Volunteer Role Profile
Role Volunteer Information Peer (VIP)
Role summary To support the project Feel At Home With Your Finances by giving practical and detailed information about the project and by actively promoting the service within the community
Suggested InvolvementHalf a day or one day per week minimum suggested for around 6 months, but this is flexible
Supervised byProject Manager/Support Worker
Why get involved with Shelter?
More than one million people a year come to us for advice and support via our website, help lines, and national network of services. We help people to find and keep a home in a place where they can thrive, and we tackle the root causes of bad housing by campaigning for new laws, policies and practice
Feel At Home With Your Finances is a 5 year Big Lottery funded project aimed to improve financial confidence within the community.We are in partnership with Citizen Advice todeliver financial training to social housing tenants within Sloughand improve their money management skills and help them take control of their finances.The project delivers practical and informative financial training workshops at various locations across Slough. The VIP role is to work collaboratively within our friendly team and signpost and refer clients onto financial workshops.
Main Tasks
•Promote the project’s financial training workshops within the community
•Encourage people to seek support with their finances via the financial training we have to offer
•Complete referral forms with clients and directly refer them to our Liaison Officer
•Occasional office based administration tasks
•Refer clients to Shelter and Citizen Advice Slough for issues outside of the project
•Attend team meetings and supervisions as required
Skills and Abilities Required
•Effective communication skills and the ability to understand the needs of our clients
•Confidence in promoting the service within the community
•Proactive, organised and enthusiastic
•Knowledge of IT systems is an advantage
•Willingness to follow Shelter’s policies, including volunteering, health & safety, equality & diversity and confidentiality
Induction, Learning & Development
To enable you take part in this opportunity Shelter will
•Provide in house training along with regular supervisions to support you through the role
•Provide a volunteer pack including a Handbook and all Policies and Procedures
•Provide personalised volunteering plan, covering support and development
•Provide e-learning: Equality & Diversity, Health & Safety and Data Protection
•Reimburse “out of pocket” expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer expenses policy
Benefits of Volunteering with Shelter
•Supporting and learning about the work of a large national charity
•Developing transferable skills
•Developing office based skills
•Enhances your CV, we can help you to update this and will provide references when you leave
Next Steps
•Contact our offices on telephone:0344 515 1380 or by email and we will send you an application pack. When you return this to us we will arrange a brief interview to find out more about you.
•As this role is client facing we are obliged to carry out a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check.
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.