*New Paid Opportunity* with Volunteer Centre Dorset - Community Gardening & Handyperson

30th October 2023

Community Gardening & Handyperson 

Grade:              SCP 12 
Salary:              £22,571 (FTE) 
Hours:              Part-time up to 30 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 2024 (Subject to funding renewal)
Reports to:    Operations Manager 

Volunteer Centre Dorset 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 caring individual to join the team.

As the Community Gardening & Handyperson, your main duties will be as follows: 

Key objectives of the job 

• 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 e.g. installing shelves, hanging pictures/mirrors/curtains, basic plumbing, installing key safes, doorbells, etc 
• Moving and removing household items, furniture and waste 
• Leading on gardening and allotment projects enabling volunteers to participate
• Build and maintain relationship with volunteers – working alongside and mentoring people who want to volunteer, including those with disabilities and additional needs.
• Provide a service that enhances customers’ wellbeing and enables them to live happily and independently in their own home particularly the unwell, elderly and vulnerable.
• Promoting the wellness of customers, assisting and working alongside customers who wish to help with their own gardening or other tasks 
• 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 maintain the Volunteer Centre Dorset vehicles and equipment in a good, safe manner 
• Keep accurate logs of travel, hours worked to help with project reporting and expenses 
• 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 
• Carry out maintenance or works at the office as and when required 
• Be able to work flexibly, including outside of regular office hours and weekends as required 
• Help gather case studies 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 Volunteer Centre Dorset’s message and encourage collaboration with volunteers, groups, communities and VCD beneficiaries, acting as an ambassador for VCD and the sector 
• Listen to customers about their needs and what makes them feel happy and safe 
• Develop a knowledge of Volunteer Centre Dorset’s core operations and projects to be a point of contact to support enquiries for your area of work 

Essential Skills 

• 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 communication skills 
• General working health and safety knowledge 
• A high level of integrity, representing the values of Volunteer Centre Dorset
• Be fully able to undertake the physical aspects of the role 

Desirable 

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

Job Requirement 

• Enhanced DBS check (Volunteer Centre Dorset will apply for the DBS check)
• A full, clean driving license 

The role is part of the whole Volunteer Centre Dorset 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 Volunteer Centre Dorset 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. 

How to apply
To apply please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining your reason for applying for the role including why you are qualified and any relevant community and voluntary experience.

For more information, please email [email protected].

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 8^th November.