WAVE is hiring: Volunteer Care and Community Engagement Coordinator

WAVE is looking for a coordinator to begin as soon as possible – ideally at the start of July 2024. The role is based in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, and requires the individual to recruit and onboard enough volunteers to ensure operational capacity is fulfilled; and to be the focal point for volunteers’ emotional support and well-being while offering guidance during their time with WAVE.

WAVE has recently undergone a strategic redesign and is looking for somebody who can support the organisation in ensuring further diverse engagement with the project. We are looking for somebody who can design and implement a strategy for further engagement, both from the local Greek community of Thessaloniki and from the community that we serve in our centre. This role will be full-time.

Start Date: July 2024

Minimum commitment: 9 months (one month probationary period), full-time

Key responsibilities:

• Managing the volunteer email inbox.
• Maintaining an up-to-date profile with Indigo and being their main point of contact for recruitment.
• Carrying out telephone interviews to determine if potential volunteers are a good match.
• Liaising with the coordination team about the specific roles required for recruitment.
• Be the first point of contact for any questions volunteers have before they arrive, including sending them all relevant information to plan their stay and arrival.
• Ensuring, alongside the other coordinators, that key induction documents and policies are kept up to date.
• Maintaining accurate records in a spreadsheet regarding volunteer information (allergies, emergency contacts, etc.) on the shared drive.
• Ensuring that the correct briefings and inductions are arranged and carried out with new volunteers – either by conducting them yourself or delegating to the other coordinators.
• Attending monthly team meetings and weekly open coordination meetings.
• Arranging and carrying out 1:1 check-ins with all volunteers (after the first week or two of volunteering and after that monthly). Check-ins and exit interviews are divided amongst all coordinators.
• Arrange and conduct exit interviews prior to the departure of volunteers.
• Be the first point of contact for any emotional or well-being issues during volunteers’ stay.
• Participate in shifts in the centre up to 3 days a week so you have a consistent presence in the community space.
• Provide incident debriefs and reports where necessary (to be discussed in coordination meetings).
• Report any incidents that cause concern relating to volunteer welfare as early as possible; pass on feedback about issues volunteers have raised (anonymously where required).
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of and commitment to confidentiality when engaging with the team whilst adhering to safeguarding policies where confidentiality may impact the safety of the community, volunteers, or Wave.
• Act as a representative for the volunteers’ welfare within the coordination team.
• Design and implement a strategy for promoting the involvement of the local Greek community as volunteers
  • This may include outreach to the University or other local organisations and groups
• Design and implement a strategy for promoting the involvement of members of the community we serve as volunteers
• Facilitate weekly meetings with the community we serve to gather feedback on the operations
• Ensure the feedback of the community is addressed, and that proper monitoring of subsequent changes is carried out transparently

Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills.
• Friendly and approachable character.
• Able to work well independently and take initiative.
• Flexibility in the working environment.
• Team player.
• Fluency in English and strong written communication skills.
• A developed understanding of boundaries and safeguarding.
• Ability to stay in Greece for 9 months or beyond.

Desired:

• Experience in a similar role.
• Experience working with people-on-the-move/refugees or in a similar field of working with vulnerable people.
• Experience working closely with community members.
• An understanding of the ongoing situation for people-on-the-move in Europe, especially at the borders.
• Experience providing wellbeing support in a group or on a 1:1 basis.
• Driver’s licence and ability to drive a manual van preferred.

What we can offer:

• A unique, practical learning experience working in a non-hierarchical, grassroots organisation providing direct aid to people-on-the-move.
• A monthly stipend of €750.
  • Unfortunately at this time we are unable to offer a Greek employment contract, and are paying a stipend through the reimbursement of receipts.
• The opportunity to work in a diverse team with European volunteers and members of the community we are serving

If you are interested, please fill out the Google Form. Interviews will take place the week commencing 24 June. An offer will be made by the end of the week, with the selected candidate starting as soon as possible. Stichting Wave Aid is committed to safeguarding and successful candidates will be required to complete our Self-Disclosure Form and undergo appropriate background checks.

Deadline for applications: 20 June

Special consideration will be given to applicants with lived experience of migration and hostile border policies, applicants from a racialised background, and local applicants.