Development Officer (Swingbridge Boats)
JOB DESCRIPTION
| ROLE TITLE: | Development Officer (Swingbridge Boats) | |
| REPORTING TO: | SCT Manager (TBC) and Chair of Swingbridge | |
| LOCATION: | Home-based as well as Guildford and other river/canal locations across Surrey | |
| HOURS: | 21 hours per week – Fixed term contract for two years in the first instance | |
| SALARY: | £17.01 p/h (£18,574) DIRECT REPORTs: Line managing 1+ staff | |
| CLOSING DATE: | 17/5/26 INTERVIEW DATE: TBC | |
Surrey Care Trust is a local charity that helps people to improve their skills for life, work and learning through counselling, education, mentoring and volunteering. Our programmes support disadvantaged families in improving their chances in life. Through our programmes we are enabling people throughout Surrey to overcome the disadvantage of low skills, poor educational achievement, limited opportunities and tough financial circumstances.
We offer a broad range of programmes - support for families and their children at our Spelthorne Family Centres; offering vulnerable and challenging young people an alternative approach to education at our STEPS learning centre; a free and independent youth counselling service for young people aged 16 – 25; mentoring young people and adults to help them gain confidence and make positive changes; improving mental health and wellbeing through Steps2Work Wellbeing and our nurture through nature programme at Gateway and Outside and Active; working to bring the community together and taken action on local issues with our Stanwell Community Group project; supporting 18-24’s into employment through Steps2Work in Woking; and creating a different environment for people to learn new skills and give something back to society on our Swingbridge Community Boats.
Our Swingbridge boats pride themselves on the value given by its team of volunteers to support vulnerable people on 3 boats that navigate the Surrey canals and rivers. ‘Swingbridge Tranquillity’ is fully accessible with a lift, enabling a wider audience to benefit from our work, and our other two boats, ‘Swingbridge Endeavour’ and ‘Maggie G’, each offer a different boating experience including trips, boat handling courses and environmental work. This role will develop and support our volunteers and boats, and with a focus on maximising their input and use. It will also look to explore other opportunities including developing an alternative learning programme for young people (primarily aged 14 – 16) who would benefit from a different form of education and learning experience on our boats. Following the success of our other alternative learning programmes, this role will be pivotal to the development of new project opportunities and to the infrastructure of the 70+ Swingbridge volunteers to ensure its legacy and growth.
Our Vision
We are the local charity working with volunteers, to make Surrey a place where vulnerable people have the opportunities, skills and support they need to achieve their potential.
Our Mission
We are breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage in Surrey by equipping vulnerable people with the skills and confidence they need to change their lives, and their futures.
Overall purpose of the role
To develop opportunities for the Swingbridge Community Boats section of the Trust, maximising volunteer involvement and boat usage, including the development of the alternative learning provision. Securing and enhancing our Swingbridge team of trained volunteers is key to it continuing its success, so this role will help with the recruitment and support to our existing team of 70+ volunteers who dedicate their time to the boats and clients they serve. You will develop opportunities to maximise the utilisation of its boats to enable more beneficiaries to be supported by SCT and attract funding.
Duties and Responsibilities
Increase utilisation of boats in association with Swingbridge Volunteers.
To explore, and implement, ways in which to maximise the use of the boats to support more beneficiaries and make best use of volunteers and funding opportunities.
Develop new ideas and activities, including those suggested by the steering group, to help the volunteers make these ideas happen and bring about innovative ways of working.
Integrate with other SCT programmes and staff, promoting Swingbridge and creating opportunities.
Contact and develop relationships with other organisations to explore potential opportunities/beneficiaries
Working with Volunteers to develop programmes for the Swingbridge Boats in line with SCT’s mission
To explore, and develop an alternative learning programme using volunteers on Swingbridge boats for children who may not be suited to the traditional classroom setting; linking in with schools, the local authority and other SCT colleagues both for development, practice and referrals.
