Role Description: Helpline Volunteer

ROLE DESCRIPTION: HELPLINE VOLUNTEER

Responsible to: Volunteer Development Officer

Time Commitment: Minimum one 4 hour morning or afternoon shift per week Location: Staffordshire Women’s Aid HQ - Stafford

Introduction: / Our helpline is the first point of contact for agencies and service users alike. Our helpline is available 24 hours a day, 352 days a year enabling us to be accessible to those who need us most. During office hours, the helpline is predominantly run by a group of dedicated volunteers who are fully trained to respond to the varied calls received.
Main Duties: /

To listen and respond appropriately to the varied calls on the helpline
To log and record all helpline calls
To take self-referrals and referrals from other professionals for all Staffordshire Women’s Aid services and record them appropriately
To make follow-up calls to service users and professionals
To offer advice and information as appropriate
Offer emotional support as appropriate
To signpost callers to other services / agencies where appropriate and relevant
To respond to enquiries and offers of donations
To attend relevant training, volunteer and team meetings and supervision

Specific
Requirements: /

To provide an excellent customer focused service
To work as a committed member of the Staffordshire Women’s Aid team
To support the aims, values and principles of Staffordshire Women’s Aid and to uphold Staffordshire Women’s Aid’s policies and procedures
To take all possible steps to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the service users, staff, volunteers and management of Staffordshire Women’s Aid.
A willingness to learn about the issues surrounding domestic violence

Desirable Skills: /

Effective listening, communication and interpersonal skills
Reliable, dependable and flexible
Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries
A sensitive and non-judgemental approach
An understanding of equality and diversity
An ability to remain calm under pressure
An ability to record information accurately
A sense of humour

Benefits to the Volunteer: /

Gaining a deeper and professional understanding of issues surrounding domestic and sexual violence
Training internally and externally will provide you with a unique framework of knowledge required to work in the Domestic and Sexual Violence sector.
Full support and supervision
An opportunity to help us strengthen our support of victims of domestic and sexual violence

Other Information: /

All volunteers will be subject to an enhanced DBS clearance check prior to commencing volunteering with Staffordshire Women’s Aid
Contact: Volunteer Development Officer, 0870 2700 123,

Travel expenses will be paid – expenses form to be completed on a monthly basis as per the Staffordshire Women’s Aid expenses policy.