Volunteer Co-ordinator Northampton, England
Job description
What difference can NAB make?
Did you know that every day, 250 people in the UK are told they are losing their sight? Within Northamptonshire alone, there are approximately 300,000 people living with a visual impairment.
At NAB, it is our goal that the world sees sight loss differently. Whether that is through community engagement to challenge and educate people’s preconceptions about what life is like as a visually impaired person, or supporting individuals throughout the county to live fulfilling and independent lives, regardless of whether they are newly diagnosed or have long-term experience with sight loss.
No one should have to face sight loss alone. Let’s face it together.
Meet NAB
We are a growing charity devoted to bettering the welfare and circumstance of visually impaired people throughout Northamptonshire. We have 3 hard-working teams that approach their work with humour, fun and compassion for each other and the individuals that we encounter.
This role will see you join our Community Services team, serving as our direct link to our clients. We work closely with our service users to support them in a diverse assortment of positions, including our Children & Families service, our Volunteer Coordinators, and Community Support Workers, and our Eye Clinic Liaison Officers working alongside local hospitals to support individuals at the point of diagnosis, with team members operating in a variety of roles throughout the county.
Job Title: Volunteer Co-ordinator
Responsible to: Community Services Manager
Responsible for: Volunteers
JOB PURPOSE: Recruit, train, co-ordinate and support volunteers to help the charity in its mission to support visually impaired people (VIP) in Northamptonshire.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES – VIP SERVICES
1. Recruit, pair to clients (people volunteering as befrienders) and train volunteers to support the charity’s activities; liaising with colleagues to identify the need for volunteers in specific roles.
2. Carry out regulatory and other checks (e.g. DBS Scheme) appropriate to each volunteer’s role, ensuring that they do not start their roles until all such checks have been satisfactorily completed.
3. Ensure volunteers have the equipment and resources they need to perform their roles safely and effectively including, as appropriate, being recompensed in line with the charity’s rules for any costs they incur in volunteering.
4. Provide help and support as necessary to volunteers to ensure they gain the most benefit from their volunteering activity and are aware that their efforts are appreciated.
5. Seek to amicably resolve any problems between befriending volunteers and those they are befriending, keeping the needs of clients to the fore at all times.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES – FUNDRAISING/AWARENESS RAISING
6. Recruit volunteers to participate in NAB led fund-raising and awareness-raising activities, and assist colleagues as necessary in co-ordinating and supporting their participation.
7. Recruit volunteers willing to undertake their own fundraising activities and, if requested, support them through the provision of guidance on such things as planning and promotion in order to maximize their chance of success.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES – GENERAL
8. Contribute to the promotional and commercial activities of the charity, for example organising and delivering Volunteering Awareness Raising sessions to clubs and groups and attending events aimed at promoting volunteering.
9. Maintain such records as necessary, ensuring we can (a) demonstrate a safe recruitment process, ongoing support to volunteers and evidence of the positive impact on clients (befriending volunteers); and (b) provide monitoring information to funders such as the BIG Lottery Fund.
10. Help develop and review volunteering policies and procedures.
11. Undertake such other reasonable duties and responsibilities that may, from time to time, be required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
Ability to:
- Recruit, train, and support volunteers to include pairing befriending volunteers and clients.
- Carry out the administrative tasks associated with the above, including the use of standard office equipment and software (Microsoft Office).
- Work within defined processes and procedures where required e.g. volunteer recruitment, volunteer expenses, volunteer records management.
- Communicate effectively with people of all ages and abilities.
- Build rapport and maintain effective networks/working arrangements with individuals, groups and organisations.
- Motivate, support and build confidence in others, especially volunteers.
- Compose clear, polite & well-written correspondence.
- Plan your own work and use your initiative/judgement to achieve the required results.
- Maintain personal, commercial and professional confidences.
- Travel throughout the county and drive a car.
- Work, act and behave in ways which will enhance the reputation of the charity.
- Identify potential individual/community based fundraising opportunities and help turn them into reality.
- Ask, in an appropriate way, individuals/organisations for help, support and donations.
- Be flexible in terms of hours and times of work.
Skills, Knowledge, Belief:
- Numeracy and literacy equivalent to GCSE ‘C’ standard.
- Belief in equality of opportunity, personal empowerment and NAB’s charitable aims.
- Computer literate (e.g. able to produce documents in Word, input data to database systems and use email systems such as MS Outlook etc).
- Possession of a driving licence and use of a car for work purposes.
Desirable
Knowledge and understanding of:
- Sight loss/impairment and the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired.
- Blind organisations/resources.
- Volunteer recruitment processes, procedures and Health/Safety obligations.
Experience of:
- Engaging with local groups, businesses and/or community networks to secure support.
- Recruiting and co-coordinating volunteers, building volunteer networks.
- Charity fundraising through use of volunteers.
- Recruiting and managing community based volunteers
PAY AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
Pay: £13.20 per hour, increasing to £13.46 following probation period (pro rata, £14,414 or £14,702 per annum, respectively)
Hours: 21 hours a week, flexible by agreement, some evening and weekend working may be required.
Travel: Required to travel throughout county.
Place of work: NAB Northampton and in the Community
Note: Work within the charity’s established volunteering policies and procedures.
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 21 per week
Salary: £13.20-£13.46 per hour
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
