Community development team members volunteer jobs

Job description

Stella Maris is the official maritime charity of the Catholic Church.  We are looking for a Regional Port Chaplain for Immingham and the South Humber Ports to support seafarers, fishers and their families.

In this unique and rewarding role, you'll be the welcoming face of Stella Maris in your region, visiting ships, listening to crew members, and offering practical, pastoral and spiritual support to anyone in need, regardless of faith or background.

About the role

No two days are the same.  You might spend the morning visiting ships and listening to crew members' stories, help someone contact their family back home, support a seafarer in crisis, or offer a quiet moment of prayer on deck.

You'll also recruit and support a team of volunteers, work closely with other maritime charities and local partners, and build strong relationships with parishes, dioceses, and port authorities.  You'll be part of a nationwide network of Stella Maris chaplains, supported through regular meetings, retreats and professional development opportunities.

Key responsibilities

• Visit ships regularly to meet seafarers and fishers, responding to their pastoral, practical and spiritual needs.
• Provide practical help such as transport, communication access, and emergency or crisis support.
• Offer spiritual care to Catholic seafarers and facilitate the religious needs of those from other faiths.
• Recruit, train and support Stella Maris volunteers.
• Work collaboratively with other maritime charities.
• Maintain strong relationships with local parishes, the Diocese of Nottingham, and port stakeholders such as the Harbour Master, shipping agents and welfare committees.
• Support local fundraising and awareness initiatives alongside the charity's national team.

About you

You'll be someone who takes joy in helping others.  You don't need maritime experiences, what matters most is your empathy and ability to offer pastoral support in practical ways.

You may come from a background in chaplaincy, parish ministry, community work or social care.  You'll share our commitment to upholding the dignity of every seafarer and fisher.

Job Title: People Development Manager (Job Share)

Location: Homeworking with a requirement to occasionally work at Head Office (Vauxhall, London)
Salary: £23,036 per annum, pro rata based on an FTE salary of £57,590 per annum. (Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement)

Contract type: Part Time, Fixed Term (1 year)

Hours: 15 hours per week (Wednesday's and Friday's as part of a job share)

We are now seeking a People Development Manager (Job Share) to join our People & Culture team and help us strengthen learning, development, and organisational capability across Refuge.

As People Development Manager, you will play a key role in delivering effective, compliant, and customer-focused People services that help colleagues perform at their best and support Refuge’s strategic objectives.

Working collaboratively with managers and your job-share partner, you will shape and deliver an organisation-wide training and learning offer that meets diverse needs, supports professional growth, and enhances our inclusive culture.

You will lead on the development of our newly implemented learning system, our evaluation framework and monitoring and developing our apprenticeship scheme. Alongside your job share partner and the Deputy Director of People & Culture, you will help develop our new learning strategy.

You will be part of a supportive People & Culture team committed to positive change and continuous improvement. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to shape meaningful development initiatives that help colleagues grow and ensure Refuge remains a great place to work.

Closing Date: 09:00 am 12 February 2026

Interview Date: 19 February 2026 

Hoxton Health helps hundreds of local people to manage long term conditions and stay mobile and independent as they age.  We are seeking a new director for our calm and friendly complementary therapy clinic based in St Leonards community hospital.

About Us
Hoxton Health is a well-valued local charity, established over 30 years ago, providing low-cost complementary therapy treatments for older people and those with long term conditions. We fundraise and build partnerships to subsidise treatments, offering lower costs to older patients. Based in St Leonard’s Hospital in Hackney, our friendly team consists of independent practitioners delivering therapies through the week, two other part-time office staff, and a team of volunteers who run the reception.

What will you be doing?
The Centre Director is responsible for the management of all aspects of the organisation's operations and development – internally and externally.
This includes:

• Governance and strategy, including support for Trustee Board
• Oversee smooth running of the clinic
• Finance and fundraising
• Staff management
• Monitoring and evaluation of grant funding
• Development of new projects
• Partnership engagement with other agencies

The clinic is small but busy, with varied days and experiences. We foster a friendly and supportive environment for both our patients and team members. Leadership, guidance and inspiration for this must start with the Centre Director’s work and influence.

Why join us?

• Opportunity to shape the future of a well loved, longstanding service for older people and those with complex needs
• Satisfaction of leading a service with real and valued impact on the health of local people
• Opportunity to join and lead a friendly and welcoming team
• Employer Pension contribution
• Complementary therapy treatments at staff rate

#Director
#Centre Director
#Clinic Director
#Charity Director

At Outside the Box we make a real difference, positively changing the lives of the people with learning disabilities/autism. To build on our success, we are now looking for someone special to lead our ‘day’ services (OTB Choices).

OTB Choices provides a dynamic portfolio of education, skills, creative and work experience opportunities, from cooking, art and craft to printing, computing, music and customer service, and much more. We are at an exciting stage in our delivery and development and are seeking an exceptional person to lead and manage our services, ensuring consistently high quality provision that really does make a difference.

