Safeguarding and Compliance Leader

Could you use your safeguarding experience to help a small local charity make a real difference?

Loaves of Love is a grassroots Portsmouth charity supporting marginalised women through baking, friendship, confidence-building and practical skills. Our free baking classes bring women from different backgrounds together in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment.

As our classes involve women who may be particularly vulnerable to harm or exploitation, safeguarding is a fundamental part of what we do. We are looking for a new Volunteer Safeguarding Lead to help us make sure that our safeguarding arrangements remain strong, practical and appropriate as the charity grows.

This could be an ideal opportunity for someone with previous experience in safeguarding who is now retired, semi-retired, working part-time or simply looking for a meaningful way to use their professional skills in their local community.

What you will be doing
You would be the main safeguarding point of contact for Loaves of Love, working alongside our trustees and volunteer team.

Your role would include:

• Being available to advise the trustees and volunteers if a safeguarding concern or question arises.
• Helping us keep our safeguarding policy and procedures up to date and in line with current good practice.
• Making sure new volunteers understand our safeguarding responsibilities and know what to do if they have a concern.
• Helping us maintain appropriate safeguarding records, including volunteer documentation and DBS checks where required.
• Supporting the team with safeguarding training and awareness.
• Helping us review and improve our safeguarding procedures as Loaves of Love develops.
• Attending our baking sessions occasionally so that you can get to know the volunteers, participants and the way our classes operate.
  

You will not be expected to run the organisation's safeguarding arrangements on your own. You will work closely with our trustees and volunteer team, and we will make sure you have the information and support you need.

How much time would it take? 

We are very conscious that volunteering should be manageable alongside your own commitments.

The role is flexible and can largely be carried out remotely. We would ideally like our Safeguarding Lead to attend a Loaves of Love baking session from time to time, with the opportunity to discuss safeguarding matters remotely when needed.

The actual time commitment is likely to be modest, although safeguarding concerns would occasionally need a timely response.

Who are we looking for? 

We would particularly welcome applications from people with experience in:

• Adult safeguarding.
• Social work, healthcare, social care or related services.
  
• Supporting adults experiencing domestic abuse, homelessness, isolation or other difficult circumstances.
  
• Charity or community organisations.
  
• HR, compliance or roles involving safeguarding responsibilities.
  

Previous experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead or Safeguarding Officer would be particularly valuable.

You don't need to have worked in safeguarding recently. If you have relevant experience and would like to use your knowledge to support a small local charity, we'd love to hear from you.

Why volunteer with Loaves of Love? 

We're a small, friendly grassroots charity, and every volunteer makes a genuine difference.

You'll be helping us create a safe environment where women can learn new skills, build confidence, make friends and feel welcome in their local community. Your safeguarding knowledge could help us continue to grow this work safely and responsibly.

If you have safeguarding experience and a few hours to spare each month, we'd love to hear from you.

Location
Mostly remote, with occasional attendance at our baking classes in Portsmouth.

Commitment
Flexible - with occasional attendance at our twice-monthly baking sessions and additional time remotely when required.

About the organisation:

Loaves of Love was created out of a wish to help and support women asylum seekers and refugees in our local community. We bring women together through the medium of baking bread to help them feel welcome and valued in the community.

**Please check your Junk email folder in case any emails end up here, we will be touch with you within a few days by email. Friendly reminder that the charities/organisations emails may end up here too. **

Don't forget you can add up any volunteering hours as part of Team 100 Opportunity - Hive Portsmouth or part of the Donate 100 things challenge Opportunity

Skills

• Approachable, calm and discreet.
• Confident handling sensitive information and concerns
• Comfortable giving advice and asking questions when something doesn't feel right.
• Well organised and able to maintain appropriate records.
• Committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment.
• Happy to work collaboratively with trustees and volunteers.