Member Support Volunteer - Role Profile

Member Support Volunteer - role profile

ROLE OVERVIEW

This is a voluntary role to assist members and prospective members access and understand OCU products and services.

KEY ACTIVITIES

•Meet members at specified times and places to explain how the OCU can help the member with savings, loans and other products

•Assist with completion of application form for services including joining forms and loans

•Staff occasional stalls (with other volunteers) at fetes, and events to market the OCU concept

•Be a positive ambassador for Credit Unions in general and OCU in particular

SKILLS

Personal

•Able to communicate with people at all levels and happy talking with people from a range of different backgrounds.

•Self motivated and self managing, ‘can do’disposition

•Ethical and sensitive behaviour at all times

•Genuine belief in OCU principles and plans

•Numerate and has understanding of domestic budgeting

Communication

•Effective face to face communications, able to explain and support

•Empathetic, active listening, assertive when needed

•Work as part of a team with other volunteers

Operational & Technical

•Familiarity with basic IT, and be able to use the OCU computer system; Kesho“Curtains”(following training)

•Understanding of OCU procedures and wider Credit Union principles (following training)

•Familiarity with Money Laundering requirements (following training)

•Can navigate and show others the OCU website (following training)

THE ROLE

•Established in 2006 OCU is a medium sized credit union now covering the whole of Oxfordshire. We have ambitions to grow our membership (currently @600 active members). We provide an ethical alternative to existing financial institutions, serving all people in our county - but with a particular focus on the financially excluded.

•Back office functions are provided by a workers’cooperative: Credit Union Solutions (CUS), CUS provides services for four other credit unions. OCU has a small base at the Old Music Hall on Cowley Road that can be used by volunteers (from October 2014). There is a second contact point provided in partnership with the Soha Housing Association offices in Didcot for tenants, leaseholders and staff of that organisation.

•OCU works with the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council to help individuals participate in a fuel-buying scheme.

•OCU is working with a group in Witney in the west of Oxfordshire to create a branch in that location.

•The intention is that OCU develops a variety of other touchdown points around the county located in libraries, community centres, advice agencies and other locations, each would be open for 2-3 hours a week.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

•Some access to personal transport is desirable but not essential as the aim will be to match volunteers to locations that are accessible to them, reasonable travel costs will be reimbursed.

•Time commitment is flexible: a volunteer could commit to a couple of hours a month, but can do more if wished.

•Volunteers will need to attend occasional sessions for training.

•It is important that volunteers are or can become members of the OCU and maintain their financial relationship in good standing.

•Volunteers must have no criminal record unless spent or for traffic offences.

•We are seeking a diverse range of volunteers from a range of backgrounds; volunteers need to aware of the issues around financial inclusion and be happy working with people from different backgrounds - including disadvantaged social groups.