Female Helpline Support Volunteer - Birmingham, United Kingdom - MWN Hub

Description

MWNUK have launched The Muslim Women's Manifesto Download your copy here

RoleDescription: Female Helpline Support Volunteer – No Experience Needed (trainingprovided)

MWNUK (Muslim Women's Network UK) provide a national helpline service(MWN Helpline) to Muslim women and girls on over 40 issues including domesticabuse, mental health, divorce, homelessness and sexual abuse. We are lookingfor compassionate and level-headed volunteers to provide our service users withthe relevant information, advice, support and when necessary, make referrals tointernal case-workers for more holistic support, to our counselling service orto other external agencies and charities. Working in a small team of staff andvolunteers, you will provide a culturally and faith sensitive listening earwhich is non-judgemental and confidential.

In return, not only isthis role fulfilling, but you will be thoroughly trained on issues, besupported in your development by experienced staff and volunteers, and alsogain many transferable skills. Some of our previous volunteers have gone on tobe employed on the helpline. We particularly encourage women who have had acareer break due to raising a family, caring responsibilities, getting marriedor any other reason, to apply. When applying think about transferable skillsyou have that can help you in this role. If you feel that you meet the requirements of this role, wewould like to hear from you.

Hours: Part-time(Morning Shift 9:15 – 12:45; Afternoon Shift 13:15 – 16:45) minimum requirementis 3.5 hours p/w

Location: FirstFloor, 1192 Stratford Road, Birmingham, B28 8AB

JobType: Volunteer (no experience needed – training provided)

Deadlinefor Applications: Saturday 30 April 2022 by 12 noon

Interviews: May2022

*Pleasenote that in accordance with The Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1,Paragraph 1), this post is open to women only*

Training: Due to the variety of enquirieswe receive and their sensitive nature, the first month of your role willinvolve specialised training.You willbe required to attend 3 mornings per week for 4 weeks. The provisional trainingdates in June 2022 are: 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd ,8 th , 9 th , 10 th , 15 th , 16 th ,17 th , 22 nd , 23 rd and 24 th . Pleasenote these dates may be subject to change.

About Us:

MWNUK are a national award-winning charity based inBirmingham who work to improve social justice and equality for Muslim womenand girls. We find out about the experiences of Muslim women and girlsthrough research and helpline enquiries and use our findings to advocate andcampaign for the rights and opportunities of Muslim women and girls. We alsodeliver training and produce resources to promote these rights. See more on ourwebsite: . We also have a member platform, MWN Hub: .

About the MWN Helpline:

Ourcore service is the Muslim Women's Network (MWN) Helpline. It was set up tooffer information, support, guidance, and referrals to Muslim women and girlsfrom diverse ethnic/faith backgrounds who are suffering from, or are at riskof, abuse or facing problems on a range of issues. Although our reach isprimarily Muslim women, the helpline accepts calls from and supports women ofany faith or no faith, and also men facing problems. Our Helpline is able tomake onward referrals to statutory and charitable organisations, who canprovide further support services for our helpline users.We help with accessing foodbanks,interpretating, welfare checks which includes talking through problems,providing emotional support, help with accessing hardship funds, advocacy onbehalf of service user when speaking to professionals from the police, socialservices, mental health professionals, GPs, schools etc. In addition, we havean internal referral system for a faith and culturally sensitive counsellingand casework. See more on the MWN Helpline website

What does the role consist of?

· As a Helpline Support Volunteer, you willbegin with answering emails, and texts enquiries; you will then move onto answeringcalls and responding to live webchat from service-users and supporting them onthe wide variety of issues.

· All responsesmust be in line with the ethos of MWNUK which protectspeople from discrimination, harassment and victimisation, according to theEquality Act 2010. The 9 protected characteristics of the Act are: age,disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy andmaternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

· You will needto maintain accurate records of the client cases on MWN's bespoke onlinedatabases, and ensure data complies with GDPR requirements.

· Given the nature of the role, experience insupporting people, and dealing with problems faced by Muslim women is necessary,either through a previous job or voluntary work, or through helping friends andfamily.

· You will also be required when needed tomaintain website resources and promote the service.

· You may also be asked to work on other MWNUKprojects, services, and activities related to MWN Helpline issues as required.

Main responsibilities:

· Providing high-level support to users of theMWN Helpline responding to telephone and electronic enquiries.

· Being responsible for helpline case managementincluding database inputting.

· Maintaining all information in line withconfidentiality and data protection policies at all times.

· Attending training as directed.

· Keeping up-to-date with developments andlegislation around the key issues such as forced marriage, violence againstwomen, hate crime, Islamophobia, etc.

· Carrying out appropriate administrative dutiesand support to the Helpline Manager, Director and Trustees.

· Attending work-related events or meetings, asdirected.

Person Specification:

· keen interest in the charity sector and ethnicminority and Muslim women's empowerment.

· Able to work in a non-judgmental, culturallyand faith sensitive manner.

· Active listening and note-taking skills.

· An approachable and friendly manner, withsolid communication skills.

· Experience of engaging with and dealing withproblems faced by Muslim women / girls either through a previous job, voluntaryrole or through helping friends and family.

· High level of professionalism when dealingwith internal and external stakeholders.

· Some knowledge of key issues affecting Muslimwomen and girls, including domestic violence, sexual violence, forced marriage,honour-based violence, hate crime, Islamophobia and mental health.

· Experience of effective teamwork.

· Ability to work independently withoutsupervision in a highly organised manner.

· Drive and willingness to go above and beyondto provide the best service possible and who is committed to ensuring that theHelpline remains successful.

· Understanding of and commitment to upholdingconfidentiality, data protection, and to maintaining professional boundaries.

· Understanding of the Community Sector.

Covid Vaccinations: We will require you to provide evidence of all your covid vaccinations.

Application Process :

Stage1

Pleasesend us a letter, and tell us about yourself, why you would like to volunteeron the helpline and share with us any skills, experience or knowledge that youthink may be relevant given the specification. If you wish, you can also sendus a CV but is not essential. Please send to by Saturday 30 April 2022 by 12 noon

· A covering letter which covers that followingpoints (no more than one side of A4 paper).

o Why you want this role.

o How you meet the criteria specified in the jobdescription/person specification.

o Consider the transferable skills that willhelp you in the role you are applying for.

o About any career break you have had and itsduration.

· CV including (no more than two sides of A4paper). (optional)

o Name / contact details e.g., address / email /phone number.

o Education history (with key dates andqualifications).

o Job / voluntary work history (with key dates).

o Languages spoken.

o About any career break you have had and itsduration.

· Details of tworeferees we can contact. References will only be sought once you are offeredthe role.

Stage2

Shortlistedindividuals will be invited to attend a face-to-face interview in May 2022.

*Please note that in the interests ofcomplying with the legal duties' incumbent upon MWNUK as a charitable company,all job applications (successful or otherwise) will be retained for such periodof time as deemed necessary and at least for a minimum of six months.Applications will be immediately deleted once it has been determined that itsretention is no longer necessary. For further information please refer to ourprivacy policy: