Volunteer

Description

COPE Galway supports individuals and families across Galway through homelessness, domestic abuse, and senior support services. Our charity shops help fund this vital work, with volunteers playing a key role in making it all possible.

What’s involved? 

• Maintaining shop standards 
• Customer Service: greeting and interatin with customers
• Till duties and cash handling
• Vigilance in the shop for security against shoplifting
• Maximising the income from donations 
• Ambassador for COPE Galway to the public 

 

Personal Specification 

• Minimum 6 months experience in a retail environment.
• A reliable, punctual and trustworthy team player with a warm friendly manner. 
• A good communicator who can listen and respond sensitively to people. 
• Non-judgmental and accepting attitude. 
• Have an interest in the shop and an enthusiasm for raising money through its work. 
• An understanding of the work of Cope Galway.

 

Our Values, Our Work, Our People 

Our Vision is a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life. We work to achieve this by providing essential support for people at challenging times in their lives, and by advocating for systemic change to remove the root causes of inequity and disadvantage that constrain the wellbeing and development of individuals, families and communities.   

Our Mission is to make a difference by empowering people, creating change and strengthening communities. We understand, respect and respond to the needs of our clients who are always at the forefront of our work.   

COPE Galway is committed to becoming a Trauma Informed Organisation through an implementation plan that includes training for all staff and volunteers across all roles and departments. Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) aims to support us to recognise trauma and to react and respond to it in ways that minimise triggering and re-traumatising people, so that we continue to provide the best possible services to those who need us most. TIP also encourages us to focus on our organisational culture and how we each interact with one another to create psychologically safe environments for clients, volunteers and staff. It encourages us to reflect on our triggers and responses and considers personal and organisational responses to staff and volunteer wellbeing to ensure that our people are supported to deliver the best services they possibly can to those who need them most.  

Everything we do is guided by the COPE Galway Approach to help us achieve our vision of a community where every person is valued, cared for and supported at every stage of life.   

This assets-based and person-centred approach recognises that each person has attributes and strengths that can make positive differences in their own lives. We achieve results for the people we work with because of our Approach.     

 

The COPE Galway Approach is built on:   

Understanding - Deep listening, storytelling, learning, developing, openness, connections.   

Respect - Valuing the whole person, empowering, trusting, believing in the potential of others, drawing on strengths and abilities.   

Response - Quality, professionalism, making an impact, challenging ourselves, continuous improvement.   

Strong human relationships form the basis for the COPE Galway Approach. These relationships are established on how we understand and respect those we work with and how we respond so that we positively impact people’s lives.   

Our People are supported by regular support and guidance, and access to our Employee/Volunteer Assistance Programme. 

 

Service description 

The COPE Galway Charity Shop is run by a paid manager, assistant manager and a team of around 15 volunteers, who kindly donate their time and effort. 

The shop sells donated ladies’, men’s and children’s clothes, accessories and jewellery, books, CDs/DVDs. The shop is a vital source of revenue for our services.

 

What will you get out of it? 

• Join a fun, welcoming team while meeting and working with new people 
• The opportunity to develop social and experiential competencies such as 
• Developing knowledge and gaining practical experience relative to this role 
• Gaining communication and customer service skills 
• Building confidence 
• Adding valuable experience to your CV 
• References available once the minimum commitment has been made 
• The option to access other training courses as appropriate to the role 
• The opportunity to contribute to a local Galway charity and help us realise our vision of creating a community where every person is valued, cared for and supported at every stage of life 
• Great personal satisfaction since you can make a real difference to our service users 

 

What we would like from you 

• Willingness to work within the values and policies of COPE Galway 
• Carry out your role in professional manner and maintain a respectful and courteous manner in dealing with clients 
• Maintain confidentiality in respect of all matters which come to their knowledge while volunteering 
• Please do not undertake duties outside this role description without checking first with your Volunteer Manager/Lead Worker 
• Adhere to the “Volunteer Agreement” which includes their rights and responsibilities as outlined in our Volunteer Handbook 

 

Will there be induction and training? 

• You will receive a local induction and introduction to the role before you start.  
• You will be offered service specific training required for the role.  
• Other training includes:  
• Trauma Informed Practice (online module) 
• ‘Stop & Think’ Reflective Workshops 
• You will have the opportunity to participate in ‘On-boarding Induction’ with fellow volunteers and staff. 
• Cope Galway will provide ongoing support and supervision through one-to-one and group meetings which you will be informed about while you are volunteering. 

 

Recruitment Process 

• Application processed. 
• Manual Handling Certificate must be in place before commencement - training will be provided if required.
• The applicant will be invited to meet with the service manager.
• The interview takes place as arranged by the hiring manager.
• Successful applicants will be offered the volunteer role subject to 
• 2 Reference Checks (one of whom must be resident in Ireland)  
• Signing the COPE Galway Volunteer Agreement 
• Induction and Orientation prior to commencement. 
• Volunteers commencing with COPE Galway are subject to a trial period.

 

General information

Volunteers should not undertake duties outside this role description without checking first with their Volunteer Supervisor.

Volunteers are requested to adhere to the ‘Volunteer Agreement’ which includes their rights and responsibilities as outlined in our Volunteer Handbook.

Is training provided?: Yes

Tasks that the volunteer(s) will be expected to undertake:

• Maintaining shop standards 
• Customer Service: greeting and interacting with customers
• Till duties and cash handling
• Vigilance in the shop for security against shoplifting
• Maximising the income from donations 
• Ambassador for COPE Galway to the public 

Skills required for this role:

• Minimum 6 months experience in a retail environment.
• Fluent English

Details of time commitment needed for role:
Location: Newtownsmith Galway H91 HY4E Available days: Monday-Saturday Available shift times: Morning Shift 10.15am-2.15pm, Afternoon shift 1.50pm-5.45pm Commitment: Minimum one shift a week, 3 month minimum commitment Reporting to: Charity Shop Ltd Edition Manager Level of English required: Fluent

Minimum time commitment per week:
3 hour p/week

Additional screening required for this role:
RECRUITMENT PROCESS Application processed. Manual Handling Certificate must be in place before commencement - training will be provided if required. The applicant will be invited to meet with the service manager. The interview takes place as arranged by the hiring manager. Successful applicants will be offered the volunteer role subject to 2 Reference Checks (one of whom must be resident in Ireland) Signing the COPE Galway Volunteer Agreement Induction and Orientation prior to commencement. Volunteers commencing with COPE Galway are subject to a trial period.