At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.

We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great. And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.

People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK. We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England. We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We’re changing the way we work to meet new ambitions and make sure our impact continues to grow alongside out business.

Role Purpose

Connect+Go is a 12-month pilot project funded by Department for Transport. It aims to connect communities in Nuneaton and the surrounding county of Warwickshire by offering free transport to people who may be experiencing isolation and loneliness. Connect+Go will work in particular with young care experienced people and refugees within Warwickshire.

Volunteer drivers will be recruited and trained to drive an electric minibus or tuk-tuk which will offer transport links to community groups, events and social activities. Volunteers may also offer companionship support to people, developing confidence and social inclusion. There will additionally be two Full-Time Volunteers and a part-time Project Co-Ordinator supporting the project.

The Project Manager will be responsible for the management of Connect+Go and will lead on developing existing and new relationships across Warwickshire. The post holder will line manage a Project Co-Ordinator and supervise two Full-Time Volunteers.

At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.

We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great. And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.

People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK. We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England. We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We’re changing the way we work to meet new ambitions and make sure our impact continues to grow alongside out business.

Role Purpose

Volunteering Matters are looking for a talented, dynamic, and professional Volunteer Coordinator to join our team in Perth & Kinross. The right candidate will be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate a strong understanding and commitment to our organisational values.

You will lead the development and delivery of our new Grandmentors programme in Perth & Kinross. Grandmentors is an innovative volunteering project where older volunteers (aged 50+) use their life experience and skills to mentor young people who are care experienced, or who have other adverse childhood experiences.

These young people often benefit from a guiding hand and role model to support them to find work, continue their education or begin training – ultimately providing young people the skills and self-belief to lead successful and independent lives. Grandmentors has operated for over a decade in various locations of the UK, however, Perth & Kinross is only the second area in Scotland to adopt the project and we are excited to be working in partnership with the local authority to ensure this small pilot thrives across the area.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Consistently role modelling and displaying our organisational values
• Contribute to effective teamwork across the regional team and the wider charity, in line with our “flexible working by default” and “self-managed teams” philosophy
• Develop and deliver the Grandmentors programme in Perth & Kinross, meeting ambitious targets and milestones, ensuring all young people engaged achieve positive outcomes
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including colleagues, volunteers, young people, families, Social Services, Health and Education teams, third sector partners and others
• Effective recruitment, selection, training, and ongoing support of a diverse pool of talented and dedicated volunteers from a wide cross-section of the community
• To maintain Volunteering Matters standards around quality and effective Volunteer Management
• To manage the risk assessment, safeguarding, quality assurance and audit processes as appropriate
• Ensure monitoring, impact and evaluation information and data is collected and that the programme meets it’s agreed targets, reporting format and schedule. Assist the Delivery Leader by preparing reports to funders
• Administration tasks including maintaining effective and accessible records, the use of Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and other software
• Develop relevant promotional material and information, for our organisation and programmes locally

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.

Skills Required

• An excellent knowledge and understanding of the life challenges and barriers that care experienced young people and families face today in Scotland
• An understanding of how to assess the needs of an individual using a person-centered approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including being able to have strategic conversations with stakeholders one minute, and talk to a nervous young person or parent the next
• Excellent people skills with the ability to build professional, long-term relationships with various stakeholders, to influence and motivate others
• Excellent organisational and IT skills including the ability to manage workload and prioritise effectively
• Strong attention to detail and a willingness to accurately record all interactions

Experience Required

• Significant experience working directly with young people, particularly those who face life challenges and barriers (for example care experienced young people)
• Experience in quality Volunteer Management
• Evidence of relationship management experience with a wide range of stakeholders
• Experience of project management, achieving high targets, a busy workload and working to strict deadlines
• Proven ability to communicate effectively and work as part of a larger team
• Understanding of and commitment to Equal Opportunities

Qualifications

Relevant experience and an understanding and commitment to our organisational values is more important for this role than any specific qualifications.

Other

Part of your working week will be based in local communities, meeting young people, volunteers and other stakeholders. For the remainder of the time, you can choose to work from home or have a rotational day(s) within the local Youth Service Offices where the Through Care Aftercare Team are based. If working from home, you will need good internet access and a suitable home working environment. All I.T. equipment, mobile phone and infrastructure will be supplied.

PVG

This role requires membership of the PVG (Protection of Vulnerable Groups) scheme. Having a conviction will not necessarily cause a bar to employment.

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.

Benefits

Our employee benefits reflect our culture which is built on an approach of full flexibility with accountability, and designed to let you make your most positive contribution; we offer Flexible Working by Default (re hours & place of work), Unlimited Annual Leave, Employee Pension scheme, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Employee Assistance Programme, enhanced sick and family leave. We are also open to discuss job share applications.

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.

At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.

We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great. And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.

People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK. We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England. We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We’re changing the way we work to meet new ambitions and make sure our impact continues to grow alongside out business.

Purpose of the role

The role will be centered around working with young people and enabling them to have a volunteer mentor on Equip Mentoring Project (Lowestoft). The role will include working closely with different aspects of the East Team as well as key external partners and community organisations. The post holder will manage and support different volunteers (mentors) and beneficiaries (mentees) to create an inclusive, safe, and empowering environment.

The post holder will be accountable to the Project Manager of Ipswich Mentoring.

Facilitating change, setting high-level strategies, developing a brand, driving big ideas through to fruition – for a strategic thinker and savvy communicator, this would be a rewarding role in any large, sector-leading organisation. But, as CrossReach is one of Scotland’s largest voluntary social care providers, this a role with incredible potential. It’s your chance to turn business skills into human impact.

We’re an organisation that is made to make a difference. From a network of 60-plus services, we reach out to help vulnerable people across the country – children and families, adults with learning disabilities, older people in care and those who may have fallen through the cracks in society. It’s vital work, but we believe we can do more. That’s where you come in.

You’ll help lead our strategic development, focusing on areas like marketing, external relations, and business development. So, as well as producing an organisation-wide communications strategy and reviewing our corporate branding tools, you’ll also look at how we manage business opportunities and respond to competitive tenders. As a member of our senior management team, you’ll also have a broader role to play in leading the organisation – with the chance to make your voice heard and contribute to our strategic direction.

It’s a role that demands a true leader, equally adept at managing change and at developing people. With a track record in business development or marketing – ideally within the social care sector – you know all about creating clear corporate communications and driving business effectiveness.

There’s little doubt that it’s a position that comes with real challenge. But you’ll also find a lot of support. Just as you shape our development, we’ll help drive yours – with ongoing training and support for professional qualifications. You’ll find it’s a role that’s rewarding in every sense, as we’ll provide generous benefits including an employer contributory pension, health plan, paid holiday and access to a range of leisure and retail discounts.