JOB DESCRIPTION

Post: Volunteering Project Worker

Contract: 12 months - Fixed Term

Salary: £25,402 pa inc (NJC scale range 24-26) + pension and other benefits

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week excluding breaks – Monday to Friday. Some weekend and evening work will be required subject to operational requirements.

Annual Leave: 33 days (including Bank Holidays)

Probation Period: 6 months

Responsible to: Volunteering Manager

Notice period: 4 weeks

______

A DBS check is required for this post as the post holder will be directly working with vulnerable adults

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Passage has a long and strong history of volunteering and volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients. We currently have over 400 volunteers who provided 39,000 hours of service in the past year. The volunteers support all aspects of our work, including fundraising, reception, food service, literacy coaching and running activity groups.

We are partway through our 5 Year Strategy, which commits to providing high quality support to volunteers, and this is backed by our Volunteering Strategy which outlines our plans to continue improving our volunteer programme, gain Investors in Volunteering status, and support the growth of our frontline services for homeless people. It is therefore a period of considerable change for everyone involved in The Passage, but a very exciting time to come and contribute to our work.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Volunteering Project Worker will assist the Volunteering Manager to promote and co-ordinate the development of a best practice volunteering programme across the organisation. They will provide high-quality support to volunteers across the organisation and ensure the Volunteering Team is well linked in with all services

MAIN DUTIES:

·  To work closely with all key staff, managers, clients, corporate supporters and volunteers to implement the Passage’s volunteer programme in psychologically informed manner

·  To carry out volunteer interviews, assessing their suitability for the role they have applied for

·  To improve how we monitor and record volunteer attendance in the kitchen and other service teams

·  To provide a regular supportive presence to volunteers throughout the organisation, including a warm welcome and debrief for kitchen volunteers

·  To assist the Volunteering Manager with regular communication to volunteers, including email, newsletters and updating the volunteer notice boards.

·  To assist the Volunteering Manager in researching third party delivery of specific training e.g. managing challenging behaviour

·  To coordinate volunteer forums across teams to ensure that volunteers’ views are represented and heard within the organisation

·  To book and attend Volunteering Fairs to recruit new volunteers

·  To work with services teams and clients to provide support in recruitment, induction, training and daily well-being checks with The Passage’s Client Ambassadors (client volunteers)

·  To assist with preparation for training courses and programmes for staff to increase their awareness and understanding of supporting volunteers.

·  To assist the Volunteering Manager with organisation of events, such as the Christmas Party and Volunteers’ Week.

·  To promote all the Passage’s policies and procedures and ensure volunteers adhere to them

·  To ensure that all volunteers treat others with respect and dignity and uphold our service promises.

·  To work with the Volunteer Manager to problem-solve any issues amongst volunteers

·  To assist the Volunteer Manager with delivery of corporate volunteering programmes, and actively promote corporate volunteering where appropriate.

·  To maintain positive relationships with corporates and other external partners so as to promote The Passage’s reputation and work.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

·  To participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal, and help identifying your own job-related development and training needs.

·  To participate in internal/external meetings as required, and attend training events, conferences and other functions when necessary.

·  To ensure that all Passage policies and procedures are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, Code of Practice and Confidentiality.

·  To contribute to the effective implementation of the Passage’s Equality and Diversity Policy as it affects both the Passage and its work.

·  To at all times undertake the role in a professional manner maintaining a high quality standard of work, and to always work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of The Passage[1].

·  To work in a professional manner maintaining a flexible attitude towards short notice rota changes to facilitate primary service cover, e.g. during training and staff illness.

·  To undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role.

Note: The details contained in this Job Description summarise the main expectations of the role at the date it was prepared. It should be understood that the nature of individual roles will evolve and change as service, service users and funders needs change. Consequently The Passage will revise this Job Description as required in consultation with post holders.

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING CHECKS

The Passage aims to promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. The Passage welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Criminal records will be taken into account for requirement purposes only when the conviction is relevant.

As The Passage meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions.


PERSON SPECIFICATION Volunteering Project Worker

This person specification sets out the essential abilities and qualities which are used in the selection criteria for the post. When completing your supporting statement please address criteria E1 to E6 and K1 to K4 demonstrating your understanding and knowledge, and give evidence of your experience and abilities.

___

EXPERIENCE

E1 Experience of working with or managing volunteers

E2 Experience of working with vulnerable people

E3 Experience of building and maintaining positive working relationships with a

wide range of people across a large organisation

E4 Experience of problem solving and finding solutions between different individuals or groups of people

E5 Experience of public speaking and/or delivering training

E6 Experience of events management

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

K1 An understanding of the issues facing people who are homeless and vulnerable

K2 Knowledge of volunteering good practice, laws and resources

K3 Good working knowledge of IT packages including Microsoft Office, Mail Chimp and excellent communication skills to build positive relationships across a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders

K4 Skilled in managing multiple competing priorities and able to manage time effectively

In addition to the above the following table indicates the standard expectations that all employees/workers are to work towards.

1 Vincentian Values and Integrity
Maintains social, organisational and ethical values in all actions
2 People Management / 3 Personal effectiveness
Establishes and communicates clear standards and expectations and helps all staff to develop full potential. / Confidence, adaptability and stamina to rise to new challenges and deliver results. Ability to plan and organise to manage multiple tasks and priorities. Takes responsibility for own continuous learning and professional development
4 Expertise / 5 Creativity and Innovation
Recognised as a source of expertise and insight. Keeps up to date with latest professional developments. Applies expertise to realise competitive and professional advantage for Passage / Ability to source and develop new ideas. Ability to practically implement new ideas to solve problems and bring about improvements to services and resources.
6 Continuous Improvement / 7 Problem-solving and decision-making
Recognising the need for action or change, and taking the appropriate action without needing to be told. / Ability to use logical processes for solving problems and making decisions
8 Change, Project and resources management / 9 Needs led services
Plans and organises projects and the activities of others to achieve results; able to manage resources within budget. / Focused on views and needs of clients ensuring a quality led effective service delivery.
10 Commitment and Integrity / 11 Team Working
Maintains social, organisational and ethical values in all actions / Committed and reliable member of team and understands impact of role on others
12 Communication / 13 Building effective external relationships
Written and oral communication is concise and accurate. / Ability to build up and maintain a network of external contacts who can help achieve service goals.
14 Equality, Diversity and Rights
Promotes equity and diversity, upholding the rights of clients, staff and volunteers

September 2017

[1] Vincentian Ethos As a Vincentian organisation, The Passage strives to be inclusive; encompassing a diverse and rich culture from within our members, clients, volunteers and staff. This approach is reflected in our core Values and it is important that all staff have respect for this. (refer to full Vincentian Ethos Statement).