You will play a pivotal role in our work, proactively leading a diverse team and multi-site operations to achieve targets and outcomes. You will be solution-focused, have the strength, vision and evidenced track record of an experienced manager and shared passion for enabling and empowering people with learning disabilities and/or autism to have their best lives.

STRATEGIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LEADER (Community Support, Empowerment, Youth and Children’s work, Academies)

Based in North East Lincolnshire

Salary:   £42,752 per annum

Full Time, Permanent Contract

Oasis exists to build stronger communities where no one is left out. We achieve this by working in an integrated way through community empowerment, youth and children’s work and academies, and we’re excited to have a new opportunity for a Strategic Community Development Leader in North East Lincolnshire.  This newly created role follows on from our successful work in the Grimsby community.

Oasis in North East Lincolnshire is at an exciting stage of development. We are looking to appoint a dynamic strategic lead to develop and grow our children’s, youth and community work across the two separate Oasis neighbourhoods that work together to form the Hub charity.  The two neighbourhoods are South ward in Grimsby and Immingham. This role will oversee a team of staff and volunteers in community, bringing strategic oversight to ensure the work is tied together across North East Lincolnshire under the one hub charity to achieve the shared vision.

We are looking for a relational based leader for this key project management role.  As such, the successful applicant will need to demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and excellent leadership skills as well as:

· Building positive and supportive working partnerships with the community.

· Leading the local community teams as the expand the vision of developing integrated community provision involving the community and academy(ies) towards developing an Oasis movement, where those affiliated with Oasis are in the planning, delivery evaluation and sustainability of activities and services.

· Developing wide ranging advice and community support provision that are led by the community including: Resilience building provision (financial planning, healthy eating etc.), Youthwork/children’s work, Family support services Community relationship building provision (community events, befriending schemes etc.)

· Working in close partnership with key stakeholders including local community, Academy Principals and staff teams, and local community leaders to lead the Community strategic development, particularly around communication, income generation strategy and monitoring and evaluation and reporting.

· Responsibility for systems development and management across the Community Charity including all policy and procedures such as financial management, health and safety, safeguarding etc.

· Growing a team of staff and volunteers to deliver the objectives in the Community Plan that directly support students and their families in the Academy(ies) and members of the local community.

· To ensure the Oasis ethos permeates all work across the community team.

This is a unique opportunity for a self-reliant and results-focused individual, who is looking to make a difference in this complex and high-profile field of work.  In return we offer:

· Flexible working practices which encourages innovation and fresh ideas.

· A supportive network and friendly team in a motivating working environment.

· A non-contributory defined benefit pension scheme with 7% employer contributions.

· 25 days holiday per year (plus Bank Holidays), rising to 30 days after 2 years of service.

For full details, please go the Oasis UK charity website.

We invite you to send your CV and Covering Letter.  CVs will not be accepted after Midday, Friday 30th January 2026. Stage 1 phone interviews will take place week commencing 2nd February 2026, and final interviews will be held week beginning 9th February 2026, in Grimsby.

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups.  If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers, please let us know.

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos. 

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks.  The successful candidate will need to show proof of right to work in the UK.  Oasis supports Equal Opportunities. 

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889

Do you know someone passionate about volunteering and community development? We're looking for a Volunteering Brokerage Coordinator to join our small but mighty team.

This role is perfect for someone who wants to make a real difference - connecting volunteers with causes they care about, supporting community groups to build their volunteer programmes, and championing the value of volunteering across Waltham Forest.

We are looking for ambitious and strategic Development Manager – Corporate and Philanthropy to lead the growth of our corporate fundraising, build high-value partnerships, and work with our network of senior supporters to unlock transformational opportunities.

With a strong foundation of mid-level corporate partners (typically £5k-£25k) and a skilled Senior Officer in place to manage and grow those relationships, you’ll be free to focus on securing new, higher-value partnerships and support.

The Role:

You’ll lead our corporate new business development identifying and approaching companies aligned with our mission, and converting them into long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.

You’ll work closely with the Director of Fundraising to cultivate high-net worth individuals and senior volunteers who can introduce us to the right people and help get us in the room.

Working with colleagues across communications, marketing and services, you’ll create professional, pitch-ready presentations and proposals that inspire companies to partner with us – and then deliver those pitches at a senior level, with confidence and clarity.

Key responsibilities:

· Research, Identify and approach new corporate prospects, building a strong pipeline of potential six-figure partners

· Lead on creating bespoke, compelling pitch decks and proposals, working with the communications and Marketing Team to ensure quality and impact.

· Deliver high-level presentations and pitches to senior stakeholders across a range of industries.

· Work with the Director of Fundraising to identify and engage major donors and key contacts who can help unlock introductions and strategic support

· Manage Senior Officer who leads on existing mid-level corporate partnerships.

· Support the growth of the mid-level portfolio and ensure excellent stewardship and reporting for all corporate partners.

· Collaborate with marketing, communications, and service delivery teams to ensure partnerships are meaningful, on-brand, and mutually beneficial.

· Monitor income and pipeline progress, ensuring accurate forecasting and tracking.

