Befriending Co-ordinator (Hearing Loss & BSL Services)

We’re recruiting thanks to extended National Lottery funding — join us to help reduce loneliness and social isolation for Deaf people, BSL users, and people with hearing loss across Cambridgeshire.

Location: Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

Salary: £28,000

Hours: Full-time, Monday–Friday 9:00am–4:30pm (plus occasional evening community events)

Contract: Permanent (subject to funding)

About the role

We are seeking a compassionate, organised and proactive Befriending Co-ordinator to help lead and deliver our volunteer befriending services.

This is a hands-on role, working directly with volunteers and service users, supporting people who are Deaf, use British Sign Language (BSL), or have hearing loss and are experiencing loneliness or social isolation.

The role covers two befriending strands — BSL Befriending and Hearing Loss Befriending — and involves both service delivery and coordination. You will share responsibility for supporting approximately 80 volunteers across the service, working closely with another Befriending Co-ordinator, with a particular focus on developing and strengthening our hearing loss befriending service.

Key responsibilities

Recruit, induct, train and support volunteer befrienders across both BSL and hearing loss services
Match volunteers with clients in a sensitive, person-centred way, considering communication needs, interests and wellbeing
Provide ongoing support and supervision to volunteers and clients, responding to concerns with empathy and professionalism
Maintain accurate records and monitoring data in line with organisational and funder requirements
Contribute to service improvement, particularly within the developing hearing loss befriending service
Support the innovative creation and delivery of social and wellbeing activities, including occasional evening events
Build relationships with external professionals and organisations to promote awareness of the service, including attending external meetings
Ensure safeguarding, confidentiality and equality principles are embedded in all areas of work
Work closely with our Marketing Manager to promote the service and recruit clients and volunteers
Fully prepare for and attend management meetings

Who we’re looking for

Essential

Warm, patient and caring approach with excellent people skills
Experience working with volunteers, community services or vulnerable adults
Strong organisational and administrative skills, including time management
Confidence using Microsoft Office and learning other software packages
A positive, “can do” approach to problem solving
Willingness to appear in website and social media content (including videos and photos) and help create social media videos
Willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and systems
Ability to manage a varied workload across different service areas and meet multiple deadlines
Commitment to inclusion, equality and person-centred support
Willingness to work occasional evenings and travel within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Understanding of GDPR and client confidentiality
Proactive attitude towards service development and new opportunities
Ability to work effectively as part of a small and wider team
Willingness to learn British Sign Language (BSL)

Desirable

Experience working with Deaf people, BSL users or people with hearing loss
Understanding of befriending services and/or issues around loneliness and isolation
Experience of monitoring, reporting or service development
British Sign Language (BSL) skills

What we offer

A rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives within a supportive, values-driven charity. We offer training and development opportunities and the chance to help shape and grow an inclusive befriending service.