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Community Change Makers Job Description

Post title:                          Community Change Makers (one year pilot initially).

                                             4 posts available.

Responsible to:                Community Development Manager, Voluntary Action Swindon.

Salary:                              £8736 (£14 per hour x 12 hours per week).  Full time equivalent £21,840

Closing date:                   20th January 2025

Interview dates:            29th January 2025

Voluntary Action Swindon (VAS) are pleased to introduce an exciting new project, called ‘People Like Me.’  This project is aimed at listening to local people and finding out what issues they are experiencing. What’s good about the area where you live?  What could be improved?  What’s needed to encourage active, healthier communities? 

You will receive training and support to carry out this role.

For more information about Voluntary Action Swindon visit our website: https://vas-swindon.org/

These roles would suit people looking to return to work, mums with children at school, or a retired person looking for a few hours work.  We are looking for enthusiasm to make improvements locally, someone with an interest in people and the confidence to make things happen.                          

Hours:                   

A flexible role, where you can work hours that suit you, this may be evenings or weekends, with a commitment to attending meetings within VAS’s core work hours.  The role will be community based within one of the following areas (the area where you live).  One position within an identified area:

 

·                  Penhill

·                  Pinehurst

·                  Moredon

·                  Gorsehill

 

·                  Walcot East

·                  Park North

·                  Park South

·                  Central

 

Purpose of the post

This role combines community engagement and consultation with active participation opportunities for local people.   

This role requires bringing together local people and facilitating opportunities that get people talking and involved in their local communities.  This could be anything that looks at local issues, for example, encouraging people to carry out research, coming up with solutions and suggestions for local improvements, making sure people are taking up preventative health opportunities, sign posting to activities they may not have tried before, reporting any issues to the correct statutory service and facilitating community forums.  There is also the scope for setting up groups and initiatives in the areas with community support.

These roles play a pivotal role in contributing to:

Key Outcomes

  1. Improved health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals and families.
  2. Increase in number of people attending community activities.
  3. Increase volunteering in your local area.
  4. Mechanism in place for hearing the experiences of people that don’t usually get their voice heard.
  5. Contribution to increased community cohesion.
  6. Local people feel listened to and know how to access services.

 

Key Activities

  1. Attend training activities and attend relevant meetings.
  2. Build strong relationships out in the community with local people, providers and influencers.
  3. Support the development of peer researchers and volunteers to assist activities.
  4. Be an active and visible presence locally proactively identifying opportunities for informal listening and learning to take place.
  5. Support local community organisations to test activity provision as part of their offer.
  6. Attend local community forums and encourage attendance or form a group where they don’t already exist.
  7. Encourage local people to form community groups for access to funding to support local activities.
  8. Encourage access to volunteering opportunities.
  9. Encourage people to come up with ideas and be part of the solution.
  10. To work and adhere to the principles of all VAS policies and procedures (training will be given as part of the induction).

 

Any other duties reasonably required to ensure the effective delivery of this community project.

An enhanced DBS check will be necessary to carry out this role.

 

Person Specification

 

Criteria

Essential / Desirable (training available)

1

Live in one of the identified areas and be interested in improving health and wellbeing and access to services and activities locally.

E

2

Good interpersonal skills – able to communicate in a friendly and helpful way with members of the local community, providers and stakeholders.

E

3

Excellent networking and facilitation skills.

E

4

  Ability to collect and report on information and data collected from             

  the community you are working in.

E

5

Awareness of the Equality Act and protected characteristics.

D

6

An interest and passion for equality and inclusion.

E

7

Good local knowledge.

E

8

Strong personal organisation skills – and ability to influence others.

E

9

Strong customer service ethic.

E

10

Experience of using all or some social media feeds (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram).

D

11

Ability to work on own and as part of a team.

E

12

Ability to attend meetings at different locations across the town.

E

13

Willingness to learn and attend training sessions.

E

14

Desire to address health inequalities, improve take up of activities and encourage volunteering within your local area to make a difference to your locality.

E

 

Voluntary Action Swindon is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination, we aim for our organisation to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.