Volunteer RoleDescription

Service / The Central and Eastern European Homelessness Project – part of the Cambridge Street and Mental Health Outreach Team
Job Title / Volunteer Support Worker
Hours / Unlimited. Where potential Volunteer is in receipt of benefits their advisor must be informed prior to arranging any roles and responsibilities with a specific project coordinator.
Reports to / CEEHP Coordinator and Project Workers
Purpose of Job / As directed by the CEEHP Coordinator /Project Workers based in either Cambridge or Wisbech, to assist the Coordinator and Project Workers in supporting Central and Eastern European (CEE) communities to prevent homelessness, reduce rough sleeping and work to prevent the exploitation of Migrant Workers.
The Volunteer Support Worker will work alongside the highly performing CRI street outreach team in Cambridge and work in partnership with Cambridge City Council, Fenland Council, UKBA, Home Office and multiple voluntary sector agencies to ensure that CEE clients receive appropriate advice, support and referral to find suitable accommodation, reconnect to their home nations, or are linked with support services such as welfare support, social care support, housing related support and primary care services in Cambridge and Wisbech.
The volunteer Support Worker will work under the supervision of either another Project Worker or the Project Coordinator and is expected to take responsibility for personal development, identifying personal training needs and participate in regular supervision and appraisal.

Key Activities:

  • To assist the Project Workers in the provision of in-reach clinics to Central and Eastern European (CEE) clients in Wisbech and Cambridge and in cooperation with Partnership agencies
  • To assist the Project Workersto undertake with CEE clients language specific preventative work ensuring CEEs are aware of their legal rights in relation to welfare and benefits and supporting individuals to engage with Job Centre Plus
  • To assist the Project Workers to work with CEE clients who may seek reconnections and support them to reconnect rapidly to their home Nations.
  • To assist the Project Workers to identify, engage longer term and ‘entrenched’ CEE rough sleepers in the Wisbech area who were Migrant Workers and who have been exploited and illegally evicted from HMOs.
  • To assist the Project Workers to work with CEE clients supporting them to register with a GP and enable them to access appointments with housing providers, employment agencies drug and alcohol services and others, as required and to assist with translation
  • To assist the Project Workers in working with local services and communities to improve knowledge, information and awareness of the exploitation of Migrant Workers
  • Participate in and make use of supervision and appraisal in line with CRI policies.
  • Keep accurate records of work with people and feedback any issues to the staff supervising volunteers in a supervision environment.
  • Adhere to safe working practices implemented from a variety of risk assessments carried out at project level and in line with company policies.
  • Display a commitment to and understand the importance of maintaining client confidentiality.

General terms of reference:

In carrying out the above duties the post holder will:

  • Work flexibly.
  • Seek to improve personal performance, contribution, knowledge and skills.
  • Attend and take part in the induction and where agreed take part in on-going National Open College Network training programme.
  • Ensure the implementation of all CRi policies.
  • Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe environment.
  • Undertake other duties appropriate to the role of volunteer.

Person Specification

Essential criteria:

Ability to understand and speak English and another Central and Eastern European language: Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Latvian

Knowledge and understanding of the issues facing homeless or inappropriately housed and exploited Central and Eastern European Nationals

Knowledge and understanding of some of the issues homeless people face including alcohol, drug and mental health issues

Empathic, solution focussed approach.

Excellent listening and communication skills with a range of people.

And the ability to:

Communicate confidently and effectively, verbally and in writing.

Offer quality time and abide by any stipulations agreed with a benefits advisor.

Empathise with client group to the client group.

Have a clear understanding of appropriate boundaries.

Work as a member of a team

Initiate and develop positive relationships with others.

Relate to the client group.

Show a capacity to work alone and the ability to keep calm under pressure.

Adhere to policy guidelines

Work with people to establish non-judgemental supportive relationships.

Provide objective, supportive assistance to help people through difficult periods in their lives.

Be flexible in approach in terms of when the service requires a volunteer.

Plan and carry out set objectives

Show commitment to facilitating positive outcomes for service users

Demonstrate effective personal & professional skills.

Seek to improve personal performance contributions, knowledge and skills.

Willingness to work to meet any areas for improvement through training.

Desirable criteria:

Access to own transport.

Knowledge of local services and geography.

Some basic office experience

Specialist skills

This post is subject to ongoing risk assessments with full Volunteer responsibilities implemented once a Criminal Records Bureau check at an enhanced level has been completed.