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Would you like to coordinate the local SSAFA service in your area? Do you enjoy working as part of a team? You don’t need a military background, just good communication and I.T. skills. If so, this could be the role for you!
What is a Divisional Secretary?
The is a key role involving administration and coordinating people. As the first point of contact for the division you will play a key part in promoting SSAFA locally, matching clients to volunteer caseworkers and supporting volunteers to get the best outcomes for their clients.
Why do we need you?
We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan.
There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.
We aim to provide financial, practical, and emotional support when it’s needed most. More people than ever before are coming to us for help, and you will be one of the people contacting new clients and getting them the support, they need.
When would you be needed and where would you be based?
This role is about coordination and administration. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but many volunteers are based at home. The role would suit someone looking to offer a regular time commitment each week.
What would you be doing?
- Acting as the first point of contact for SSAFA in the local area
- Taking enquiries from potential clients and potential volunteers
- Matching new clients to available caseworkers
- Supporting caseworkers, particularly new volunteers
- Working with the local publicity officer to promote SSAFA locally.
- Providing reports to the local SSAFA branch and to SSAFA’s Central Office
- Maintaining accurate records on our on-line case management system
- Coordinating SSAFA Visitors and Helpers (if applicable)
- Organising local meetings to keep all volunteers up to date with the latest training and information.
- Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer or fundraiser.
- Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA including observing our policies such as the Volunteering policy and data protection policy (these will be covered in your training and local induction.)
The remit of this role may change over the next 12-18 months depending on the outcome of a trial currently being undertaken.
What can you gain from this volunteering role?
- Experience of holding a key local role with oversight of all SSAFA activity in the local area
- Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
- Support and friendship from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
- Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
- Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!
What training and support would you receive?
- Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker course, caseworker IT system training, volunteer management – case management and quality. The caseworker course takes 3 days and please allow a further day for the other training.
- Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
- Access to a range of e-learning courses
- Local induction
- Support from the branch secretary.
- Access to the Welfare Team and Volunteer Support Team based at our central office.
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
- Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.
What are we looking for?
- Friendly and approachable people with some experience of coordinating people and admin
- Good written and spoken English.
- Ability to be respectful and non-judgemental with clients, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues.
- Ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address.
- Ability to coordinate a team of people volunteering.
- Willingness to use our on-line case management system (this is covered in the training course)
- Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to reporting any safety concerns etc
- Reliable attitude, contact clients and volunteers promptly, keep appointments etc.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and keep information safely.
- Access to public transport or a car to travel to meetings, events etc.
We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.
Minimum Age: 18
Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.
References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)
Is a criminal record check required? No*
*Where volunteers are both divisional secretaries and caseworkers a disclosure check will be required.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Following the success of the first-ever Council Climate Action Scorecards last year, Climate Emergency UK is looking to create the second edition of the Action Scorecards. Analysing council climate action only becomes valuable if you track the progress that has been made. We need your help to create the 2025 Action Scorecards and score councils on their actual climate action.
There are two cohorts: August-September 2024 (Cohort 1) and late September-October 2024 (Cohort 2)
Why are we doing this?
We’re in a climate crisis, and local councils have the power and influence over around 30% of emissions in their local area. Councils are uniquely placed to make a real impact on emissions within their area. But we know that councils can be taking more effective action as the average score in the 2023 Action Scorecards was only 32%. The Scorecards are a campaigning tool that residents can use to hold their council to account on their climate action, and lobby for specific, targeted change. We have also found evidence of 1 in 5 councils using and referencing the Scorecards in committee meetings, reports or in their own press releases and organisations across the sector are utilising the data from the Scorecards as well. Finally, this UK wide assessment will demonstrate where the UK and devolved governments need to provide more support to local authorities in order for them to take even further action.
How can you help?
We need at least 200 volunteers to pull this project off! You can help by volunteering to score councils on each of the 7 sections of our Action Scorecards. This year volunteers will be marking specific sections for councils (e.g. marking only all the Transport questions for the councils you are marking). You will score councils in your particular section by researching publicly available information on councils’ websites and relevant strategies. Training and guides will be made available to you to help in the process.
Scoring one council on one section will take approx. 2 hrs (though the more you do, the quicker you will be). It’s best if you are able to work from a laptop or a computer with good internet, as you will need to be able to access council websites and our online scoring system.
We’d like you to mark at least 10 councils on one of the seven sections over a period of 4 weeks. This equates to a total of 20 hours of volunteering over 4 weeks, roughly 5 hours a week, but this can be done at your own pace.
What experience do I need?
We will provide training so you don’t need any experience. If you have previous experience of working in or campaigning at a local council level that is a bonus, but not needed to apply.
What will I gain?
This is a great opportunity to understand how local councils work, as well as understanding local government policy on Climate Action. This is a good chance to improve your research and analytical skills too. By helping with this project you will be making a real contribution to the fight against the climate crisis.
What we need from you:
You will need to attend a total of 2 sessions:
- Scorecards Volunteer Inductions: You will need to attend one induction session on either Tuesday 6th or Thursday 8th August 2024 from 5:30 to 6:30pm.
- Scorecards Scoring Training: You will only need to attend only one of the training sessions but please keep both of the evenings free until you are allocated a Scorecards section, which will determine which session you need to attend: either Tuesday 13th or Thursday 15th August. You will need to be available from 5:30-7pm.
The commitment to 20 hours of volunteering, over a 4 week period, at your own pace.
Note: We will not accept current Councillors or Officers (Parish/Town councillors or staff are free to apply).
How it works
- You will receive training on how the scoring system works.
- You will be assigned 10 or more councils to score depending on your availability.
- You will be supported through online communication with other volunteers across the country.
- You will be supported on Slack so at any point you will be able to ask questions of CE UK staff and other volunteers.
- You will score those sections via our online scoring system. What you mark will be audited to ensure the system is fair and accurate.
Apply today below
Cohort 1 - August-September 2024
Cohort 2 - Late September-October 2024
Want to do more?
Be part of our Local Climate Policy Programme, a 4 week in-depth introduction into local climate policy and action alongside the practical experience of assessing council climate action. Find out more here.
Contact: If you’d like to get involved, learn more or need any help at all during the process please don’t hesitate to email us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.