Volunteer Development Worker
Job purpose: /- To ensure the delivery of the five core functions of a Volunteer Centre. These are:
- Brokerage
- Voice of Volunteering
- Good practice development
- Developing new volunteer opportunities
- Strategic development of volunteering.
- To coordinate and monitor volunteer involvement across the organisation and provide guidance to staff with volunteer involving responsibilities.
Reporting to: / Through line management to SVS Executive Committee.
Salary: / £22,000 per annum.
Hours of work: / Hours of work for this role will be 37 per week.
It is envisaged the normal hours will be spread over Mon – Fri and it should be expected that there is some flexibility on this including occasional evening and weekend work.
Key activities: / The key activities for this role are summarised in 5 main areas, as follows:
Volunteer Brokerage
- Provide support to potential volunteers through delivering presentations around volunteering and one-to-one sessions.
- Provide information, advice and guidance around volunteering when dealing with enquiries from members of the public, businesses and other agencies.
- Advise volunteers on issues related to volunteering and provide advocacy where appropriate.
- Ensure potential volunteers are being followed-up after accessing the service and any issues arising from this are addressed.
- Manage data related to volunteers, volunteering opportunities and volunteer involving organisations in Southampton (currently being recorded through vBase software).
- Monitor and provide regular statistical information and reports on volunteering in the city (currently being recorded through vBase software).
- Identify targeted themes for the recruitment of volunteers, to be targeted at communities of interest, identity or neighbourhood.
- Plan, implement and evaluate engagement to influence partners to support the development of volunteering.
- Lead on and participate in local / national campaigns or issues pertaining to volunteering.
- Maintain and develop interagency links across sectors related to volunteering.
- Where appropriate to represent or facilitate representation of the views of the voluntary sector on issues related to volunteering.
- Plan, implement and evaluate activities to recognise volunteering in Southampton; including publications, marketing, presentations and events such as the Volunteer Certificate Scheme.
- Plan, organise and facilitate a group for volunteer coordinators/managers in Southampton to discuss best practice in volunteering (formally known as the Volunteer Coordinators Group).
- Provide information, advice and guidance to volunteer involving organisations around issues pertaining to volunteers.
- Promote best practice to volunteer involving organisations.
- Provide training to local volunteer coordinators/managers in Southampton on relevant aspects of volunteer management.
- Contribute through the Voluntary Sector Support Team to the support that SVS offers to the wider Voluntary and Community sector.
- Plan the development of local volunteering opportunities through the analysis of local needs and trends.
- Work with volunteer involving organisations to develop new volunteering opportunities in the city.
- Work with volunteer involving organisations to ensure their volunteer roles are suitable, making suggestions to make roles more appealing to volunteers or to increase the variety of opportunities an organisation may offer.
- Work within key partnerships to develop associated volunteering opportunities eg Southampton Advice Services Alliance
- Work to develop supported volunteering opportunities in the city including within SVS’ own Community Roots Allotment project which is being developed with a business sector partner.
- Have a strategic understanding of volunteering and keep informed of developments in the area.
- Work with the Chief Executive to plan and organise the local strategic group to develop volunteering infrastructure(formally known as the Volunteers Alliance)
- Work with other Volunteer Centres to identify opportunities for best practice and collaborative working; including the Hampshire Volunteer Centre Network and the National Volunteer Centre Managers Network.
- Recruit volunteers for the team, ensuring role descriptions meet the aims and needs of the organisation.
- Encourage and motivate staff and volunteers to innovate and think creatively to improve the quality and efficiency of the Volunteer Centre.
- Ensure that team staff and volunteers maintain good customer relations.
- Keep accurate and up-to-date records of all volunteers within the team; including their hours involvement.
- Identify training and development needs and arrange appropriate learning to meet this need. Continually review areas of role developments, particularly with volunteers.
- Provide induction for, and regular supervision with staff and volunteers within this area of work and keep records of supervision sessions.
