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.