Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To develop, co-ordinate and implement a Volunteer Services program to meet the needs and objectives of a correctional facility and promote the institution's community and public relations functions/activities related to volunteer programs.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Job requires:
1. Identifying volunteer program needs in consultation with program heads; planning, developing and implementing approval programs;
monitoring and evaluating established programs in relation to institutional goals and offender's needs.

2. Co-ordinating the recruitment, screening, orientation, training, placement and supervision of volunteers and monitoring their performance; providing guidance, advice, and support to volunteers and periodic, ongoing professional development and/or training opportunities for volunteers.

3. Ensuring volunteers adhere to Ministry standards, policies, and procedures; Identify and resolve routine/complex issues/problems. Manage discipline issues up to and including the termination of a volunteer's service.

4. Planning, organizing, and the co-ordinating annual recognition events e.g., Volunteer dinner.

5. Orienting new volunteer staff and promoting programs through ongoing communication. Liaising with institutional staff to monitor volunteer participation in programs e.g. health care, shift supervisors and chaplain.

6. Attending institutional, regional and provincial meetings to promote and clarify the objectives of the program. Promoting an understanding of the institution's role, philosophy and offender's needs through public speaking engagements; developing presentations, brochures and displays for approval prior to distribution to the public.

7. Building and expanding links between Ministry programs and community services to provide a continuum of programs and services for inmates, both during and after incarceration e.g. AA, Narcotics Anonymous, Bridge program. Liaising with and encouraging support of community agencies, citizen's groups, business, industries, universities and colleges to actively solicit participation in the volunteer programs and to obtain human and material resources required for the implementation of institutional programs.

8. Providing special services in the facility as required e.g. in the absence of a librarian by supervising volunteers in the operation of a library. Educational liaison, supervising volunteer teachers working in co-operation with the Independent Learning Centre and local Literacy Network. Coordinating with Volunteer distribution of seasonally related activities.

9. Participating in administrative activities by using software programs to maintain pertinent volunteer program data and records, e.g. statistics on program activities, volunteer placements, and inmate attendance in volunteer programs, etc., submitting reports to management and preparing annual report; determining/administering programs resource requirements and budget.

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of the theories, principles and objectives of a wide variety of volunteer programs/services, recruitment and advertising techniques, adult training techniques, program organization and management supervision techniques and skills to recruit, orient, train and supervise volunteers in the administration of the programs. Job requires knowledge to determine the most suitable volunteer program to develop for the institution by consulting with program heads, reviewing their need for volunteers, and analyze gaps in services to recommend changes, Job requires knowledge of accepted volunteer motivational theories to place volunteers in appropriate and meaningful assignments, which meet their personal interests and the interests of the institution. Job requires knowledge of institutional operating procedures/standing orders, related manuals pertaining to the volunteer programs, practices and procedures to ensure programs do not negatively affect the security and correctional goals and objectives of the institution. Job requires knowledge of relevant legislation i.e. Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Criminal Code of Canada, Child and Family Services Act, used in training and supervising professional agencies and volunteers and overseeing programs, ensuring that offender needs are addressed and the community is protected. Job requires knowledge of community agencies and resources required to identify/arrange the appropriate volunteer resources, to establish and maintain communication and obtain their support for volunteer activities by attending community meetings, and lecturing on volunteerism. Job requires knowledge of institutional administrative procedures to establish files on volunteers and knowledge of computerized offender management systems and word processing software packages to input/retrieve offender data, prepare reports, correspondence and maintain statistics.

Skills :

Job requires oral and written communication and presentation skills to prepare presentations, convey facts and information clearly using a wide variety of audio-visual equipment when explaining the nature of the program to the public, offenders, indicating the security requirements of the facility to volunteers, promoting and understanding the institution's role and philosophy. Excellent interpersonal skills to establish and maintain relationships; good supervisory skills to enable incumbent to supervise and monitor performance of volunteers. Job requires evaluative, analytical, reasoning and problem solving skills to resolve issues/concerns of volunteers and assess suitability when screening applicants, to identify poor performance or failure of volunteers to meet requirements of program, investigate concerns and resolve problems of performance.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working in accordance with Ministry policies and procedures and needs of the different programs to implement a volunteer services program, i.e., promote volunteerism with community groups, determine ways of promoting the program to encourage greater community participation, determine means of maintaining communication with community groups. This job requires deciding which individual to hire as volunteers/community professionals, which agencies to allow into the institution. Performance evaluations and training are also provided. Job requires decision-making skills to recommend new/changes to programs, volunteer recruitment, overseeing their work and termination. Job requires completed tasks to be reviewed to ensure established programs and volunteers adhere to Ministry standards and procedures. Job requires problem-solving skills to resolve issues or matters pertaining to the volunteer program. Adherence to Ministry policies and procedures such as breaches of security rules by volunteers, offender behavioural problems and program changes are referred to the supervisor for appropriate direction and action. Planning special events in the institution to raise interest in volunteerism. Job requires consulting with program management on funding requirements, their needs for types of volunteers, providing annual reports on volunteer program in the institution. Provides overall leadership in planning and developing volunteer programs. Develops a philosophy and objectives for the volunteer program in conjunction with other staff. Identifies and develops position and task descriptions for volunteers. Establishes, communicates and oversees volunteer policies and procedures for the institution. Develops and implements the volunteer recruitment strategy. Designs, implements and provides training programs for volunteers.