or pro-rata

Salary: £25,800 pro-rata

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Appointment will be subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period

Summary:

Robes is a small volunteer based charity operating in South London providing night shelters to the homeless during the winter months. It accepts people regardless of race, colour, religion or sexual orientation. Local churches with a team of volunteers open their premises and provide an evening meal, bed and breakfast for up to (currently) 15-20 homeless guests each night from November to March in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. Building on the experience of Robes and as a result of demand, it is envisaged that the number of venues in 2016/2017 will increase from 20 to 40. There are also plans to increase the volunteer engagement in various aspects of the project.

The role of the Co-ordinator is to coordinate and ensure that everything to do with volunteers and the shelters takes place e.g. to liaise with the night shelters and to facilitate the expansion of new venues, recruiting, training and supervising volunteers in their vital role in ensuring the function of the shelters. At this exciting time in the project, the person we seek will have organisational skills, a willingness also to undertake advice work and the ability to be involved in an agenda for change to which they will be asked contribute.

Main Objectives:

1.  Venues: To ensure sufficient venues are available to run the night shelters and to find new ones as the project expands

2.  Volunteers: To recruit, train and supervise volunteers

3.  Guests: To operate the referral system and to work with the Advice Worker in interviewing and resettlement of guests.

4.  Logistics: To set up and supervise a volunteer Logistics Team

5.  Events and Publicity: The Co-ordinator will ensure that the publicity is available to support the project, events and/or funding applications.

6.  Funding and Reports: write comprehensive management reports for trustees and funders; to support fundraising activities as required.

7.  Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): make sure good systems are in place to maximize information for M&E purposes and ensure that these are up-to-date.

8.  To support the Trustees and Project in developing the right management structures and the different roles staff will undertake. This is a period of evolution and will require creativity and flexibility

Responsibilities:

Venues:

Before Shelters open:

·  To prepare for a well-organised start to the Robes Project each year.

·  To liaise with all the host churches and venues so they are ready on their start date

·  To obtain written confirmation from each venue that it has up-to-date and appropriate insurance, risk-assessments and safe-guarding procedures in place and agreed policies and procedures and health and safety are understood

·  To provide each Team Leader with the updated Shelter Handbook, venue rota and appropriate contact details and keep them informed of relevant information re guests

While Shelters operating:

·  To attend each shelter venue as required, to encourage volunteers and guests and deal with issues

·  To support the safe running of the shelter sessions by ensuring daily log and attendance monitoring sheets are returned

·  To support recruitment of volunteers from other venues if necessary

·  Create extra activities if possible e.g. singing, English classes and supervise the weekly community lunch for guests

Immediately after the shelters have closed:

·  To liaise with the Logistics Team with the wind-down of the Project

·  Ensure that all agreed processes, procedures, policies (approved by the Trustees) including health and safety and relevant information is updated and available for the following year, particularly with a view to evaluation and future fundraising.

·  To write a report for the Trustees (which forms the basis for the Annual Report) and any necessary funding reports

·  To obtain relevant feedback from volunteers and guests as appropriate and appraise how the Winter Night Shelter Project went each year, entailing an assessment of the outcomes for each venue and guest and how procedures, steps taken could be modified, improved for the next winter

Ongoing development of venues:

·  Find out which venues are available and are willing to host again

·  Find new venues (2016 November) to start increasing to double numbers, nominally aimed at equal quantities in Southwark and in Lambeth boroughs

·  Stock taking of equipment of beds and bedding, liaising with Logistics Team

Volunteers:

·  To recruit, train and supervise volunteers, particularly Team Leaders, ensuring procedures for recruitment are adequate, that the training is relevant and that the volunteers are aware of where to find support if required

·  To support churches to recruit and communicate with volunteers and to maintain a database of 'floating volunteers' to fill gaps in Team Leader volunteer rotas

·  To provide training at each venue ahead of their start date

·  To obtain signed venue agreements confirming acceptance of Health and Safety responsibilities and that suitable Team Leaders are available for the three shifts

·  To plan a Volunteer Celebration event

·  In conjunction with Housing Justice to set up the mentoring and befriending scheme for guests leaving the Project and for those in Inn from the Cold

·  To write role descriptions for specific day time volunteer roles and follow clearly defined recruitment policies and procedures

Guests:

·  Support the referral and resettlement process and liaise with key referral agencies to operate agreed service level agreement s

·  To be appropriately involved with interviews and resettlement of guests

·  Liaise with the Advice Worker on the welfare of guests

Logistics:

·  To identify, establish, train and work closely with a central office volunteer Logistics Team and develop venue logistic officers to manage venue requirements of equipment and supplies.

·  Ensure purchase of equipment and supplies as budgeted & supervise the safe and appropriate delivery of equipment and supplies as required

·  Ensure timely and appropriate closure of venues

Events and Publicity:

·  To produce any materials required to support the Project within budget, promote fundraising, advertise events e.g. flyers, rotas, newsletter

·  To organize annual and other events taking place e.g. volunteer celebration event, carol singing

·  Make sure the website is kept up to date and ‘current’; use communications methods appropriately

·  In liaison with the Trustees, to write and produce the Robes Annual Report

Funding and Reports:

·  To work with the Fundraising Committee and draw up a fundraising calendar, to ensure that bids and reports are prepared in timely manner & be actively involved with funding applications as required

·  To establish monitoring processes to provide evidence that Robes is meeting its objectives

·  To collate information relating to guests, all data being treated in confidence; conduct review with guests and volunteers to ensure lessons learnt and new ideas incorporated

·  Input to the budgeting process when necessary; maintain records of expenditure, reporting to Treasurer each month

Partnerships:

·  To meet with all relevant services in the local area in order to discuss mutually beneficial ways of working e.g. Job Centre to visit weekly Community Lunch

·  To liaise with Housing Justice and to keep abreast of general developments in the Shelter movement

·  To liaise with other Night Shelter Projects to exchange information and advice

·  To represent Robes at the London Church Night Shelter Forum and other meetings as agreed with the Line Manager

·  To make full use of the Homeless London website

·  Establish links with local MP’s and Councillors as appropriate and possible

·  Maintain relationships with significant local businesses & partnerships e.g. Haysmacintyre and Kirkland and Ellis and Partners

Additional Responsibilities:

·  To attend any necessary training as agreed with the Line Manager for both professional development and to maintain good practice

·  To organise and attend regular Team Leaders' Meetings and to prepare the Agenda in consultation with Trustees &produce monthly reports

·  To update the Trustees on the Project, specifically bringing any areas of concern to the meeting e.g. Health & Safety issues

·  Ensure there is an up-to-date and maintained mailing list including contacts of churches in the Lambeth and Southwark boroughs.

·  To attend monthly supervision meetings, ensuring requests for leave & working arrangements are discussed in advance, reporting sickness as appropriate

·  To work in accordance to an out of hours on call system

Robes Project Co-ordinator June 2015