Community Volunteer Information Pack

Transcription

1 Community Volunteer Information Pack

2 CONTENTS SECTION CONTENT PAGE 1 Foreword 3 2 Organisational Information 4 3 The Volunteering Role 5 4 Role Description Information Support 7 5 Role Description Awareness Raising 8 6 Selection Process 9 7 Additional Information 10 2

3 SECTION 1: Foreword Thank you for your interest in the role of Community Volunteer with Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS). This information pack is designed to provide you with an insight into this highly rewarding volunteering opportunity, as well as providing an overview of the selection process. We hope that this pack will enable you to decide if volunteering is the right opportunity for you. Our Volunteers play a valuable role in supporting NIFRS to provide fire safety messages to local communities across Northern Ireland Volunteers make a vital contribution to the safety of their community. Becoming a Community Volunteer gives you the opportunity to work as part of a team, receive excellent training and gain a range of skills. All the information that you need in order to apply is provided in this pack. However, if you have any queries or require any further information please julie.rea@nifrs.org Further details in relation to NIFRS are available on our website: You can also follow NIFRS on Social Media: Facebook ( Twitter (@nifrsofficial). If you feel that volunteering is for you, we look forward to receiving your application. Alan Walmsley Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Director of Community Protection 3

4 SECTION 2: Organisational Information NIFRS protects and serves the entire population of Northern Ireland, an area of over 5,500 square miles and with a population of 1.8 million, providing them with a range of fire and rescue services. We respond to fires, road traffic collisions and specialist rescue incidents including flooding, chemical incidents, collapsed buildings and other types of emergencies. We provide a range of community engagement initiatives to help reduce risk and keep people safe from the dangers of fire and other types of incidents that we respond to. We have a dedicated Regional Control Centre where all fire and rescue 999 emergency calls for Northern Ireland are answered and fire crews are mobilised to respond. As an organisation we have a shared vision, a clear mission and values that underpin absolutely everything we do. Our Vision: Protecting Our Community. Our Mission: To deliver a fire and rescue service and work in partnership with others to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. Our Values: We are committed to: People we value keeping our people safe and well trained. Leadership we value leading by example. Teamwork we value working together. Integrity we value the utmost integrity in everything we do. Diversity we value equality and fairness and we consider the needs of our staff and the community we serve. Communication we value open and honest communication with our staff and with all our stakeholders. Partnership we value working in partnership. Pursuit of Excellence we value continuous improvement at all levels of our organisation. Our Operational Structure: Our structure is currently under review and at present we have 4 operational Area Commands Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western. Area Commanders, each responsible for one of the 4 Area Commands, manage operational activity on a day-to-day basis. Our 4 Area Commands are supported by 14 Districts, strategically placed across Northern Ireland and which create a community focus for our activities. District Commanders are responsible for the Fire Stations in their District. There are 68 Fire Stations across Northern Ireland, each serving their local community. Our Headquarters (including our Regional Control Centre) is situated in Lisburn and our Learning & Development Centre is currently situated at Boucher Crescent in Belfast. 4

5 SECTION 3: The Role 1 What is a Community Volunteer? Community Volunteers play a valuable role in supporting NIFRS to reduce the number of accidental fire deaths and injuries in the home and the number of incidents attended by NIFRS. There are two main types of volunteering role at present: (a) Community Volunteer Information Support (b) Community Volunteer Awareness Raising Both roles support NIFRS in providing fire messages to local communities at 3 locations within Northern Ireland. Further details are provided in the Role Descriptions in Sections 4 and 5 of this pack. Whilst our volunteers are not employees, they are an important part of the whole team. You will be allocated a role manager who will support you while you are volunteering with NIFRS. 2 Who can volunteer? If you'd like to support us, we'd love to have you involved! Our volunteers come from lots of different backgrounds from senior professionals to students. 3 What are the benefits for me? It depends on what motivates you. Volunteering with NIFRS will mean you are making a difference to your local community. You could also benefit from using your existing skills, learning new ones, and being with other people. If you're looking for work or a change of career, you will gain valuable experience for your CV. 4 How much time do I need to give? We're very flexible depending on the role and how much time you are able to give. Some of our volunteers might give two hours a fortnight or get involved in one-off events that last a few hours, while others might give two or three days a week. Even if you only have a small amount of time to give you can still help us. 5 Are there any age restrictions? You need to be 18 years old or above before you start volunteering with NIFRS and there is no upper age limit. 6 Will I be paid for volunteering? Volunteers are not employees of NIFRS. The roles are unpaid and do not lead to paid employment with NIFRS. You are, of course, welcome to apply for any jobs that come up within NIFRS. 5

6 7 Can I claim expenses? We believe you should never be out of pocket if you volunteer for us. We ll reimburse for agreed, out-of-pocket expenses. 8 Do you offer training to volunteers? Yes. Training will be tailored to the volunteering role. 9. Will I wear a uniform when volunteering? A uniform and identification card will be provided to all volunteers. 10 Can I volunteer while receiving benefits? Many people use volunteering as a way to learn new skills and gain experience to help them find a job. We welcome anyone volunteering to develop their CV. You should always take direct advice from the Jobs & Benefits Office. 11 Are there any checks required before I can become a volunteer? Becoming a volunteer is subject to a number of checks: (i) (ii) (iii) Satisfactory medical declaration. A satisfactory basic disclosure through Access NI. Further details can be found on the Access NI website at Receipt of satisfactory references. 6

