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Tom's Blog: Diary of a Volunteer Advisor
The Volunteer Centre at Community Action consists of a team of trained, skilled and highly dedicated Volunteer Centre advisors supported by a staff team. The advisors are all volunteers themselves. Here's a quick 'day in the life' from Tom, a team leader within the Volunteer Centre team:
In the morning I greeted the team, asked how everyone's weekend had been and exchanged some light banter! The office includes receptionists, volunteer advisors and an office manager.
I started my day with an internet search, gathering useful contact information for a client who rang up last week wanting to know more about home based micro-volunteering opportunities.
Choices included work on computers, knitting, and writing letters to a child or prisoner.
There have been lots of changes in the office recently, some volunteers have moved on, and others have arrived.
This morning Keith and I are being shadowed by two new advisors. We guided them through our IT system, and got them processing online applications.
Experienced advisors conducted interviews with clients, and trainees sat in making notes, where permission had been given.
No two interviews are the same, some people know exactly what they want, others would like more guidance, a good advisor will ask questions to try and find out what they enjoy doing, or what they have experience in.
I took our new trainee into the private interview room where we conducted a mock interview with me playing the potential volunteer. At the end I wrote down a few pointers and suggestions for her before going on my lunch break.
When I returned in the afternoon I processed some online applications, and had lots of volunteer interviews through the drop-in service. I helped out with some telephone enquiries about volunteering which came through to our reception.
I finished the day with a spot of research for an upcoming interview appointment.
If you or someone you know would like to share their volunteering experiences in our 'day in the life' blog then please contact the team on 01332 342272 and ask for Simon or Kate.