Volunteer Coordinator

Job Title: Volunteer Coordinator

Company: John Howard Society of Victoria

Location: Victoria, BC

Job Type: Full-time, permanent

Salary: $28.31-$30.00 per hour

Benefits: Dental care, Disability insurance, Employee assistance program, Extended health care, Life insurance, Paid time off, RRSP match

About the organization:

The John Howard Society of Victoria is a dynamic, innovative social service organization that strives to create safe, healthy, and inclusive communities for all. Our goal is to help individuals achieve greater independence by providing support with housing, life-skills, education, employment, and community-based services.

Responsibilities:

This position coordinates the Vancouver Island Community Corrections Volunteer Program with a concentration on the Community Adult Mentoring and Support project.  This position will recruit and oversee a group of volunteers to work with offenders in the community, facilitating both 1-1 mentorships and community building group activities.   

Half of the clientele served will be neurodiverse offenders with mental health problems (developmental disabilities, Fetal Alcohol spectrum disorder, brain injury, personality disorders) and the other half will be neurotypical offenders on Vancouver Island.  Both groups will have diverse backgrounds, including male and female offenders and offenders of various cultural backgrounds, with varied offences.     

• Conduct information sessions with a broad range of agencies, organizations, officials, and educational facilities within the Vancouver Island Community Corrections Area.   
• Keep active volunteers posts up on multiple platforms.  
• Conduct screening interviews with potential volunteers.  
• Verify volunteer references and ensure security clearance is received before applicants are accepted as a volunteer.  
• Establish a broad recruitment base, including local service groups, chaplaincy and faith communities, universities, colleges and volunteer centers.   
• Broaden the volunteer base to reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of local communities and offender population by extending recruitment initiatives to various cultural organizations.   
• Recruit, screen, train, supervise and support approximately 50 CAMS volunteers per year.  
• Provide support for existing volunteers and offenders.  
• Ensure volunteer applications are completed for each volunteer.  
• Maintain accurate logs of volunteers and offenders.   
• Ensure security clearance for each potential volunteer is processed through CSC National Headquarters.   
• Schedule and facilitate a mandatory Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Volunteer Orientation on a regular basis, or at least 1 every 3 months, regarding volunteer roles and responsibilities, including Code of Conduct, Access to Information Act, Privacy Act and confidentiality.   
• Ensure each new volunteer has completed orientation training prior to providing services and attending additional training sessions.   
• Identify and arrange, in cooperation with Victoria Parole employees, appropriate additional training for volunteers taking on the mentoring role.  
• Provide a quarterly status report for each volunteer who attends an orientation program or other training.   
• Attend CSC-sponsored volunteer coordinator meetings as scheduled.   
• Work closely with the Case Management Team to ensure appropriate services are provided to offender identified with mental health issues.   
• Coordination, including recommendations to CSC employees of appropriate matches for identified offenders with the appropriate CAMS volunteer(s).   
• Regular visits to William Head Institution (approximately twice per month) to provide information/applications to potential offender participants upon their release, biannual visits to CSC institutions on the Lower Mainland to do the same.  
• Coordination of quarterly volunteer support meetings ensuring agendas are provided, minutes recorded, and items actioned as required.  
• Organize an annual volunteer recognition event to coincide with volunteer recognition week.  
• Develop new projects and tasks for volunteer and offender engagement on an ongoing basis.  
• Identify gaps in service and create volunteer roles based on these gaps (i.e. Cooking Class)   
• Reporting monthly:   
• Number related to recruits, trained volunteers, and match volunteers.  
• Number of offenders contacted and matched, including number of offenders with mental disorders. 
• Number of employees and community orientation sessions provided.   
• Number of hours or volunteer service provided through the volunteer program.  
• Activity highlights from both CAMS and other projects  
• Timesheet, including daily activities.  

Skills and abilities:

• Excellent leadership skills 
• Strong decision-making and analytical skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills  
• Ability to build a strong rapport with volunteers and community partners 
• Ability to work with diverse populations 
• Excellent conflict resolution skills 
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing 
• Ability to work independently
• Strong organizational skills 
• Excellent computer and administrative skills required   

Qualifications:

• Post-Secondary education (Criminology, Social Services, or related field).   
• Excellent written and oral communication, dispute resolution and problem-solving skills.   
• Experience working in the Human Resource Management field considered an asset.   
• At least 1 year’s experience working in Volunteer/People Recruitment, Training and Management.   
• Proven experience working with marginalized populations.  
• Proven experience working with adult individuals with mental health issues.  
• Proven experience working directly with offenders in a community environment.  
• Combination of education and experience will be considered.    
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a leadership role.   

Job Requirements:

• A reliable Vehicle and valid driver's license. You will be paid a travel allowance of 50 cents per kilometer.    
• You are required to carry a cell phone (which we supply) to facilitate your contact with the CAMS volunteers.   
• A Criminal Record Check and Enhanced Security Clearance will be required.   

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals and meet the qualifications for this role, please apply through the portal. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. We appreciate all applications, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The John Howard Society of Victoria is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.