Page contents
- What are the roles needed at a hub?
- Working as a team
- More information about the responsibilities of each role
What are the roles needed at a hub?
Your hub will be staffed by volunteers from your community. The structure and who is involved will depend on what works best in your area.
The roles we suggest are:
- Hub coordinator,
- Communications coordinator
- Reception
- Needs and offers coordinator.
- Information coordinator
Our hub toolbox contains lanyards for these roles to help identify your staff.
These roles do not have any special legal powers when working as part of the hub. The law allows your community to take the initiative in responding to incidents. However, your hub should operate within the law and promote health and safety.
Working as a team
The hub is run, designed and owned by the community so it will only work if you work as a team.
You can set up your team in the way that works for you. You will need to decide which roles work best for your group and then ask people who are happy to take them on.
This works best if the people in the roles are decided on the day, depending on who is available, rather than having roles pre-assigned.
Everyone has different skills and abilities and is able to make a valuable contribution to the group. It is important people are allocated the most appropriate roles and are able to play their part.
More information about the responsibilities of each role
Hub coordinator
Responsibilities:
- Oversee the running of the hub
- Hold brief team meetings
- Look after volunteer wellbeing
- Ensure jobs are being done
- Create a rota of volunteers
- Prepare for shift changeover
- Direct media to the local authority
- Close the facility at the end of each day and when no longer needed
- Request extra help when needed
Communications coordinator
Responsibilities:
- Set up the communications area
- Send updates to the local authority (for instance, that your hub is open, and what supplies are needed)
- Receive information from the local authority, s social media and emergency service websites, radio, members of the community
- Pass all information to the information coordinator
- Communicate information to the community about what happened, how to help themselves, and safety advice.
Reception
Responsibilities:
- Set up a reception area at the entrance and keep it tidy
- Greet people and direct them to the help they need
- Create a calm and friendly atmosphere
- Be honest if you don’t know the answer and try to connect them with someone who might know
- Ensure signage is visible
- Set up an area for chatting and hot drinks
Needs and offers coordinator
Responsibilities:
- Address life-threatening needs immediately by calling 999 and informing the hub coordinator
- Set up display boards to post for needs and offers with:
- Date and time
- Description of need/offer
- Name and contact details
- Match new needs and offers as they come in
- Remove fulfilled needs and offers
- Forward large-scale needs to the local council
Information coordinator
Responsibilities:
- Gather information
- Set up a situation board to display information
- Determine what information you are missing
- Collect information from people as they arrive at the hub
- Monitor official media and social media channels
Find out how to about set up your Community Emergency Information Hub