Your role: job summary

We are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator, ideally you are someone with a keen interest in history and understanding of the wider benefits of volunteering to join our award-winning team!

As Volunteer Coordinator for The Rainbow Foundation, you will work to support our existing volunteers while recruiting and attracting new volunteers to the organisation. In addition to delivering our established volunteer processes and practices, you will also – as part of the Penley Polish Heritage Project – recruit, establish, and train a group of volunteers to support this new project. Volunteer activities will include, but not limited to, capturing, and recording interviews, researching the project and its history, conducting the guided walking tours, and curating and support the permanent exhibition once completed.

About The Penley Polish Heritage Project

The Penley Poles: a unique history of the arrival and settlement for the Penley Polish community during WW2.

This heritage project will focus on the unique history of the special role that Penley and its surrounding villages played during WW2, specifically the arrival and resettlement of the Penley Polish community which still shapes the village today both culturally and in terms of its landscapes.

The project will capture Penley’s history as a village from WW2, including (1) the arrival for the first evacuees to the Madras School and the American Army’s establishment of 3 hospitals, and (2) the resettlement of the Polish Community and Polish Hospital no.3: the best-known Polish hospital in the UK.

The project will work to address the needs of international visitors and our local communities through celebrating its history and memories and sharing them with newer residents who have no idea about the unique history of this village. 

Role Responsibilities

We are looking for a highly motivated and organised people person to join us as our Volunteer Coordinator for the Penley Polish Heritage Project.  You will work closely with the Penley Poles Project Manager and existing Volunteer Coordinator to deliver the project with support from volunteers and the wider community.

The role of attracting, coordinating, and supporting Rainbow volunteers is very important. You will provide our volunteers with the right support so they can carry out their volunteering role with confidence. We want them to know the positive impact they are having, that we appreciate the time and support they are offering, and we are meeting their own needs (what they personally wanted to get out of being a volunteer).

• Supporting and rewarding our volunteers.
• Provide one to one supervision where appropriate, hold team meetings, arrange volunteer appreciation outings, and facilitates joining a Time Credit scheme (where the volunteers receive vouchers to have free days out) and engage with the Volunteering Wales Digital Platform.

• Work with The Rainbow Foundation’s existing Volunteer Coordinator, to gain the ‘Investors in Volunteering’ accreditation and ensure standards are adhered to in terms of appointing and supporting volunteers across the Rainbow Foundation.
• Plan the promotion, recruitment, training, and support of volunteers for the Penley Polish Heritage Project
• Review volunteering role descriptions based on the needs of the project.
• Promote heritage volunteering (internally and externally) through recruitment campaigns and develop and maintain links with local community groups and other organisations and businesses.
• Co-ordinate volunteer applications, arrange / conduct initial meetings, obtain references and complete safeguarding checks, and liaise with the appropriate service/project coordinators.
• Ensure recruited volunteers are appropriately matched and trained for their volunteer positions.
• Arrange an induction programme for all volunteers, liaising with the appropriate service/project coordinators.
• Help develop and support volunteer led programmes, coproducing and leading on our Volunteer Action Plan.

Volunteer management

• Provide over-sight and support to volunteers.
• Be responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day running of the volunteer programme for the heritage project.
• Monitor volunteer satisfaction and work with the management team / service coordinators / staff to maintain good levels of satisfaction.
• Adhere to our policies and procedures in volunteer management and ensure staff are fully trained in these practices.
• Support volunteers with digital literacy

Partnership working

• Develop partnerships with relevant organisations.
• Generate referral pathways with partnership organisations to facilitate recruitment of volunteers.
• Promote and champion the role of volunteers, both internally and externally

Marketing and promoting volunteering opportunities

• With support from the Marketing Officer, maintain a range of marketing materials in accessible formats to promote The Rainbow Foundation and its volunteering programme.
• Attend events, such as volunteer fairs and community events, to promote the volunteering programme and opportunities.
• Organise recruitment events, such as workshops and talks, to promote the volunteering programme and opportunities.
• Working with the Marketing Officer, promote The Rainbow Foundation’s volunteering opportunities via social media, newsletters and through the website.
• Recognise and celebrate National Volunteer Week.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Ensure that the impact of the volunteer work is recorded, monitored, and evaluated through the development and maintenance of effective monitoring systems.
• Provide reports to the management team, service teams and funders as required.
• Keep up to date with legislation and policy related to volunteering and make any necessary modifications to accommodate changes.
• Maintain volunteer records and other related data.
• Benchmark volunteers against the UCLA loneliness scale / SWEMWBS and / or ONS4 to evidence impact.

General

• Be involved in the wider work of organisation, including management meetings, business planning, staff cover, and communication of services, team meetings and events as required.
• Uphold the values and good name of The Rainbow Foundation at all times. Represent the organisation in a way that is consistent with its philosophy and ethos and within The Rainbow Foundation’s Code of Conduct.
• Work flexibly within a team setting, liaise with other workers as necessary and as appropriate to provide cover for holidays and staff absence.
• Work within The Rainbow Foundation’s Health and Safety policy and guidance and to ensure your own health and safety and that of others at all times.
• Ensure the service is delivered in a culturally sensitive way for all service users and volunteers including challenging stigma and discrimination.
• Observe organisations equal opportunities, confidentiality, data protection policies.
• Understand and contribute to the overall objectives of the organisation and follow all existing organisational policies and procedures.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities in keeping with the nature of this post as may be required from time to time.

Other duties:

• Carry out additional tasks that may be required from time to time to achieve agreed service outcomes.
• Undertake continuous professional development and training, constructively participating in meetings, supervision and other events designed to improve communication and assist with personal skills development within the role.
• Ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard and compliance with the Data Protection Act and other legislation.
• Maintain confidentially of all information and records relating to the work of The Rainbow Foundation and work undertaken for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
• Adhere to and promote our organisational values