Volunteer Management Jobs
At Make Votes Matter (MVM), our mission is to achieve real democracy via the necessary step of equal votes.
We lead the movement to introduce Proportional Representation (PR) to the House of Commons. We combine the power of people taking action from the grassroots up, with coordinated activity by a cross-party Alliance of politicians, public figures, parties and organisations to win PR in years, rather than decades.
About the role
As CEO, you'll support us through a new stage in our development. We're operating in a fluid political environment and so our new leader needs to be confident to work in a political setting while also having the skills and experience to run an organisation like ours.
You'll take ultimate responsibility for our campaign to achieve Proportional Representation in the House of Commons. You will:
- as leader of the campaign, be primarily responsible for building the popular and political momentum needed to secure this seismic reform;
- as leader of the organisation, be primarily responsible for defining and executing MVM’s strategy, while ensuring its good financial health and legal and regulatory compliance; and
- as leader to our staff and volunteer team, be primarily responsible for providing clarity of direction while ensuring the organisation maintains a collaborative, empowering and inspiring culture.
You will:
- lead the UK campaign for Proportional Representation;
- ensure MVM has a clear external brand, with consistent messages, effective and emotive arguments, and impactful use of evidence;
- be a spokesperson for the organisation on a variety of public platforms including national media and at key MVM events;
- create and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders;
- lead on development of MVM's post-election strategic plan;
- line manage and delegate responsibilities to staff, as appropriate;
- take ultimate responsibility for the good governance of MVM, including but not limited to the organisation’s financial health, legal compliance, and good standing with regulatory bodies;
- with support of relevant MVM staff, to ensure that the Board is supported in performing its governance role;
- support and comply with MVM’s policies active within the organisation pertinent to the role; and
- undertake other related duties as required to assist MVM in meeting its objectives.
About you
This job is for you if:
- you have a track-record as a successful leader in an organisation of comparable size, or equivalent managerial or director experience;
- you have political or campaigning experience, an understanding of the UK’s democracy sector and an ability to work in a non-partisan, cross-party way;
- you have experience of being a spokesperson on public platforms;
- you have a collaborative approach to team management and facilitating empowerment of staff;
- you have prior experience of good governance practices, financial planning and managing an operation to tight budgets;
- you are an experienced leader of people, able to ensure coherent and aligned activities across staff, governance and volunteer teams that support the overall objectives and enable high impact campaigns to be realised;
- you have excellent communication and influencing skills and the ability to convey a message with impact and inspire trust; being comfortable communicating with senior stakeholders, volunteers, staff and funders;
- you are a high achiever with an ambitious mindset; and
- you have a strong personal commitment to winning Proportional Representation.
Campaigning for Proportional Representation for the House of Commons
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We’re looking for two self-starting team members who will help coordinate our JUMP befriending project for unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees.
You’ll be responsible for half of the befriending pairs (currently 28, increasing to 50 in the coming months) and undertake tasks such as working with our partner organisations, managing referrals for young people, recruiting volunteer befrienders, and setting-up and sustaining pairs. This includes leading an initial training day.
You’ll also provide JUMP young people with casework support, help organise our group events and facilitate support from our Hardship Fund.
Main functions
Supporting young people and the JUMP Community
- Managing a caseload of young people; including offering casework support; arranging and attending appointments with the young person where necessary and signposting to available support.
- Helping plan and organise quarterly group events.
- Conducting initial assessments with young people to understand their needs, and once paired with a volunteer, hosting befriending initial meetings.
Supervising and supporting volunteers
- Recruiting, interviewing and onboarding new befrienders, including organising and delivering training.
- Supporting befriending volunteers through regular supervisions, meetings, emails and phone calls, and responding promptly to any safeguarding concerns raised.
- Ensuring that volunteers uphold JUMP’s policies and boundaries for befriending.
Publicising JUMP, and engaging with key stakeholders
- Publicising the project to existing and potential referral agencies, and establishing and maintaining excellent working relationships with them.
- Representing HIAS+JCORE and JUMP in the refugee sector as required, for example at the Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium (RMCC) meetings.
Project monitoring, evaluation and record keeping
- Working with experts and the JUMP Project Manager on supporting the project and its evaluation, and keeping accurate records in JUMP’s database.
Other Duties
- Ensuring that JUMP informs our campaigns, communications and education work. As the project develops, there will be opportunities for the post-holder to contribute to and support these areas of our work.
We're looking for candidates who have
- Ability to support, develop rapport and trust with, and motivate both young people and volunteers from a range of backgrounds and ages in challenging circumstances, including the ability to facilitate and engage in cross cultural communication.
- Knowledge of issues facing separated asylum seeking and refugee children and young people, and the rights and entitlements of ‘Looked After’ children and young people.
- Understanding of the current context surrounding immigration, asylum and welfare issues facing children and young people in the UK today.
- Understanding of Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding, and ability to communicate this to volunteers.
- Understanding of youth work principles and methods, including the benefits and challenges of befriending and other participatory methods.
- Ability to network in the refugee sector and develop strong working relationships.
- Ability to work independently and to self-motivate.
- Commitment to HIAS+JCORE values, social justice and antiracism.
- The ability to communicate in languages other than English, in particular Arabic, Spanish and French (desirable)
Experience required
Essential
- A track record of working directly with asylum seeking and refugee children and young people.
- Experience of social work, youth work, or other relevant methods of supporting people in challenging circumstances.
- Experience of training, coordinating and supporting volunteers.
- Experience of juggling commitments and responding to relevant stressful situations.
Desirable
- Educated to at least undergraduate degree level, or equivalent background or experience.
- Working knowledge of Local Authorities’ responsibilities for Looked After Children and Care Leavers.
- Experience of project management including administration, monitoring, evaluation and report writing.
About HIAS+JCORE
HIAS+JCORE is the UK Jewish voice on refugees and racial justice. Our work is driven by the belief that the Jewish community should play an active part in building a society in which refugees are able to live in dignity where the UK is a welcoming place free from racism.
Role details
Salary: £30,000 (pro-rata'd to £18,000)
Hours: 21 hours per week. Flexible working; some evening and weekend work will be required.
Location: Hybrid working between home and our North London office space.
Applicants must be UK based either in London/the South-East or be willing to relocate. We are only able to consider applicants who have the right to work in the UK. HIAS+JCORE is unable to sponsor working visas to the UK.
We warmly encourage and welcome applicants from all backgrounds, and people with any, or no, particular religious faith or beliefs. We particularly encourage applicants from people with lived experience of the asylum system.
Interviews will be held in person in north London in mid-May.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you passionate about welcoming refugees to the UK? Would you like to support refugees to get out of the city to enjoy the Cotswolds and meet local people?
Sanctuary Breaks is a new charity based in Stroud District, Gloucestershire, set up to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum to rural areas in the county, and enable social and cultural exchange between refugees and the resident population, especially with a view to supporting mental health. Your job would be to develop this charity, and increase refugee and asylum seeker opportunities for leisure, engagement and inclusion in the life of the area.
Sanctuary Breaks promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and requires employees to carry out their work in accordance with its policies on equality of opportunity in relation to staff, volunteers, promotion of the charity's policies and access to the charity's services. We particularly welcome applications from those with lived refugee experience and those with protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010.
Job: £25k pro rata, 18 hours per week (initially fixed-term 12 month contract)
Hours: 18 per week, including occasional evening or weekend work
Location: flexible, at least one day per week in Amberley, Glos
Closing date: 9am Monday 13th May
Interview date: Friday 17th May or Monday 20th May
To facilitate inclusion and welcome of people seeking sanctuary into the beauty and delights of rural Gloucestershire