Volunteer Co-ordinator

Job title:Volunteer Co-ordinator

Reporting to:Business Manager

Location:Dyscover, Walton on the Hill, Surrey

Salary:£25,000pa (£12,500 pro-rata)

Hours:18.5 hours per week

Contract length:3 years fixed-term

About Dyscover

Dyscover provides long-term support to people with aphasia. Aphasia is a communication disability that is caused by a stroke, head injury or other illness. It affects the ability to speak, read, write and understand what’s being said and is a very frustrating and isolating condition. Through our two centres in Surrey, Dyscover helps people with this disability through daily support groups, courses and social activities designed to increase confidence and self-esteem and maximise communication abilities. All of our sessions are led by professional speech and language therapists with support from volunteers.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund, we are now able to recruit a volunteer co-ordinator to manage, develop and expand our team of highly trained, specialist volunteers and to organise volunteer activity.

Key responsibilities

Volunteer support

  • Maintain regular contact with all volunteers
  • Review and develop existing volunteer induction processes
  • Develop and implement a volunteer mentoring scheme
  • Assign volunteers to specific roles
  • Monitor all contact between volunteers and aphasic people
  • Ensure any confidential issues are dealt with appropriately
  • Take the lead role within the organisation for volunteering issues

Volunteer development

  • Identify how much volunteer input is required for each activity and allocate resources appropriately whilst respecting volunteer preferences
  • Encourage volunteers to take up personal development training as funding allows
  • Set up training programmes to equip volunteers with the skills they need to work effectively with aphasic people
  • Develop user feedback, volunteer feedback and equal opportunities monitoring systems

General

  • Understand the needs of aphasic people and their families. Be proactive in identifying and meeting their needs in their own communities through volunteer activity
  • Maintain an awareness of current issues in aphasia and stroke rehabilitation
  • Monitor and control the project budget
  • Liaise with Dyscover’s fundraising officer on funding and reporting issues
  • Liaise with appropriate staff within Dyscover on development issues
  • Contribute to the effective flow of information within the organisation
  • Any other duties of a similar nature as may be required

Person Specification
Highly desirable
Experience
  • Ability to understand organisational needs and satisfy them by planning and organising appropriate activities
  • Experience in identifying training/development needs and designing and delivering appropriate solutions
  • Track record of working within required financial controls and budgets
  • Identifiable contributions to organisational management and teamwork
  • Knowledge and understanding of evaluation and feedback processes

Skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Innovative and creative thinking
  • Mentoring or counselling skills
  • Good IT skills (MS Office)
  • Presentation or training skills

Other
  • Ability to work flexible hours if necessary
  • CRB checked or able to provide a satisfactory check

Desirable
Experience
  • Experience of working with disabled people and their carers
  • Experience of working within the third sector
  • Management/recruitment of volunteers
  • Fundraising experience

Skills
  • Knowledge and understanding of disability
  • Well developed administrative skills
  • Knowledge and understanding of guidelines/legislation on health and safety, equal opportunities and working with vulnerable adults