Volunteer Branch Secretary

This role covers Ayr and surrounding areas.

Could you coordinate local SSAFA services in your area? You don’t need a military background, just basic I.T and admin skills, the ability to get on with people and good written and spoken English. If so, we’d love to hear from you.

**What is a Branch Secretary?**

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas. These are divided into local areas that we call divisions. Each branch has a secretary to organise day-to-day activities. This is a key role involving administration and coordinating people. As the first point of contact for SSAFA in the area you will play a crucial part in promoting SSAFA locally, organising local events and ensuring the smooth running of SSAFA across the divisions in your branch.

**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.

In recognition of our clients’ service to the Nation we aim to provide financial, practical and emotional support when it’s needed most. To do this we need local branches and volunteers who can match clients to volunteers and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.

**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. You would also need to organise and attend a number of regular meetings each year.

**What would you be doing?**
- Managing the branch office (if applicable) and providing support to all volunteers, especially new ones
- Work with the branch Chairperson, treasurer, and others to ensure smooth running of the branch.
- Accepting referrals and coordinating SSAFA caseworkers, visitors, and helpers accordingly
- Oversee all SSAFA casework across the branch ensuring clients get support that is effective and timely.
- Monitor volunteer numbers against the demand for support and recruit new volunteers as needed
- Working with the local training officer to ensure all volunteers are kept up to date with the training and information they need.
- Build relationships with regional and central office staff to ensure an effective flow of information.
- Maintaining accurate records of volunteers and cases, submit accurate data to Central Office
- Providing administration for an annual programme of meetings including an AGM, recording, and implementing decisions
- 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.)

SSAFA is embarking on a programme of review and change to ensure that the beneficiary is at the heart of all that we do and that volunteers are fully supported in their roles. The remit of this role is likely to change over the next 12-18 months, away from supporting caseworkers to focus on fundraising and ambassadorial activities. This will help us to raise the profile of SSAFA and of the services we offer to the Armed Forces family. By joining us now, you will be part of that transition and can help shape the future of SSAFA.

**What could you gain from this volunteering role?**
- Gain 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 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 training, caseworker IT system training, volunteer management - attracting, recruiting, and inducting volunteers, volunteer management - case management and quality. This training would take approx. 4 days.
- 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 as well as local opportunitie