Charity Shop Volunteer

**Volunteering for Sense**

Our amazing team of volunteers help us run over 100 shops across England and Wales. Every donated item that you sort, prepare and sell helps to raise vital funds to support us in our mission to make sure no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our shops are at the heart of local communities - sharing the work of Sense, and helping to secure support for our life changing work.

We are looking for a Key-Holder volunteer to help us out on Sundays, with availability to occasionaly help during the week (when pre-agreed).

**Key duties**

Our Key Volunteers are shop volunteers who have additional responsibilities. This is a varied and responsible role where you’ll be provided with training that will equip you to support the Shop Manager and Assistant with the day to day running of the shop, including:

- Provide a warm, friendly welcome to customers.
- Provide great customer service and a fantastic shopping experience, support other volunteers to do the same.
- Receiving donated goods from members of the public.
- Processing sales and serving on the till.
- Open and close the shop when necessary to support the Shop Manager.
- Cash up the till at the end of the day.
- Support with sorting donations and price stock, keeping the shop stocked up, clean and tidy.
- Promoting Gift Aid and other Sense fundraising initiatives.
- Acting as an ambassador for Sense; promoting the shop and Sense in your local community.
- Supporting with the recruitment and training of new volunteers.
- Following health and safety measures to ensure the safety of everyone.

**Skills & qualities**
- A leader, able to motivate others and get them involved to achieve great results.
- A team player who is good with people and enjoys interacting with the public.
- Passionate about providing great customer service; friendly and helpful.
- Enthusiastic and motivated with a positive attitude.
- Flexible, proactive, reliable and trustworthy.
- Confident with cash handling and have an eye for detail.
- Aware of health and safety issues and happy to follow policies and procedures.
- Respectful of others and their diversity.
- Interested making a difference to people who have complex disabilities and are deafblind.

**Will the role suit me? Yes, if you are**:

- Motivated and hardworking
- Reliable, flexible and willing to do a variety of shop tasks
- A team player
- Friendly and helpful
- Passionate about customer service and enjoy interacting with people
- Respectful of others and their diversity
- Interested in supporting the work of Sense and want to make a difference to people who have complex disabilities and are deafblind.

**What can Sense offer me as a volunteer?**
- A full induction and ongoing support and guidance from your Shop Manager to make sure you feel confident in your role
- Support to develop new skills, knowledge and experience, in particular of a retail environment, but also skills such as teamwork, customer service, communication and using your initiative
- A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request)
- The opportunity to share your existing skills and experience to benefit others
- The chance to meet new people from a wide range of backgrounds and to join a passionate and committed team
- The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense by raising vital income and raising the profile of Sense in your local community; changing the lives of those who have complex disabilities and are deafblind

**About Sense**

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to offer personalised support to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our experts offer support that’s tailored to the individual needs of each person, whether that’s at our centres, through our holidays and short breaks, or in people’s own homes. In addition to practical support, we also provide information to families, and campaign for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.

Volunteers add real value to Sense, bringing their passion, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives to the work that we do. We believe that volunteers enable us to bring people together, and provide opportunities for people with complex disabilities to communicate and experience the world.

We include. We collaborate. We find a way. We challenge. We celebrate.