7 SECTION 4: Role Description Community Volunteer: Information Support 1 Main Purpose To support NIFRS in providing fire safety messages to local communities with the aim of reducing the number of accidental fire deaths and injuries in the home and reducing the number of incidents attended by NIFRS. 2 Volunteer Hours The role is local to your area and flexible. 3 Main Tasks You will: act as a community engagement champion, spreading the word on fire safety amongst members of the public as well as particular target groups (eg, older people, specific neighbourhoods); and distribute targeted information (letters, leaflets and posters) to local communities. 4 Requirements of the Role The main requirements are that you: have the ability to work well within a team and to follow instructions; have good communication skills; have good organisational skills; are committed to inclusion, treating people from all backgrounds with dignity; have a knowledge of, or willingness to learn about, fire safety; and are 18 years old or over. 7

8 SECTION 5: Role Description Community Volunteer: Awareness Raising 1 Main Purpose To support NIFRS in providing fire safety messages to local communities. 2 Volunteer Hours The role is flexible and will respond to local requests to provide community safety information talks to a range of organisations including schools, community groups and church groups. 3 Main Tasks You will: act as a community engagement champion, spreading the word on fire safety amongst members of the public and target groups (e.g., older people, specific neighbourhoods) attend events and awareness sessions to promote safety and wellbeing; and build links between community organisations and NIFRS to promote the services which NIFRS offers. 4 Requirements of the Role The main requirements are that you: have the ability to work well within a team and to follow instructions; have good communication skills; have good organisational skills; are committed to inclusion, treating people from all backgrounds with dignity; have a knowledge of, or willingness to learn about, fire safety; and are 18 years old or over. 8

9 SECTION 6: Community Volunteers Selection Process The following flowchart sets out the process that NIFRS will use to select Community Volunteers: STAGE 1: Application Form There is a rolling recruitment for these volunteering roles at the 3 locations. STAGE 2: Shortlisting The information you have provided on your application form will be considered and if you meet the requirements you will be invited to the next stage. STAGE 3: Informal Interview You will be invited to an informal interview to enable us to find out if you are suited to volunteering. Details will be provided at the time so that you will know what to expect. STAGE 4: Volunteering Checks If you are successful at stage 3, the following checks will be carried out before you can begin volunteering: Satisfactory medical declaration. A satisfactory basic disclosure through Access NI. Receipt of satisfactory references. STAGE 5: Volunteering Induction If you are successful at stage 4, you will be required to attend a Volunteering Induction course providing you with an overview of volunteering with NIFRS. Please note attendance at the Induction is required. STAGE 6: Registration On completion of stage 5 you will be registered as a volunteer with NIFRS. 9

10 SECTION 7: Additional Information 1 Equality of Opportunity We are committed to equality of opportunity for volunteers regardless of gender, marital status, disability, age, religious affiliation, political opinion, ethnic origin, dependants or sexual orientation. In order to allow us to monitor equality of opportunity we carry out equality monitoring. You are therefore requested to complete our Equality Monitoring form and return this with your application form. We can assure you that: Whilst we encourage you to complete and return the Equality Monitoring form this is not compulsory. Your form is used for monitoring purposes only and will not be available to those involved in selecting volunteers. Your answers will be held in the strictest confidence. 2 Reasonable Adjustments If you require any assistance/reasonable adjustments due to a disability during any stage of the selection process and/or while volunteering, please contact the HR Advisor, Equality, Inclusion & Legal on Tel: in the first instance, or alternatively please contact the HR Manager, Equality, Inclusion & Legal. 3 Identity Checks Following the introduction of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 in respect of the prevention of illegal working, NIFRS is obliged to conduct proof of identity and right to work in the UK checks. It is your responsibility to demonstrate you are entitled to work in the UK. If you are unable to produce the relevant documents, or the documents are not satisfactory, the offer of volunteering may be withdrawn. You are also required to produce original documents to verify your identity, one of which must be photographic identification. Further details regarding acceptable documentation will be issued at the relevant stage with invitations. 4 Access NI Checks Before you can begin volunteering you will be required to apply directly to AccessNI for a basic disclosure check. Please note that disclosure of a conviction does not necessarily debar you from volunteering with NIFRS. Details regarding AccessNI checks can be found on the NI Direct website 5 Changes in Personal Circumstances Please ensure that you inform us immediately of any changes in personal circumstances. If you decide at any point that you no longer wish to be considered for volunteering, please inform us as soon as possible. 6 Data Protection NIFRS processes the information provided on your application for the purposes of meeting its legal obligations. 10

11 Headquarters Northern Area Headquarters Eastern Area Headquarters 1 Seymour Street Waveney Road 6 Bankmore Street Lisburn BT27 4SX Ballymena BT43 5BA Belfast BT7 1AQ T T T F F F Learning & Development Centre Southern Area Headquarters Western Area Headquarters 79 Boucher Crescent Thomas Street 10 Crescent Link Belfast BT12 6HU Portadown BT62 3AH Londonderry BT47 5FR T T T F F F