Volunteer

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” – Jane Goodall

Looking for something new and fun, while gaining great work experience to enhance your CV or personal statement?

Then come and join our fantastic team of dedicated volunteers and make a real difference in your community. Volunteers are a huge part of everything we do at the Red Brick Building. From Board members to reception, digging in the garden to helping at events, the Red Brick runs on the energy and enthusiasm our volunteers bring to the project.

At the Red Brick Building we celebrate creativity and are passionate about giving people the freedom to recognise their full potential.  Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills while making a positive contribution to the community.  It can also be a route into work or further education. For most of the roles, no experience is necessary as we will give you all the training you need to fulfil your role well.

Anyone can volunteer: any age, any background, currently employed, in education or looking for work. You may be able to commit to three days a week or as little as a few hours a month. Whatever your interests or situation, there could be a role for you. Our aim is to support our volunteers in doing work they feel passionate about, as well as doing the more ordinary everyday tasks that need to be done here.

All of our volunteers are covered by Public Liability Insurance and the induction covers everything from the history of the project to health and safety along with the practicalities of knowing where everything is and the very important details of where to make yourself a cup of tea or coffee!

Over the course of the project we’ve been helped by more than 400 volunteers, Our current team of regular volunteers help at events, in the garden and on reception.

Volunteer roles include:

Volunteer Board members – we are looking for new members to join our Board of Directors. Please see the general role description and details for the specific roles of Treasurer and Secretary.

RBB Board role description December 2017

Treasurer Board of Directors role description September 2017

Secretary Board of Directors role description October 2016

Reception Volunteer: welcoming people to the building, answering the telephone and more!

Events Volunteer: helping out at evening events including gigs, lectures and more.

Garden Volunteer: hard and soft landscaping, general gardening on Thursdays 10am-2pm and Fridays 10am-12pm. See the Community Garden page for more information.

Fundraising Volunteer: can you share your fundraising talents with us? We need to raise funds from grants, community shares and donations for the next phase of our project.

Promotions Volunteer: including blogging, social media, poster creation, distributing promotional material, generally getting the word out about the Red Brick.

Some of the benefits of volunteering include:

• Gaining confidence
• Making a difference
• Meeting new people and making new friends
• Being part of a community
• Learning new skills
• Taking on a new challenge; and…..most importantly,
• Having fun!

Would you like to join our Board?

We are also looking for a number of new Board members. These are voluntary roles and you must have time to commit to the organisation. Here’s the general role description and details of specific roles are below. Get in touch if you’re interested!

RBB Board role description December 2017

VOLUNTEER Secretary: Board of Directors

Purpose of the role:

To be responsible for:

• Ensuring meetings are effectively organised and minuted
• Maintaining effective records and administration
• Upholding the legal requirements of governing documents and community benefit society law

Main Activities:

Ensuring meetings are effectively organised and minuted

• Liaising with the Chair to plan meetings
• Receiving agenda items from Board members
• Circulating agendas and reports
• Taking minutes of the meetings
• Circulating approved minutes
• Checking that agreed actions are carried out

Maintaining effective records

• Upholding legal requirements
• Checking quorum present at meetings
• Ensuring elections are in line with necessary procedures and organising the AGM
• Ensuring charity and company law requirements are met
• Ensuring the organisation’s activities are in line with its objects
• Arranging for the organisation’s accounts to be audited
• Sending annual returns to the FCA

Person specification

• No formal qualifications are required for this role
• Organised with an eye for detail
• Commitment to the organisation

VOLUNTEER Treasurer 

We are seeking a Treasurer on a voluntary basis to join our Board of Directors.

The overall role of a treasurer is to maintain an overview of the organisation’s financial affairs, ensuring its viability and that proper financial records and procedures are maintained. The role and person specification are summarised below.

 General financial oversight

• To oversee and present budgets, accounts and financial statements.
• To liaise with designated staff about financial matters.
• To ensure that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
• To ensure compliance with relevant legislation for Community Benefit Society
• To ensure any recommendations of the auditors are implemented.
• To ensure accounts meet the conditions of contractual agreements with external agencies such as funders and statutory bodies.

Financial planning and reporting

• To present financial reports to the committee.
• To make a presentation of the accounts at the annual general meeting (AGM).
• To advise on the organisation’s reserves policy, investment policy and loans policy.
• To advise on the financial implications of the organisation’s strategic and operational plans.
• To advise on the fundraising strategy of the organisation.
• To ensure that there is no conflict between any investment held and the aims and objects of the organisation.

Other

• To chair meetings of the Finance Sub-Committee.
• To sit on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels as required.

Qualities and Skills Preferred

• Experience of financial control and budgeting.
• Experience of fundraising and pension schemes.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• A willingness to be contacted on an ad hoc basis.
• Ability to ensure decisions are taken and followed-up.
• Good time-keeping.

Time Commitment:  The role of the Treasurer requires an estimated commitment of:  Up to 2 days a month including attending a 2-hour Board meeting once a month and a Finance Committee meeting once a month.

If you’re interested in applying to be the Secretary to the Board of Directors or Treasurer, or would like further information, please email [email protected]