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Closing date: Friday 21 April 2023
Location: Earlsdon, Coventry
Hours: 22.5 hours per week
Salary: £14,625 per annum (£24,375 FTE)
Contract: Fixed Term: 1-2 years
Interview date: TBA

Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind provides practical and social support to people with visual impairments from across the city. The charity offers a range of activities including the opportunity to learn new skills, take part in hobbies and other interests, to get a bit of exercise or simply just to gather for a cuppa and a chat. With more than 100 service users and around 80 volunteers, it is a friendly, welcoming environment where remarkable people achieve remarkable things.

The charity is growing: we are looking for a Service Development Officer to devise new activities and support our incredible volunteers. We are looking for a confident, creative, conscientious people-person, who wants to love the work they do.

Job Role Summary

The Service Development Officer will establish additional activities and services at Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind to meet an anticipated growth in service user numbers and will provide support in the recruitment and management of additional volunteers. The role includes casework as required through the CRCB Helpdesk.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

• To expand the use of the activity space and timeslots already available at CRCB.
  • Increase the frequency of the most in-demand groups
  • Add new groups to include more exercise opportunities and gaps in provision
  • Consult service users on activity development.
  • Recruit paid group tutors where necessary.
  • Undertake risk assessments as appropriate.
  • Undertake intake interviews, open/update case records and note progress of individuals taking up activities.
• To reinforce volunteer management functions
  • Work with the General Manager to ensure organisational needs are met in relation to volunteer input, support and activities
  • Co-ordinate group activities as appropriate
  • Work with the Outreach Officer to promote the aims, objectives and values of CRCB to potential new volunteers
• To support the CRCB helpdesk service responding to enquiries via telephone and email, in-centre and at-home appointments, drop-ins and community contact sessions. Specifically:
  • Deal with small issues & fixes
  • Provide support with form filling etc
  • Advise on referrals and processes etc
  • Advise on benefits
  • Advise on products
  • Deal with any other issues that arise
• To capture and record data and outcomes for reporting and management in accordance with the Data Protection Act and GDPR
  To support the charity and volunteers at events, by arrangement, involving occasional out-of-hours work
• To support the charity and volunteers at events, by arrangement, involving occasional out-of-hours work

Person Specification

We don’t expect candidates to have all the attributes mentioned below and would welcome applications from people who fit most of our criteria, alongside an enthusiasm and ability to learn and develop. Training will be provided as necessary.

Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind is an equal opportunities employer and we particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience.

Experience & Knowledge

• Experience of working with volunteers of all abilities
• Experience of working with, enabling and supporting people with disabilities especially within the not-for-profit sector
• Experience of working with individuals to identify their strengths
• Experience of building and maintaining professional relationships with people and organisations
• Knowledge of benefits and the benefits system
• Knowledge of issues and support relating to sight loss

Skills

• Good organisational skills, including excellent time management, attention to detail and the ability to deal with multiple tasks and priorities
• Good IT literacy: the ability to use MS Office and willingness to learn the use of new software and phone packages
• Good communication skills

Attitude

• Passionate and enthusiastic in helping to improve people’s lives, especially those who face disadvantage
• Kind, compassionate, open and with a good sense of humour
• Creative, having a problem-solving, can-do approach
• Willing to pitch in in other areas of the charity’s work and to thrive within a small team
• Eager for feedback and to continuously improve and develop
• Committed to our organisational values of empowerment, accountability, entrepreneurialism, creativity, sustainability and respect for each other and those we support

Please apply by sending a CV with a detailed covering letter telling us why you are the person we need to the General Manager Hugh Sorrill: hugh@crcb.org.uk. Or post your application to Hugh Sorrill, General Manager, Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind, 33-35 Earlsdon Avenue South, Coventry CV5 6TH. If you would like an informal chat before applying, please call 024 7671 7522.

Just a note that the Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind website is currently down.

Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind is an equal opportunities employer and we particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience.