We’re seeking a dynamic and proactive individual with charity project and event experience to manage and develop BuDDies, our established befriending scheme for disabled people, including delivering 4 social events across Buckinghamshire in the summer of 2025. The role is remote other than attending the events and associated site meetings.
Hours: 20 hours per week
Rate: £13.50 per hour
Duration: 1st March 2025 to 31st October 2025 (8 months)
Location: Home based but travelling to and working at event sites in Buckinghamshire
Reporting to: HR & Project Manager / Operations Manager
Team: Fair4All Team
Role Purpose:
The BuDDies Coordinator will have two roles:
- To take over the management of the small BuDDies befriending project, review its working, and seek by 31 October to expand it to 10 BuDDies/service user pairings. Also, help to develop a case for continued funding and development of BuDDies.
- Support the planning, organisation, and execution of four inclusive social events for older disabled adults in Buckinghamshire, known as BuDDies MeetUps.
Background
Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS) is a user-led pan-disability charity focused on fixing the biggest issues facing disabled people in Bucks and beyond. BuDDies is our small specialist befriending service, currently working only by telephone, which has declined in size since the end of funding in 2024. The aim is to expand the scheme to ten participants. MeetUps is a development of BuDDies, designed to help disabled people meet others face to face in safe social environment. The aim here is to organise and deliver 4 small-scale (30-40 guests) social events in visitor destinations in Bucks which will be attractive to lonely older disabled people.
The aim is to continue this post beyond 31 October 2025 if further funding can be secured.
What Does The Role Involve?
As part of the wider BuDS team:
BuDDies Development:
- Take over the day to day running and admin of the BuDDies scheme from the BuDS PM.
- Ensure existing service users’ needs are being met and collect feedback
- Help recruit, induct and train more BuDDies to befriend service users (with Volunteer Coordinator)
- Working with local referring organisations, recruit an additional 6 service users
- Ensure safeguarding & welfare concerns are noted and escalated as appropriate
MeetUps:
- Plan and organise four MeetUps events at accessible venues across Buckinghamshire.
- Support and coordinate BuDS volunteers assisting with MeetUps.
- Engage with attendees to understand their needs and gather feedback.
- Assist in creating promotional materials to encourage attendance.
What Skills Or Experience Are Needed?
- Experience of managing and delivering voluntary-sector services for disabled or older people.
- Experience of event management and administration, including H&S.
- A good understanding of safeguarding and welfare.
- Highly organised, self-motivated and punctual.
- Collaborative, proactive, positive and problem-solving approach.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to work flexibly including some evening and weekend working.
- Working knowledge of using MS Teams to work remotely.
- Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with a wide variety of people including disabled people with impairments of all types.
- Understanding and appreciation of the Social Model of disability. See https://buds.org.uk/the-social-model-of-disability/
BuDS is an equal opportunity organisation, and disabled people are particularly encouraged to apply for this role. Please don’t be deterred from applying – help us to understand how we might make it possible for you to do this job by changing the way we work.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is very important to BuDS. BuDS safeguards all its staff and volunteers, and an enhanced DBS check will need to be satisfactorily completed before you are appointed. We will also ask for work and character referees.
How to Apply
To apply for this role, please send an initial email of interest with your CV attached to jobs@buds.org.uk. Our HR & Project Manager will be in touch within a few working days with feedback on your application and to discuss the next steps. Once the interviews are all complete, you will be given feedback within 5 working days. If you are successful in the interview, we will start the internal onboarding process. You will be set up with BuDS access and an email address and have an induction to BuDS and an induction to the BuDDies team to get started.