Explore awarding body curriculum opportunities for students/beneficiaries to be able to gain certification that could compliment Swingbridge and the alternative provision/other programmes and follow the required steps to make this achievable.
With the volunteers, make recommendations on how best to undertake, and implement, a successful alternative learning programme, or other income-generating projects, which can best support beneficiaries whilst maximising the use of boats and volunteers to secure income.
Working with existing volunteers to increase volunteer recruitment and support for the volunteers
• To assist the recruitment of volunteers, exploring new and innovative approaches to be able to secure additional volunteers for the boats and alternative learning programme
Induct new volunteers, implementing an induction programme and ensuring they, and established volunteers, are suitably trained for their roles.
• To attend Swingbridge steering group and volunteer meetings, and others as required, enthusing both staff and volunteers to achieve outcomes and reporting on project achievements/progress.
• To support and develop the Swingbridge team of volunteers, working with them to ensure efficiency and best practice.
• To define and implement standards and policies for best, and safe, practice using existing and new documentation.
General
Work with the Swingbridge Safeguarding lead to ensure safeguarding and health and safety records are kept and maintained, ensuring any concerns are dealt with appropriately, recognising their importance.
Maintaining comprehensive and up-to-date records for the programme together with the Swingbridge Boats Administrator
Line management of Swingbridge staff.
Any other duties commensurate with the role.
Person Specification
The role will be home based with time out for external meetings and on the boats. A DBS is required for this role.
| ESSENTIAL | DESIRABLE |
| Education, Training and Work Qualifications | |
| Good level of education, with strong verbal and writtenEnglish | Degree level or equivalent |
| Teaching qualification | |
| Relevant Experience | |
| Worked with vulnerable people/groups and/orvolunteers, recognising the value that volunteers canbring | Experience of working in the charitable sector, in paidor voluntary capacity.Volunteer management experience. |
| Experience of successfully developing and leading aproject/s with measurable outcomes | Project management qualification |
| Experience of supporting and successfully engagingwith people from a range of backgrounds and ages | Previous management experience.Previous volunteer management experience |
| Knowledge | |
| An interest in boats and supporting beneficiariesthrough boats to achieve positive outcomes | Boat handling skills or qualifications |
| Sound safeguarding knowledge, awareness andcommitment, with experience of dealing withsafeguarding issues | Safeguarding training or DSL/DDSL |
| An awareness of alternative learning and its benefit tosupport young people with ideas of how to make thisachievable/successful | Experience/background in working within Education oradult learning.Worked in alternative learning |
| Knowledge of awarding bodies and an understanding ofcurriculums and assessments | Experience of delivering or implementing/ developingcurriculum/s |
| Skills and Expertise | |
| Excellent verbal and written communication,interpersonal and listening skills and able to relateconfidently to both adults and young people | |
| Experience of delivering presentations orteaching/training to groups with confidence | Teaching experience |
| Flexible in approach, using initiative with proven abilityto plan and prioritise own workload without day-to-daysupervision to meet targets/deadlines | |
| Demonstrate a high level of professionalism andinitiative when making decisions | |
| An ability to empathise with, and motivate others, witha passion for people to thrive | Experience of working with, or supporting, vulnerablepeople or groups |
| Demonstrate creative problem-solving skills and apositive approach to challenging and overcoming anylimiting beliefs held by beneficiaries or volunteers | |
| Previous experience of networking and buildingexternal and colleague relationships for positiveoutcomes | Staff management experience |
| Excellent planning, decision making and organisationalskills | |
| Strong and proven IT skills | |
| Willingness to work outside on the boats in all seasons | |
| Car driver with full license and flexibility to drive acrossthe Surrey when required | |
Health & Safety
All staff must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees, volunteers, beneficiaries and visitors.
General
This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties, but it is intended to give a general indication of the range of work undertaken and will vary in detail in the light of changing demands, growth and priorities with the Trust.
For further information about this role please contact Kate Lynn; kate.lynn@surreycaretrust.org.uk