Job Description and Competencies

Job description and Competencies

Helpline Volunteer Support Worker

Purpose of the post: To ensure the efficient day to day running of the Helpline roster and volunteer programme in Women’s Aid Helpline. The Volunteer Support Worker assumes primary responsibility for ensuring adequate cover on the roster, in terms of staff, volunteers and panel staff. The helpline Volunteer Support Worker will also carry out support to women experiencing domestic violence via the National Freephone Helpline (Full training will be provided).

The post holder reports to: the Manager of the Helpline Department

Main Duties:

·  Maintenance of volunteer and staff[1] roster, to ensure that cover is maximized at all times. This includes carrying a mobile phone on a call basis to ensure that any last minute absences/changes can be addressed while the service is operating, so as not to effect the running of the service

·  Liasion with the helpline manager in respect of all volunteer activities

·  Planning for and attendance at monthly volunteer support meetings (1 evening per month), minuting of these meetings and follow up on all action points

·  Maintenance of volunteer files, records and volunteer database

·  Participation with manager in volunteer training planning and preparation, including the recruitment of new volunteers to Women’s Aid volunteer programme

·  Planning and implementation of a volunteer appreciation programme, aimed at linking volunteers with wider organisation and acknowledging their valuable contribution to Women’s Aid

·  To provide guidance and support where necessary to new volunteers (structuring their new shifts/explaining Helpline procedures etc.)

·  Feedback to manager about all volunteer communication and activities

·  Production of a volunteer newsletter

·  Responding to emails from women requesting support

·  To take Helpline calls. To support and empower women experiencing abuse in intimate relationships by providing assistance and information on all their options including legal, social welfare and housing and appropriate referrals where necessary.

·  To maintain accurate and relevant records of Helpline calls and trends and communication of same where necessary.

·  To provide guidance and support to new volunteers and colleagues as required.

·  To keep up to date with information relevant to the position.

·  To assist in the smooth running of the service.

·  To work co-operatively and constructively with all team members in order to ensure consistent best-practice responses to callers.

·  Liaising with external groups and organisations on request

·  Liaising with other staff and departments within WA

·  Ad hoc tasks as identified by manager

Occasional Duties:

·  To attend supervision with the Helpline Manager

·  To attend organisation meetings and other meetings as required

·  Contribute to the strategic planning of the Helpline team and Women’s Aid

·  Supporting the maintenance of statistics package for Helpline, and collating data from the package as required for the organisation

·  Participate in staff training and development in conjunction with the Helpline Manager

Competencies:

Knowledge and skills

·  Minimum of one year experience of working directly with women experiencing abuse via the helpline

·  Holds a clear knowledge and understanding of the gender analysis of violence against women.

·  Knowledge, acceptance and implementation of organization ethos, principles and policies.

·  Experience of working with volunteers

·  Good organizational/co-ordination skills

·  Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·  Working knowledge of Microsoft office packages including word, excel and publisher

·  Ability to work well as a team member and also to work on own initiative

·  Report writing skills

·  Excellent problem solving skills

·  Ability to work to deadlines

Decision Making

·  Takes appropriate action when confronted with new, difficult or complex situations in liaison with Manager

·  Embraces change as an opportunity not a problem

·  Solves team related problems in collaboration with the rest of the Helpline team where appropriate

Communication – Internal and External

·  Expresses ideas and objectives of work effectively in both written and verbal communication both internally and externally to individuals, organized groups and other agencies

·  Provides important information, quickly and accurately to relevant people as agreed by the organisation

·  Actively listens to ensure understanding

·  Acknowledges and addresses issues in an honest, up-front and non-judgmental manner

·  Asks for input from colleagues and Manager to accomplish results

·  Shares successes with team members

·  Responds constructively to suggestions and supervision

·  Follow through on tasks

Accountability/Responsibility/Professionalism

·  Maintains high standards of behaviour and performance and works to ensure due care and discretion are exercised particularly during regular contact with external parties

·  Maintains appropriate professional boundaries with clients and colleagues

·  Maintains confidentiality in relation to all volunteers

Helpline Volunteer Support Worker Job Description March 2011

[1] Note the staff roster is a rolling 8 week roster, volunteer and panel staff shifts are then rostered in to compliment this roster and address any gaps. The Volunteer Support Worker assumes primary responsibility for ensuring adequate cover on the roster, in terms of staff, volunteers and panel staff. This includes making changes or additions as necessary to cover for staff leave etc.