Volunteer Ambassadors (Armed Forces Community Project) - Northwest England

Our Charity aims to make a difference to young people’s lives through positive volunteering experiences and, by working with them for as long as it takes, we help them build their self-esteem, confidence, skills and aspirations. Our staff and volunteer team are key to this work and we are a “family” of caring individuals who strive to give people a new focus and a fresh start in life. We also care about each other and have a strong work ethic, sharing our learning and experiences through reflective practice and peer support. Our ethos is to ‘connect, engage and empower’ our clients – using strengths-based coaching, we help them play an active role in identifying and achieving their own goals. Working with people who have multiple complex needs, we know that progress is not linear and effecting this change takes time, patience and understanding. Our non-time limited support ensures that no support is hurried and so you will work with people for as long as it takes. For over 30 years, we have helped vulnerable and marginalised people across three core groups to build a brighter future. This includes supporting young people, Armed Forces personnel and veterans, and those in touch with the criminal justice system. We believe in the power of volunteering and the benefits that they can bring to improving both mental and physical health, and to help reduce isolation and exclusion from society. Our Armed Forces Community projects are based in the North and South of England, providing support to veterans and personnel on recovery duty, including those facing medical discharge. In the North West of England, we are a partner on the "Thrive Together" programme which is funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and project managed by the Armed Forces Community HQ in Wigan. Thrive Together is the name for the second phase of the Veterans People, Places and Pathways Programme (VPPP). Over a 3-year period from 2024-2027, Thrive Together aims to build sustainable and resilient networks to ensure veterans and their families receive prompt, effective and tailored support. Step Together's role is to help connect veterans to their community, to ensure they are accessing all the support they need to enhance their overall health and wellbeing. This is achieved through our partner contacts on the Thrive Together programme and through our wide ranging network of charity and not-for-profit volunteering connections across the region.

ROLE DESCRIPTION: Purpose: To support Step Together Volunteering, as part of the Thrive Partnership Programme as a volunteer, promoting and connecting veterans to support. Based: Volunteers will be active in their local community, working from their home, and travelling across the locality to meet with our charity and programme partners and to connect with veterans and their families. Business mileage, travel and meeting costs will be reimbursed. Your motor insurance will need to cover you for work related travel. On occasion the role will involve meeting our Volunteer Coordinator or attending meetings outside of your usual geographical remit but this will be limited. Your availability: the volunteering activities of this role can be undertaken flexibly but, typically, this will be a minimum of 5 hours and up to 14 hours a week, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. We are currently funded to deliver our programme to June 2026 and therefore roles are available until then, unless funding is withdrawn or until such time as you may need to stop volunteering with us. Ideally you will be able to commit to around at least 6 month's volunteering with us. Reporting to: the role will be reporting to our local Volunteer Co-ordinator, Sally Houlihan, who is based in Chorley, Lancashire. Sally previously served in the Armed Forces and will guide you through your training and induction and ensure you have all you need to reach veterans in your community. You may also be supported by the wider Armed Forces Community team at Step Together and other volunteers we recruit across the region as part of the Thrive Together partnership. We encourage regular communication, knowledge sharing and peer support within our organisation so that staff and volunteers do not feel isolated in their roles. Duties & Responsibilities: This volunteer role could include activities such as:  Identifying veterans in the community that would benefit from support or activities, including those that are ‘hidden’ within the local area.  Promote inclusion at all times and reach veterans who would otherwise avoid taking part in activities or receive support.  Be innovative and creative to increase the range of veterans receiving support.  Networking with other community networks and the wider Thrive Together programme.  Working together with other volunteers to achieve similar aims and outcomes. What we expect from our volunteers:  To be understanding of the issues, challenges and barriers people face;  To be respectful of professional boundaries and taking responsibility for their own safety and that of others.  Act in accordance with relevant policies and procedures; maintaining strict confidentiality;  Be open and honest about any issues affecting them or their ability to volunteer in this role and to seek support when it is needed;  Represent the organisation and programme positively at all times;  Undertake a DBS and also training to assist them in their role;  To be reliable and dependable, keeping us informed of any changes in their working pattern or availability. Skills & Qualities: Our expectation is that volunteers in this role will be:  Confident dealing with individuals and/or groups and a great communicator  Capable of putting appropriate boundaries in place between beneficiaries and themselves, and maintaining these at all times;  Emotionally aware and able to recognise signs and triggers of stress in themselves and others;  Self-aware, and able to judge when to refer to or take advice from STV staff as appropriate;  Passion to promote and improve the lives of veterans in the community Shortlisted candidates will be offered an interview either face to face or virtually, in person on MS Teams.