Requirements
- Internet access and email
- A strong work ethic and an optimistic, passionate attitude to inspire, encourage and lead group members to volunteer their time for small and large scale projects for the benefit of society, the environment and the local community
- The role is what you make it, but there could be some physical demands
- Word processing application (e.g. free LibreOffice Writer), with associated skills
Role Description
- Respond to any enquiries to the volunteering@ipswichoutdoor.org email address. Work with the group membership to investigate local volunteering opportunities
- Throughout the year, coordinate and organise a range of activities for the IOG programme intended to benefit the local community and society, as a whole. This should ideally include physical volunteering events, such as organising a group litter-picking walk where bags are handed out at the start with members encouraged to fill them on the way round, coppicing with the Suffolk National Trust Volunteers ( www.suffolkntv.co.uk ), footpath clearance organised by the Greenways Countryside Project ( www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways ), cleaning up the riverside with the River Action Group ( www.ipswich.gov.uk/rag ), adopting and maintaining a local stretch of river or beach with RiverCare and BeachCare ( www.rivercare.org.uk ) or helping out at YHA Blaxhall ( www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-blaxhall ). A regional nature charity the IOG has a long history of supporting is the Suffolk Wildlife Trust ( www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/volunteer ), and a national organisation with aims close to the group’s heart are the Ramblers ( www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer-zone.aspx ) who coordinate volunteers outdoors as well as online, including through their historically important Don’t Lose Your Way ( dontloseyourway.ramblers.org.uk ) campaign to unearth lost paths before 2026, using only a web browser. In addition, there are potentially smaller or regular opportunities for the group to get involved in locally e.g. volunteering for local charities like St. Elizabeth’s Hospice to do things like pack annual Midnight Walk bags ( www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/support-us/support-us/volunteer-for-us ), litter-picking in local areas or getting involved with a mission or group run with the Ipswich GoodGym ( www.goodgym.org/areas/ipswich ). Events such as the weekly Ipswich parkrun ( www.parkrun.org.uk/ipswich ) encourage local groups to “takeover” and supply all the required volunteers for a particular week, to raise awareness of that group in the community. Care of the environment also lends itself to volunteering activities, such as arranging a group tree-planting activity to help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The core of this committee role is to provide IOG members with opportunities to volunteer to benefit the community and the environment, alongside their outdoor group friends
- As well as one-day activities, organisations such as the Canal & River Trust ( canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer ) or Fix the Fells ( www.fixthefells.co.uk ) in the Lake District may also be able to provide opportunities for complete trips away, weekends or even longer, to tackle larger, physical tasks on a more national scale
- Investigate the feasibility and gauge potential interest from the whole group to build a local, public fundraising event for one or more local outdoor-related charities, such as a challenge walk, running event and/or muddy/obstacle course in the Suffolk area. Local charities who might aid members participating in outdoor events that could potentially be beneficiaries include: South East Cave Rescue Organisation ( www.caverescue.org.uk/rescue-teams/secro ), Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue (SuLSAR) ( www.sulsar.org.uk ), National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA) – Anglia ( www.nsarda-anglia.co.uk ), RNLI Harwich Lifeboat Station ( www.harwichlifeboat.org.uk ), Suffolk Accident Rescue Service ( www.sars999.org.uk ) and East Anglian Air Ambulance ( www.eaaa.org.uk )
- Organise for the recording and promotion of these activities by the group – from ensuring they are written-up for the IOG newsletter, to potentially reporting them to local media, newspapers and local interest social media. This will not only serve to advertise the group, but also encourage other community-minded people to join the group
- Create and maintain relationships with contacts in the various organisations that the IOG could work with
- Maintain:
– IOG Volunteering document, a list of people, organisations and web links to useful contacts that may be able to offer volunteering opportunities the group may be interested in, along with useful details of activities that have been arranged in the past and could potentially be done in the future
- Attend as many IOG committee meetings as possible through the year, and represent members interests on the committee. Whilst on the committee, lead by example and encourage a positive, healthy group dynamic. Call out and/or report back any inappropriate behaviour on IOG events
- Arrange and lead a handover meeting with the successor, when stepping down from the role