New Paid Opportunity - Gardening & Handyperson

29th April 2022

Job Title:      Gardening & Handyperson

Grade:          SCP 12

Salary:          £22,571 (FTE)

Hours:          Full-time 37 hours per week. The role may include work outside of regular office hours and weekend work.

Location:     Volunteer Centre Dorset office, Dorchester. Extensive travel across Dorset will be required using a VCD vehicle

Contract:      Until 31^st March 2023

Reports to: Project Manager

Volunteer Centre Dorset (VCD) are committed to supporting volunteering activities in organisations and communities throughout Dorset. We are a relatively small charity but with big goals and are making a huge impact in the local community. Working across the charity sector, as well as with local businesses and individuals within the community, means there is never a dull moment when working with us. Our goal is to enable anyone who wishes to volunteer to find a role either within one of our projects, or another organisation – and to support and encourage organisations to develop existing and new volunteering opportunities.

We are committed to fostering a welcoming, encouraging, and supportive working environment with employee development and wellbeing being of upmost importance. Volunteer Centre Dorset are looking for an innovative, passionate and compassionate individual to fill this exciting new role. As the Gardening & Maintenance Handyperson, your main duties will be as follows:

Key Objectives of the job

• Provide high-quality gardening and handyperson service to customers across Dorset.
• Provide a gardening service, including lawn mowing, strimming, hedge trimming, planting, and clearing garden waste.
• Provide a handyperson service doing jobs that may include basic fitting and repairs eg installing shelves, hanging pictures/mirrors/curtains, basic plumbing, installing key safes, doorbells, etc
• Moving and removing household items, furniture and waste
• Provide a service that enhances customers’ wellbeing, and enables them to live happily and independently in their own home
• Build and maintain relationship with volunteers – working alongside and mentoring volunteers who want to volunteer in this role
• Promoting the wellness of customers, assisting and working alongside customers who wish to help with their own gardening or other tasks
• Leading on gardening and allotment projects enabling volunteers to participate
• Support people with disabilities and additional needs who wish to volunteer, with appropriate support and tasks
• Work with customers across our community, particularly the unwell, elderly and vulnerable
• Report any safeguarding concerns identified while visiting customers 
• Work simultaneously across a range of projects, multitasking in a number of areas of work
• Assisting project staff to schedule and plan work flow
• To purchase appropriate supplies – keep and submit receipts and accurate records
• To maintain the VCD vehicles and equipment in a good, safe manner
• Adhere to all VCD policies and procedures
• Maintain good Health & Safety practices that help ensure the safety of staff, volunteers and customers
• Be able to accurately risk asses work to be undertaken
• Keep accurate logs of travel, hours worked to help with project reporting and expenses
• Carry out maintenance or works at the office in Dorchester as and when required
• Contribute to the smooth running of the team
• Be able to work flexibly, including outside of regular office hours and weekends as required
• Help gather evidence and statistics from our work that evidence the value of our projects
• Promote other VCD services and those of our partner organisations
• Help customers be sign-posted to alternative services when a VCD service is not the appropriate solution

Communication and representation

• Deliver the VCD message and encourage collaboration with volunteers, groups, communities and VCD beneficiaries
• Listen to customers about their needs and what makes them feel happy and safe
• Act as an ambassador for VCD and the sector is all communications
• Use appropriate communication to deliver the right message about our projects and core business. Work with the team to develop engaging communications and actions
• Develop a knowledge of VCD core operations and projects to be a point of contact to support enquiries for your area of work

Essential Skills

• At least two years’ experience of gardening and handyperson service delivery
• To work well in a team environment as well as be able to use own initiative
• Good organisational skills, prioritising and multi-tasking
• Flexible and able to respond to new situations
• Be patient and able to support and work with a variety of customers and volunteers, including the elderly, unwell, and adults with learning disabilities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• General working health and safety knowledge
• A high level of integrity, representing the values of VCD
• Be fully able to undertake the physical aspects of the role

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of working within the community or voluntary sector
• Carpentry experience

Job Requirement

• Enhanced DBS check (to work with vulnerable adults)
• A full, clean driving license

The role is part of the whole VCD team and as such requires you to perform such reasonable tasks that are required, as and when necessary, to maintain, promote, develop and expand the business of VCD and its interests generally. You must carry out your duties to the best of your ability, having consideration for the needs of your colleagues, the organisation and its customers/clients. You must obey all lawful and reasonable orders given to you and comply with the organisation’s rules, procedures, and policies.

For more information and to request an application form, please email [email protected]. Closing date for applications is 31st July 2022.