Western Corner provides play and leisure activities for disabled children and young people. As part of Oxfordshire’s Aiming High programme, we have an exciting opportunity to extend our work across Oxfordshire.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic individual, with experience of working with volunteers, disabled young people and their families. Your work will involve recruiting, training and managing volunteers who provide one-to-one support to disabled children and young people attending our holiday play activities and enabler scheme.

You’ll have a relevant professional qualification e.g. NVQ 3, certificate in Youth and Community work, Diploma in Playwork or equivalent experience. Working from our office base in Witney, you’ll also be required to travel across the county, have excellent communication skills and an understanding of disability issues.

Posts are funded until 31st March 2011, with potential to extend for a further two years. We offer flexible working patterns.

As well as a strong commitment to your development, we offer generous holidays, contributory stakeholder pension, childcare vouchers and flexible working.

Volunteer Development Worker

Location:

Western Corner Project, 118-120 Burwell Drive, Witney, Oxon, OX28 5NA Or Oxfordshire

Reward Band:

Project Staff II (SCN)

 £21,909 - £24,958 Pro rata

18 hours per week

Reporting to:

Service Co-ordinator

Job purpose:

• To support the Service Co-ordinator and Programme Manager with the recruitment, training and ongoing supervision of volunteers.

Key activities:

• To assist with the recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers to assist in the work of the Specialist Enablers scheme and Specialist Holiday activities.
• To engage disabled children and young people in the Schemes
• To assist in the monitoring of work being carried out by volunteers and help to resolve any specific issues above the capability/ capacity of the volunteers
• To assist volunteers in the development of skills, knowledge and self-confidence thereby enabling them to feel part of the Specialist Enablers scheme and Specialist Holiday activities.
• To work in partnership with the local authority, schools and other voluntary organisations. 
• To contribute to and develop, models of participation that enable volunteers to be involved in the development of the Specialist Enablers scheme and Specialist Holiday activities.
• To support the Service Co-ordinator and Programme Manager in monitoring expenditure in line with approved guidelines.
• To promote the work of the Specialist Enablers scheme and Specialist Holiday activities, and share best practice.
• To support the development of the Specialist Enablers scheme and Specialist Holiday activities, by contributing to the administration and on-going planning process of the project.

Attainments:

In order to be considered for this post you will have to demonstrate that you already have:

Experience

• Experience of working with volunteers
• Experience of working with children and young people from diverse backgrounds
• Able to work as a member of a team

Qualifications

• A relevant professional childcare qualification e.g. certificate in Youth and Community work, NVQ 3 in Care or Social Care or Diploma in Playwork or equivalent experience

Work based knowledge

• Issues affecting disabled children and young people in a diverse community.
• Effective methods of working with volunteers, children and young people.
• Childcare legislation and other relevant laws.
• Health and Safety.

Skills

• Able to lead and work as a member of a team.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Networking internally and externally.
• The ability to problem-solve and plan in a creative way.
• One-to-one working and group working.
• Basic IT / Word skills

Core competencies:

 In order to be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate that you have the ability to:

Managing People

Leading Others:

• Take a leadership role within team

Innovation

• Identify areas for improvement and take action to achieve desired and agreed outcomes

Leading Change

Communicating with Others:

• Communicate effectively with others in other parts of the organisation or externally on day-to-day matters

Building and Maintaining Partnerships:

• Relate well to others, internal and external
• Take an active part in team meetings

Managing Continuity

Managing Resources:

• Use resources efficiently
• Shares timely and accurate information with others

Providing Service to Others:

• Ensures service delivery reflects the needs of stakeholders
• Recognises and values diverse and different perspectives
• Identifies opportunities for children and young people to be heard and involved meaningfully in our work to make a difference

Producing Results

Managing Yourself:

• Make decisions confidently
• Manage own learning
• Take pride in achieving results

Agreeing and Meeting Targets:

• Propose targets and standards for role
• Plan day-to-day activities
  

Special Job Circumstances:

This post has the following special circumstances:

• Some work during school holidays, weekends and evenings for the purposes of staff training and/or supervision.
• Some residential time away from home for team development and/or training.
• Direct contact with disabled children and young people with moderate and severe learning impairments.
• Travel across the county to attend training, meetings, and to liaise with volunteers/staff in other locations.

Relevant Personal Characteristics:

So that you personally can succeed in this role and The Society you will require:

• To actively promote the values of The Children’s Society in your day-to-day work
• At all times to carry out your responsibilities with due regard to the Children’s Society’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe.
• A commitment to ensuring the needs and rights of disabled children and young people are upheld through their active participation in the work of the project and the Society.
• A commitment to diversity and equality in working relationships and practice.
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• To maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the work of the project and of the Society
• To be flexible and adaptable and be able to cope with changing priorities and demands.