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Area Volunteering Representatives
THE ARTS SOCIETY AREA HANDBOOK 2022/2023
AREA VOLUNTEERING REPRESENTATIVES (ALL THREE VOLUNTEERING DISCIPLINES)
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PURPOSE OF ROLE
The Volunteering Area Representative is there to support and advise Society Volunteering Representatives (or Chair of Societies if there is no Society Representative) in all aspects of their work.
They report to the National Team of their discipline twice annually and meet them twice annually together with the Membership Manager and Membership Advisors for reporting the projects in their Area, discussion of issues, strategy and planning. They are encouraged to consult the Team or staff at any other point if they need advice or further support.
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Promote interest in the work of their Volunteer discipline within their Area and to raise the profile of it and encourage members to participate. • Represent ‘The Arts Society’ with Host Organisations, schools and other current or potential partner organisations in their Area to ensure good relationships are built and sustained within which projects can be delivered for public benefit. • Maintain regular contact with all the Society Representatives and project leaders within their Area, keeping up-to-date with all current projects and ensuring that Societies report on their activities so that Membership Department has access to full and current information. • When a project is registered (or Arts Volunteering project reported) on the database an email notification is automatically generated or manual notice produced and sent to the Area
Representative so that they have a complete record of projects entered into in their Area. • Advise and support Societies in establishing new volunteering groups or projects, circulate information on potential new projects to the Societies in the Area and help
Society Representatives initiate new projects. • Circulate notice of relevant training days to the societies so that new Society
Representatives have the opportunity to attend an Information Day in London led by the Head of that Volunteering discipline. • Organise a meeting annually for Society Representatives within the Area to enable them to meet each other, share ideas, experience and information, and to meet and hear from their Area Representative. This is an opportunity to pass on news of central developments and information pertinent to the volunteering activity. • Encourage Societies to think of working together, combining resources for a project that a single Society could not manage alone. • Consider initiating an Area Project which they set up and organise, coordinating
Societies through the Society Representatives who wish, or are able, to support it either with funds or volunteers. • An Area Representative is a member of the Area Team and will liaise with the Chair and other members of the Area Support Team.
TERM OF OFFICE
•Attend all Area Meetings and Area Team Meetings and present a report on their volunteering activity. •Attend the Area Representatives meeting (usually twice a year in London) which is held with the National Team and the Membership Manager and Membership Advisors. A written Area report should be submitted to the Membership Department in advance of the meeting for circulation to all attendees.
Reasonable expenses will be paid, and claims should be submitted to the Membership Department with receipts.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
For duties specific to each volunteering discipline please see:
ARTS VOLUNTEERING:
theartssociety.org/resource/how-help-arts-volunteering-area-coordinator
HERITAGE VOLUNTEERING:
theartssociety.org/resource/guidelines-arts-society-area-heritagevolunteering-representative
TRAILS OF DISCOVERY
theartssociety.org/system/files/TRAILS%20OF%20DISCOVERY%20AREA %20REPRESENTATIVE%20ROLE%20March%202021.pdf
TERM OF OFFICE
Area Volunteering Representatives usually serve for a term of three years however, this may be extended with the agreement of the Head of the National Team for their discipline and the Membership Manager.
STEPPING DOWN FROM THE ROLE
The Membership Department should be kept advised of any changes of Area Representatives. It is important that their database is kept up to date to ensure that everyone is included in the relevant communications.
At the end of their term an Area Representative should do a complete handover to their successor, passing on relevant documents, reports etc., and if at all possible, arrange for the designated successor to shadow the outgoing Representative prior to their leaving.
