Volunteer Co-ordinator – ‘Hazel’ the Well-being Boat

Job description

Salary:£18,000 to £20,000 (pro-rata)

Hours: 22.5 hours per week

Annual leave: 25 days per year (pro-rata)

Period of contract: Initially offered on a 2 year fixed term contract. Any continuation will be by negotiation and subject to availability of funding

Location of job: 173 Stamford Street, Ashton-under-Lyne and Portland Basin, Ashton-under-Lyne

Employer: The Wooden Canal Boat Society (Big Lottery funded)

Responsible to: Project Development Manager on a day to day basis and The Wooden Canal Boat Society Council of Management (Trustees) contractually

Responsible for: Volunteers within the ‘Hazel’ project

Background information:

The Wooden Canal Boat Society works with volunteers to restore historic narrow boats and put them into community use. Phase 1 of the ‘Hazel’ Well-being boat project has been the total restoration and refit of the boat. Phase 2 (which is funded by the Big Lottery) is to deliver a sustainable well-being enterprise to help people in Tameside who are suffering from poor health, both by offering volunteering opportunities and by providing relaxing canal boat trips and short breaks for those in need. Wider activities undertaken by The Wooden Canal Boat Society include community recycling trips and running a charity shop in the centre of Ashton-under-Lyne.

Main purpose of the job:

To recruit, manage and support volunteers in a range of roles which support the ‘Hazel’ Well-being boat project. Working closely with the Project Development Manager and Boat Manager the Volunteer Co-ordinator to identify volunteer roles, develop role descriptions and advertise roles to prospective volunteers. To undertake one to one assessments with prospective volunteers to identify their goals and training needs. To develop and deliver volunteer induction and identify training needs. To facilitate communication amongst volunteers and motivate new and existing volunteers to ensure they gain the most from their volunteering experience.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

●To identify roles and produce job descriptions for volunteer opportunities within the ‘Hazel’ project

●To advertise Hazel volunteering opportunities internally and/or externally, making links to existing partners and local organisations as well as making new contacts

●To attend appropriate events to promote volunteering opportunities with the ‘Hazel’ project

●To assess and match new and existing volunteers to appropriate ‘Hazel’ volunteering opportunities

●To undertake completion of Disclosure and Barring Service Checks and subsequent administration

●Undertake basic training needs assessment, adopting a person centred approach to enable the individual to identify the goals/outcomes that they wish to achieve through their volunteering experience

●To undertake regular one to one meetings with volunteers to track progress against goals using a suitable monitoring technique

●To establish, manage and maintain a volunteer database and work in accordance with the Data Protection Act

●To develop and deliver induction programme for ‘Hazel’ volunteers

●To work closely with the Project Development Manager and Boat Manager to identify relevant training needs of volunteers such as health and safety and organise delivery of this

●Record and report the number of volunteers who undertake training courses and the qualifications gained

●To assist volunteers as required to progress to different roles within the project or WCBS

●To be the day to day contact for volunteers and to work closely with the Boat Manager to develop and manage work rotas for volunteer crew and support staff for ‘Hazel’ trips

●To record, monitor and report volunteer numbers, activities, outcomes and experiences to the Project Development Manager and Council of Management at regular intervals

●To facilitate communication amongst volunteers and develop an internal volunteer recognition/award scheme

●To record and report budgets and resources including the reimbursement of expenses

Other duties:

●Represent WCBS professionally and at a senior level to external organisations and champion the ‘Hazel’ project and work of WCBS generally

●To work to combat all forms of discrimination and to ensure that the principles of equal opportunities are implemented in all work undertaken on behalf of WCBS

●To carry out the above duties and any other duties commensurate with the responsibilities of the post which may be reasonably required in a manner which actively supports and promotes WCBS aims and policies

●To be responsible for own health and safety and that of colleagues in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and relevant EC Directives, including reporting any health and safety hazards immediately it becomes apparent

●Actively recruit to a diverse range of people