- Liaise with the Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Administrator concerning grievance, disciplinary, sickness or capability issues as required, in line with the organisations policies and procedures.
- Convene regular meetings of team staff and volunteers for the purpose of planning, mutual support, exchange of information and day to day operational issues.
- Ensure adequate and appropriate cover for day to day operations and allocate and delegate work effectively ensuring workloads within the team are balanced.
SVS Volunteer Involvement
- Provide information, advice and guidance to volunteer involving projects/departments within the organisation and oversee SVS volunteers involvement practice and database.
- Understand how SVS might develop services to meet emerging trends and needs.
- Monitor and report on the organisations volunteer involvement.
- Facilitate meetings for internal volunteer coordinators to discuss aspects of volunteer involvement within the organisation.
- Work with internal volunteer coordinators to ensure SVS meets best practice in involving volunteers.
- Ensure all work of the Volunteer Centre is in line with the Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) and lead on maintain records and evidence required to maintain relevant quality standards within SVS.
- Write reports and undertake all correspondence related to this work, including reports to SVS Executive Committee.
- Contribute to SVS in the pursuit of its mission through staff meetings, Away Days and collaborative work with colleagues.
- Keep up to date records in order to give a detailed evaluation of all aspects of work.
- Work to all SVS’s policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities, Confidentiality, Data Protection, Violence & Harassment, Health and Safety at Work, and the No Smoking or Alcohol at work.
- Undertake any other duties as required in relation to this post.
Location: /
- Voluntary Action Centre Kingsland Square, St Mary Street, Southampton, Hants, SO14 1NW
No of posts: / 1
Attainments: (Person Specification) / In order to be considered for this post you will have to demonstrate that you already have:
All requirements are essential except where indicated as desirable (D)
Knowledge & experience
- At least three years experience (or equivalent) of recruiting, managing and supervising volunteers some whom may have support needs.
- Understanding of the role of volunteering and its value within civil society.
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of people, Organisations and networks.
- Experience of training others in good practice particularly relating to volunteering. (D)
- Experience of managing databases and extrapolating reports and statistics from these.
- Understanding of the need for, and develop the systems to, enable you to keep up to date with changing situations in relation to volunteering.
- Ability to communicate comfortably and effectively with a wide range of people.
- Ability to use group facilitation and meeting skills in a wide range of formal and informal settings.
- Ability to develop information and resources for a range of audiences.
- Good written style in producing information and resources in electronic and paper formats.
- Ability to use the internet and other information sources to identify good practice.
- The ability to develop and deliver a work programme with outcomes, targets and key performance indicators.
- Sound administration skills including competence in Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to consider policy, including understanding, analysis and comment.
- Ability to provide information and guidance as appropriate.
- Communicate assertively and effectively with individuals, community groups and voluntary organisations.
- Motivate others and self to achieve aims and objectives.
- Understand and implement different approaches and techniques for workload planning, management and prioritising to ensure the completion of tasks.
- Keep clear records relevant to your work in a way that others can use, including case notes.
- Think creatively in different situations to develop a way forward or resolve conflicts and tensions.
- Have a passionate belief in the value of volunteering and commitment to promoting the independence of the Voluntary Community Sector.
- Know where support is available to underpin your work and willingness to use it, and ask for support and guidance.
- Recognise the personal and professional behaviour required by the values and principles underpinning the development work and have ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries .
Core Competencies: / In order to be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate that you have the ability to:
- Be able to prioritise work and deal with competing demands
- Self motivated and able to use initiative and work on a self directed basis and positively as part of a team
- Source, plan and manage your work ensuring resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Special Job Circumstances: / This post has the following special circumstances:
- Some flexible and anti-social hours may arise which time off in lieu can be taken.
Please note:
This position involves working with vulnerable adults and the role is therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.A Disclosure and Barring Service.
A Standard Disclosure will be required for the position.
Signed by Employee……………………………………………………………
Signed by Line Manager………………………………………………………..