Online Volunteering & Advice Officer
Great opportunity for an experienced volunteer officer to join our dynamic and creative team.
One of YouthNet's key objectives is to provide the advice and information young people aged 16-25 need, when they need it. The Online Volunteering and Advice Officer will be responsible for supporting the development of volunteering behind TheSite.org's expert advice service askTheSite.
The role will include assisting with the recruitment, training and support of volunteer peer advisors who answer questions in askTheSite's relationships section. You will also be involved in helping to coordinate the day-to-day maintenance of askTheSite, working with advisors from YouthNet's partner organisations. In addition, the post holder needs to be able to balance attention to detail with care and sensitivity for the needs of askTheSite's users. In sum, this is a role where you'll have a lot of day-to-day contact, both online and offline, with different stakeholders, including: users, advisors and trainees.
You will play a key role in ensuring the administration and reporting on the progress of volunteering within the Online Volunteering and Advice team. You'll also get to help develop and coordinate new and exciting projects that the team is looking to take forward. You should be interested and committed to exploring and using new online technologies.
Online Volunteering and Advice Officer
Operations Team
Overall purpose of the post:
To help develop and support TheSite.org's volunteering and advice services, in particular with askTheSite and the recruitment and coordination of volunteers.
Key areas of responsibility:
- To help support the assessment and training of volunteer advisors and partners on askTheSite
- To assist with the research and monitoring the involvement of volunteer advisors on askTheSite
- To provide a range of support to volunteer advisors and partners on askTheSite, fostering a sense of community
- To manage the administration of recruitment and training for volunteer advisors
- To provide coordination for new and ongoing projects in the Online Volunteering and Advice team
Reporting to:
Online Volunteering and Advice Manager
Responsible for:
Volunteers, freelance relationships advisors and agencies where appropriate
Location:
The organisation's head office, currently in Old Street, London
Main tasks and responsibilities:
- To assist with the effective management of volunteers, including recruitment, selection, training and supervision
- To help with the delivery and development of training for askTheSite partners, and to help to assess and train volunteer online peer advisors in the relationships section of askTheSite
- To help oversee the coordination and maintenance of askTheSite, providing day-to-day support on a rota basis to partners
- To liaise with YouthNet's Development and Central Services teams on monitoring and reporting on the involvement of volunteer advisors on askTheSite
- To facilitate the input of volunteers in department planning and policy development
- To keep abreast of issues relevant to young people, volunteering and training and keep colleagues internally informed
- To represent the organisation externally and attend conferences and events as and when appropriate
- To develop project plans, including writing proposals, coordinating the meeting of project goals and timetables
- To moderate discussion boards on TheSite.org
- To liaise with other YouthNet departments, including marketing, fundraising and technical, on cross-charity projects
- To liaise with askTheSite partner organisations about askTheSite related matters
- To administer volunteer recruitment and induction, including enquiries, applications and training bookings
- To administer learners and trainees' records of learning
- Participate in ad hoc projects and campaigns, working as a team member in the operational aspects of the organisation's work and such other tasks, as appropriate
Person Specification:
Experience/Knowledge
Essential -
- Demonstrable knowledge and experience of volunteering and the voluntary and community sector
- Awareness of the needs and motivations of volunteers
- Good writing and written language skills
- Wide experience of internet and new media
- Interest in offering advice and information to young people
- Experience of and familiarity with web based working
Desirable -
- Experience in the area of advice, information and guidance services
- Experience building and managing partnerships/relationships
- Experience of offering training and learning opportunities
- Experience of offering written relationships advice or support
- Experience and knowledge of work with young people and the issues they face
- Project management experience
Skills/Competencies –
- Excellent organisation and administration skills with attention to detail
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Excellent people skills, adaptable and flexible in manner and approach
- Critical thinking, planning and problem solving skills
- Able to devise and manage monitoring and evaluation systems
- Ability to form and maintain good working relationships with a wide variety of people both internally and externally
- Able to act on own initiative and as an active team member
- Committed to youth, volunteering issues and interested in using new technology
- An understanding of the concept of confidentiality and ability to work effectively within this
- Computer literate and interested in using new technology, e.g. using databases, word processing software, spreadsheets and other online applications.
Terms and Conditions
Salary: £20-25,000
Pension: 1% employee contribution secures 6% employers contribution to stakeholder pension scheme
Hours: This post is full-time, normally 9.30 am – 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday. Some unsocial hours may be required, including working on Saturdays from time to time, for which time off in lieu will be given.
Annual leave: 25 days per year
Closing date: Friday 17th October 2008
Applying for a role
To apply for an available position at YouthNet please submit your CV with a supporting statement detailing your experience and interest in the role, to workforus@youthnet.org. Please include the job title and where you first saw the opportunity in the subject line. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. Please note that unsuccessful candidates will not be notified.
Equality and diversity
YouthNet is firmly committed to equality and diversity in all areas of our work, backed by our Equality and Diversity Policy. All candidates invited to an interview will be asked to complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring form. Please note that this information is for equality monitoring purposes only and will be maintained separately from your application.