Whatever the job, all volunteers:

• Are able to join in with other volunteers
• Enjoy helping out
• Receive an introduction talk and appropriate training
• Make tea or coffee
  

The producer is responsible for the content of each edition as well as its recording quality. Producers work Wednesday evenings on a rota system.

• Organises editor to provide news items to last 55 minutes
• Organises engineer for recording
• Puts together items to be recorded
• Organises individual contributors
• Organises producer contributions
• Starts recording the news section at 8.00 p.m.

The editor selects the news stories for the section of the recording from the week’s Swindon Advertisers. It is important that the news stories selected are a true representation of the week’s local news coverage.

• Culls the Swindon Advertiser for the previous 7 days
• Selects enough stories to last 45 minutes plus 10 minutes for reserve
• Edits out certain words e.g. today, yesterday etc.
• Ensures incomplete court cases are concluded with "case continues"
• Looks for other items which may be used in section 2
• Attends a bi-annual evening for listeners and volunteers.

The job of the engineer is to ensure good sound quality on the master digital recording.

• Is familiar with the recording equipment controls
• Records to a satisfactory standard
• Draws attention to poor quality of master recordings
• Advises on obtaining new equipment.

The technical manager is responsible for ensuring that the recording equipment is in the best possible condition, to help us maintain consistently good recorded sound quality. He/she also looks after the computers.

• Advises on the best equipment at the most economical prices
• Repairs or gets repaired all electrical equipment
• Advises as to the latest developments that may be of use
• Is familiar with the controls so as to be able to advise others
• Monitors the engineering quality of outgoing recordings
• Carries out annual electrical tests (not statutory tests)

On section 1 of the recording, four readers read the articles selected by the editor. Variety in the reader’s voices adds to the interest of the listener so it is essential that the four readers are different in sound but work as a team. Newsreaders are needed for an hour or so on Wednesday evenings on a rota basis.

• Must have a clear voice
• Must be proficient in reading skills
• Must be at studio at 7.45 p.m. to scan the news items for mis-spellings, difficult words etc.
• Must be available to read extra stories for section 2

Contributors provide magazine style features on section 2 of the recording. They provide their own features which may be of local interest, or relate to visits, holidays, or any other topic, which may interest our listeners. Volunteers also contribute to regular features such as sport, What’s On, thought for the week, and many others. The producer schedules contributions and may edit them to fit into the weekly recordings. Some regular features in section 2 such as what’s on are recorded on Wednesday evenings.

• Must have a clear voice
• Must be proficient in reading skills
• Provides material of general interest
• Provides recordings of a satisfactory standard

The tape administrator is responsible for keeping records of listeners and keeping track of memory sticks sent out and returned. The tape administrator needs to be available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

• Bar scans wallets
• Ensures returned are ready for reuse
• Ensures memory stick stocks are sufficient
• Registers and sends out new listener memory stick
• Deals with letters and shape requests in wallets
• Co-ordinates extras to TN recording e.g. competitions, AGM Agenda etc
• Records and deposits listeners donations
• Keeps records and announces on tape listeners birthdays
• Co-ordinates all tapes going out
• Co-ordinates sending out prizes and has input into competitions
• Produces computer reports
• Reports to Committee

Copiers copy, check and put memory sticks into wallets ready for posting suffient copies of the talking newspaper each week. Memory stick copies are made using a master memory stick with a USB memory stick multiple copy machine. One of the copiers is responsible for checking out, via the computer, memory sticks sent to listeners (as with books in a library). Copiers work in teams.

• Must be available late on Wednesdays or early Thursdays
• Must know how to operate the fast USB memory stick copiers
• Must operate 'boom box' players to check memory sticks.

Publicity is needed to ensure people in the Swindon area know about our service.

• Gets the aims and objects of this Association known in and around Swindon
• Reaches potential listeners, volunteers and benefactors
• Produces high quality information in various formats

We depend on donations to maintain our service to listeners.

• Raises finance for the Association
• Organises events
• Keeps individual accounts for each event then submit to the treasurer
• Co-ordinates letters with the Secretary.

Volunteers with specialist skills develop systems to support the current work of the organisation organisations and prepare for the introduction of new services in the future. Volunteers should be competent users of Microsoft Office, and have expertise in one or more of the following:

• Access database development
• Web site development
• Knowledge of bar scanning technology
• Knowledge of MP3 and related technologies

Volunteers that work on special projects, such as extending our service to listeners with non-visual disabilities. Volunteers for this type of work operate under the guidance of the Committee. They must be:

• Confident, articulate and mature
• Reliable
• Available during the working day for a few hours each week
• Organise premises and non-technical equipment.
  • Organises layout of rooms
  • Allocate areas for specific tasks
  • Keeps inventory of all technical equipment
  • Keeps inventory of all non-technical equipment
  • Manages cleaning operations
  • Ensures that all equipment is in working order.

• Keeps a record of all incoming and outgoing finances
• Ensures accounts are in credit
• Invests financial assets in a safe investment and receive good return
• Makes easy arrangements to be able to pay into accounts
• Arrange to have three signatures which allows for two to sign at anytime
• Attends Committee Meeting and reports financial status
• Arranges for audited accounts to be presented at the AGM

The secretary is responsible for correspondence and meetings of the organisation.

• Minutes and Agendas of Committee Meetings
• Minutes and Agendas of AGM
• Minutes and Agendas of Production Meetings
• Minutes and Agendas of Sub-Committees
• Replies to letters.

• Chairs Committee Meetings and AGM
• Organises and manage rotas
• Manages the general organisation
• Resolves any problems relating to listeners or volunteers

• Represents the Association in the absence of the Chairman
• Chairs Committee Meetings and AGM in the absence of the Chairman.

If you are interesting in any of the jobs described above, please contact the Swindon Talking Newspaper Association on stan@swindontalkingnews.org.uk or telephone 01793-522511 and leave a message and contact number on our answerphone.