12 Month Contract
Job Ref: V491
24 hours
Salary: £25,000 (FTE)
Start date: ASAP
Location: Homebased (Stockton-on-Tees)
Closing date: 28th January 2024
Interview date and Location: W/C 5th February 2024, Microsoft Teams
About Volunteering Matters
Everyone in the UK should have the opportunity to thrive. So we bring people together to overcome some of society’s most complex issues through the power of volunteering.
We partner with communities to overcome adversity, tackling social isolation and loneliness, improving health, developing skills and opportunities and making sure young people can lead change. And because we’re a national charity, we do this at scale, sharing our expertise and building partnerships to make an even bigger impact.
We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.
About the role
Role Purpose
Stockton Volunteer Drivers Service is a 12 month pilot project partly funded by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and in collaboration with Catalyst. It aims to provide a volunteer-led transport offer to people in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, to enable them to access community activities and services. The service will be free at the point of use for passengers. Research by Catalyst into gaps in services in the Borough has identified a strong view that there is a need to provide additional community transport. Whilst public transport is generally comprehensive and there are a number of community transport services in place that are available to clients with specific needs or medical conditions, the gaps exist for people who:
- cannot afford public transport, which has been further exacerbated with the Cost of Living situation
- are uneasy about leaving their home.
- need to travel on routes that are not covered by public transport.
- struggle to access public transport due to a disability or mobility issue.
Volunteer drivers will be recruited, trained and supported to provide lifts in their own vehicle in the provision of this service and they will offer transport links to community groups, events and social activities.
The Project Co-Ordinator will lead the day-to-day work of Stockton Volunteer Drivers Service. This includes promoting the volunteer role within the community with a view to recruiting, training and supporting volunteer drivers and managing the incoming journey requests via an online booking system. The online booking system allows for volunteers to self-allocate their journeys and the Co-Ordinator will provide relevant training and support to allow the sustainability of this process. The Co-Ordinator will be the central point of contact for users of the service, who will be referred through Catalyst contacts and community groups.
The post holder will report to the Delivery Leader in Central and North East England.
Key Duties
- Recruit, train, supervise and support Volunteer Drivers.
- Manage the journey allocation process, matching drivers and journeys to a passenger through the online booking system
- Provide administrative support for the project, this will involve processing volunteers’ expenses and maintaining databases
- Maintain effective relationships with stakeholders and project partners on a day-to-day level
- Risk assess volunteer activity and carry out regular reviews
- Contribute to joint working and teamship across Volunteering Matters and in Stockton-on-Tees
- Support with attending community or recruitment events where required which may include occasional evening or weekend work, in line with our Flexible Working policy.
Experience/Skills and attributes:
- Experience or knowledge of recruiting, training and managing volunteers
- Ability to motivate, empower and engage people
- Ability to work in partnership with other agencies, colleagues and stakeholders
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Organisational skills and the ability to prioritise a developing, person centred workload
- Strong negotiation and facilitation skills
- Ability to dynamically assess risk and carry out risk assessments
- Evidence of strong administrative and IT skills
- Ability to maintain project monitoring and financial records
- Understanding and commitment to Equal Opportunities
- Understanding and commitment to Data Protection and confidentiality
Qualifications:
Relevant experience and values alignment is more important for this role than specific qualifications.
Other information
Location:
The role is based in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and and will ideally be home based in that location. The postholder will require good internet access to enable remote working, and a suitable home office space. I.T. equipment and infrastructure will be supplied. Additional support could be provided where required.
This role includes travel in and around Stockton-on-Tees.
DBS/ PVG
This role does require Enhanced DBS clearance.
Our Values & Way of Working:
In all that we do, we embrace a philosophy of ‘Freedom within a Framework’ and are guided by our values: Empowering, Inclusive, Compassionate, Positive & Straightforward.
This job description is intended to include the broad range of responsibilities and requirements of the post. It is neither exhaustive nor exclusive but while some variations will be expected, these will be at an appropriate level for the role.
Diversity & Inclusion
Volunteering Matters welcomes all applicants and are keen to ensure our team reflects the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We encourage applications from disabled, LGBT and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, along with candidates with any protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups.
Disability Confident & Reasonable Adjustments:
We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role. Please provide evidence in your application, which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required in the “Experience/Skills” section of this advert.
To be considered for a guaranteed interview or to discuss any reasonable adjustments during the process, please state this in your application or contact join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk for more information.
We have also committed to the following pledges which positively encompass our recruitment and selection processes and methodology: The Promise, Show The Salary, Salary History.
GDPR Statement
If you apply for a role with us, we will retain your contact details including your name, address, email address and phone number to help us manage your application for up to 6 months. We will not use your personal data for any other purpose or share it with any third party. You can contact us at any point to update your personal information or ask us to delete it from our records.
To apply
- Please complete the Application Form and send it to join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk clearly stating which role you are applying for.
- Complete the Recruitment Monitoring Form
- If you would like to have a discussion with the Hiring Manager, please request this from join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk
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