Role description for Community Safety Volunteers
We are seeking Community Safety Volunteers who are able to interact and empathise with a range of people, have an interest in safety and wellbeing issues, and have a positive approach to working with others.
Purpose of Role
To support Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service (OFRS) and Trading Standards in carrying out a range of prevention activities, which are aimed at improving the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people and communities in Oxfordshire.
The activities include:
- Safer and wellbeing visits
- Ongoing support for victims of doorstep crime and scams
- Safety education volunteering
- Fire Cadets Supervisors
- Community transport for vulnerable people
Volunteers are welcome to support a variety of these activities or they can focus on one or two specifically.
Main duties and responsibilities
Safer and wellbeing visits
- To accompany OFRS personnel whilst conducting Safer and Wellbeing Visits at the homes of vulnerable Oxfordshire residents.
- To take an interest in the person being visited, identify problems and risk and offer constructive advice.
- To offer reassurance and conversation while practical aspects of the visit are being carried out.
Ongoing support for victims of doorstep crime and scams
- To make contact with people trading standards have worked with previously to ensure they are not still being targeted by scammers.
- To accompany trading standards officers on visits to vulnerable people and provide advice on how to avoid being scammed or becoming a victim of doorstep crime.
- To support trading standards officers in spreading awareness of scamming and doorstep crime and how to avoid becoming a victim.
- To provide a listening ear and reassurance to vulnerable people.
Safety education volunteering
- To support the delivery of safety education to a wide range of people at our Safety centre in Oxford City or at public events throughout Oxfordshire.
- To engage with members of the public, many of whom might be vulnerable due to their age, their difficulties or disabilities and provide education on specific or general safety messages.
- To act as a positive and reliable representative of OFRS.
Fire Cadets Supervisors
- To support fire cadets instructors in delivering the fire cadets program to groups of up to 16 fire cadets aged between 12-17 years at your local fire cadets unit.
- To support the delivery of fire cadets training activity, whilst befriending and offering a positive role model to the cadets.
- To engage positively with the fire cadets, instructors and supervisors and suggest and plan appropriate fun group activities.
Volunteer drivers for vulnerable people
- Coordinate all trips through the Home and Community Safety Team /Volunteer Coordinator.
- Drive vulnerable (elderly/disabled/looked after child) person to and / or from their home to their destination .
- Be punctual and dependable in picking up your passenger(s) at the scheduled time.
- Strive to be an empathetic, encouraging and positive representative of OFRS.
General
- To record your volunteering hours and provide details of activities carried out.
- To participate in local safety promotion initiatives and safety and recruitment events.
- To participate in activities to generate Community Safer and Wellbeing Visits.
- To attend volunteer group information, training and review update sessions arranged at mutually convenient times.
- Positively represent the county council.
- To adhere to the policies and procedures provided by the service at all times.
- To undergo training with OFRS and Trading Standards and achieve the required standards.
Required skills, experience and aptitude
Essential
- An empathy for others and interest in safety and wellbeing issues
- Friendly, confident and approachable manner
- Experience of working or volunteering with diverse members of the community
- Reliable, responsible and trustworthy
- Willingness to work as part of a team and abide by specified procedures and processes
Desirable
- Experience of providing education and / or training
- ICT knowledge and skills
- A clean current driving license and use of a vehicle
What support will I be given?
Volunteers will be managed and supervised by the volunteer Coordinator and will be a part of Home, Community and Safety (HCS). HCS will ensure volunteers have the necessary training and resources to carry out the role required of them. Upon commencing their new role volunteers will shadow an OFRS Community Safety Advisor. Volunteer visiting will be carried out in pairs and volunteer peer support will also be available.
You will also receive:
- A full induction into the Service to help you understand your role, what we do and why we do it
- Extensive and detailed training pertinent to the role
- Uniform and resources
- Regular feedback and support
Volunteer recruitment process
All applicants will be required to attend an interview, supply two references and undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before being approved to take up a volunteer position. Given the sensitive nature of the role we retain the right to be selective in our recruitment; applicants who are unsuccessful will receive feedback.
Safeguarding
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.