Why We Need You

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Why we need you

As a volunteer intern you will be offered the change to develop your skills and gain valuable experience of the charity sector. You will also make a real contribution to the work of the MS Society and be a crucial part of the fight to beat MS.

As part of the Community and Events Fundraising team, your role will be to support our annual events ChallengeMS and MS Walk. The role focuses on supporting participants in their fundraising, in order to allow them to reach their fundraising potential; offering advice, support and be a contact for whatever they need. You will also be an integral part to planning and carrying out MS Walk on the day in September.

Last year the two events combined raised over £130,000! We are hoping to better that amount this year.

What you could be doing

·  Researching both online and offline marketing opportunities.

·  Supporting with the stewardship of supporters, building positive relationships and offering advice and encouragement to ensure supporters raise the most possible for the MS Society.

·  Assisting in the logistics of the day of MS Walk; researching the local area, assisting in organisation and contacting supporters about arrangements.

·  Attending the walk, to offer support to walkers and their families and give them the best possible experience on the day.

·  Dealing with enquiries from supporters and ensuring all leads are followed up.

·  Sourcing gifts in kind for the event day and supporter goodie bags.

·  Using our database to record duties carried out.

What skills, experience and abilities you need

·  Excellent written and verbal communication skills

·  Strong organisational skills

·  Working knowledge and interest in digital platforms e.g. facebook, twitter, justgiving

·  An ability to operate as part of a team, or on your own

·  Confident speaking to new people and a polite telephone manner

·  Proactive and ability to take the initiative

·  Confident in using Microsoft office, the internet and email

·  An interest in the MS Society and supporting people affected by MS

What the MS Society can offer you

·  You will be provided with information about your role, the MS Society and the work of the Community & Events Fundraising team.

·  You will be fully supported in your role by Jemima Woolgar, Community and Events Fundraising Officer and the team, including regular catch ups to discuss how the role is going and opportunities for feedback.

·  You will be offered access to relevant training and learning opportunities.

·  We will reimburse ‘out of pocket’ expenses – such as lunch and travel – in line with the MS Society’s expenses policy.

·  You will be offered an opportunity to gain experience of how a national charity works and develop new skills.

What else you need to know about the role

Code of conduct - Our code of conduct outlines the values we uphold in everything we do. Everyone involved in the MS Society, including staff and volunteers take responsibility for following the code of conduct.

Recruitment process – If you are shortlisted we will ask you to attend an interview to talk about your skills and experience. If successful we will ask you to provide a reference.

Support and Development – You will be fully supported in development tasks by the Community and Events Fundraising Officer

Young people and this role - You must be over the age of 18 to take on this role

Location - You will be based at the MS Society’s National centre, in Cricklewood, North London

How much time this will take

Ideally we would like someone for 3 days a week for 3 months but we are flexible about the days and hours you volunteer. We understand that you have other commitments and will work around you.