1. Volunteer Role Description for: Location: Main contact:
Volunteer Home Visitor
Shoreham Rehoming Centre
Chris Barnard
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Purpose of the role: To assess the suitability of prospective new adopters’ homes.
Key tasks:
Visit prospective adopters’ homes to assess the suitability of the home and environment to the particular dog.
Interview the prospective adopters and complete a home visit questionnaire.
Liaise with adoption team on suitability of adopters and their findings.
Maintain a professional approach when visiting peoples’ homes at all times, being both non-judgemental and considerate.
Drive carefully, ensuring best use of time by planning the quickest route.
Be an ambassador for Dogs Trust.
Be knowledgeable on the work of Dogs Trust and specifically the Shoreham Rehoming Centre.
Other administrative tasks as requested by Dogs Trust staff.
Skills/experience required:
A full clean UK driving license and confident at driving long distances.
Excellent customer service skills (ideally with previous experience working in a customer service environment).
Excellent face to face communication skills with the ability to listen.
Confident and approachable manner.
Common sense approach to problem solving and a diplomatic approach.
Ability to work comfortably in a close knit team or alone. This role involves lone working.
Conscientious with a can-do attitude.
Ability to follow instructions.
An interest in dogs and dog welfare.
For this role volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
Time commitment:
Flexible days and times; according to volunteer and customer availability.
Volunteer Appointment Process:
Volunteer application form
Interview
Selection (successful / unsuccessful)
References taken
Induction session (1 ½ hours)
Training
Three month review meeting

2. Volunteer Role Description for:
Volunteer Home Visitor
What you can expect from Dogs Trust as a volunteer:
A staff member main contact who will manage your tasks, answer your questions and help you with the volunteer rota.
A buddy (either another volunteer or a member of staff) who will help you through your first few weeks at the centre.
Volunteer uniform.
Induction and ongoing role-specific training, guidance and support.
Travel expenses for mileage incurred in the role.
An opportunity to feed back to your main contact about your experience volunteering with Dogs Trust.
Recognition of the role that you are carrying out in support of Dogs Trust through our Volunteer Merits Scheme.
Opportunities to try new things and learn new skills, where appropriate.
A message from the CEO
Without our dedicated volunteers we couldn’t hope to achieve as much as we do for the dogs in our care; the support from our volunteers is absolutely vital to our work.
The work that volunteers help us with may not always be easy, but I know that volunteering with Dogs Trust is a rewarding experience.
Adrian Burder
Chief Executive
What we expect from our volunteers:
Support Dogs Trust in its work and carry out your volunteer role to the best of your ability.
Complete a Rehoming Centre volunteer induction session, this will be held at your centre and complete any other additional training as required.
Make new people welcome and work well within the team.
Recognise the importance of our members, sponsors and donors in supporting the work of Dogs Trust.
Wear your Dogs Trust volunteer uniform at the centre and ensure you are presentable at all times.
Support Dogs Trust procedures and standards by:
Being aware of your own health and safety and of that of others.
Respecting others and treating people equally in line with our Equal Opportunities Policy.
Ensure all activities undertaken in the name of Dogs Trust achieve the charitable aims and objectives and do not bring the organisation into disrepute.
Be accountable and accept constructive comments.
Maintain confidentiality regarding Dogs Trust activity, the dogs in our care and our team.
Meet time commitments and standards agreed, and give reasonable notice when unavailable, so other arrangements can be made.
Be a positive representative of Dogs Trust, ensuring you are polite and friendly to all visitors to the centre.
Dogs Trust Shoreham
Brighton Road
Shoreham By Sea
BN43 5LT
Telephone:
Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity. Through our network of 20 rehoming centers across the UK and one in Ireland we care for almost 17,000 abandoned and unwanted dogs a year. No healthy dog is ever destroyed.