What we’re looking for:

· A track record of securing new business or corporate partnerships, ideally in a fundraising CSR setting

· Confident writing and presenting skills, with experience creating professional pitch decks and delivering high-level presentations

· A strategic thinker who can spot opportunities, plan a compelling approach, and close the deal

· Experience collaborating across teams (e.g. Marketing design, service delivery) to shape proposals and deliver joint objectives

· A strong relationship-builder with the credibility to work with senior executives, philanthropists and decision-makers

· Organised, self-starting and passionate about helping families when they need it most

· Line management experience desirable, but not essential

We welcome applications from the commercial sector and those working in CSR, partnerships or business development roles

We will be reviewing applications ongoing so early applications are advised. We may close the advert earlier than advertised.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please submit your CV along with a covering letter(max 2 pages) explaining how your experience fits the role. More details can be found in the recruitment pack attached. 

Closing date: 6 February 2026

Join Savera UK

We are looking for a passionate individual with a strong commitment to human rights and driving change. You will bring experience in training, development, and management to take on the role of Training and Development Manager, leading our training and education development projects.

The Role

This is a rewarding leadership role where you will:

• Lead the development and enhancement of Savera UK’s training and education package on HBA, harmful practices, and related issues
• Take responsibility for the development, delivery, and management of the National Lottery-funded Reaching Communities training project, including managing a team to deliver project outcomes
• Develop advanced, in-depth training programmes tailored to a range of professional audiences, including health, social care, education, the voluntary sector, and community groups
• Design flexible training programmes that can be delivered online, in person, or in hybrid formats, with the ability to tailor content to meet the needs of different organisations and CPD requirements

About You

We’re looking for someone with:

• At least 3 years of experience in the field of training and development
• Expertise in designing, developing, delivering, implementing and managing high-quality training and education packages and programmes
• Experience in delivering training to a range of audiences and adding to Savera UK’s own expertise
• Experience in leading, mentoring and supporting staff and volunteers
• Experience in training, project management, and budgeting
• Commitment to Savera UK’s values of respect, inclusion, compassion, innovation, and ambition

What We Offer

• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Wellbeing support and external supervision
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Employer pension contribution (3%)

Equality & Occupational Requirement

This post is open to anyone with the right experience and skills required for the project to succeed. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds.

We are a large-scale restoration and hospitality project in the Northwest Highlands with strong philanthropic and community commitments. The heart of our operation is on a remote and beautiful 766-acre island. In 2026 we will become a Scottish charity - The Tanera Project – with core purposes spanning rural regeneration, resilience building in our public services via the provision of respite breaks, and ecosystem restoration.

We are looking for a Team Lead to take on the coordination of our Land and Estates Team across our island and mainland properties, totalling 6,500 acres of grounds, in-bye land, woodland and hill. The team has a wide remit, including grasskeeping, landscaping, regenerative agriculture on a crofting-scale, livestock, stalking, fishing, horses, guest activities, and supporting our gardens, ecology and path teams with extra hands when needed. The team is five strong, supported by seasonal hands, volunteers and staff from other teams working multifunctionally.

Our land management approach balances production, nature, and heritage, with an emphasis on using the land to build communities. We share everything we do with guests and volunteers so planning for and delivering shared activities is a core part of the role. We deliver our activities with an impeccable aesthetic centred round heritage, industry and creativity, requiring a real eye for detail. The Land and Estates Team covers several core functions in the charity and has a diverse remit with competing priorities so this role will appeal to proven leaders, able to deliver both on the ground and in terms of planning and organisation. It will involve turning a hand to many different tasks and many hours out and about in our challenging West Coast environment.

Regeneration
We are looking for an excellent coordinator with demonstrable experience in leading a team with a wide remit and proficiency in at least two of the team focus areas: grounds-keeping, agriculture, estate work, horses and working with guests and volunteers in an outdoor environment. The right candidate will be an experienced, creative, resourceful and flexible professional. They will have an interest in landscape scale regeneration that is attentive to heritage, productivity (food and more) and ecosystems. The salary for this role will be £40-50kpa, depending on experience.

Resilience
Our team comes from across the country and further afield. We have our own growing island community of staff, guests and volunteers, while also being embedded in mainland life in nearby crofting townships and villages. The work of the Land and Estates team is wide-ranging and there are also opportunities to work with different teams and on different projects, sail heritage boats, work with our horses, host guests, school groups and volunteers, and generally get involved with island life. We will be happy to discuss flexible shift patterns and accommodation options with the right candidate.

Restoration
The project is delivering stunning, sympathetic builds and charitable hospitality in an area of outstanding natural and cultural heritage. You will be working amid a range of unique Northwest Highland marine and terrestrial ecosystems, which we are striving to conserve and extend. We foster a culture of care, attention to detail, and creativity in everything we deliver for The Tanera Project charity, from looking after our guests, workforce, volunteers and local communities to growing and sourcing our food to restoring buildings and landscapes.

We are looking for an experienced, self-motivated leader with excellent practical and organisational skills, an eye for detail and a good sense of humour, who will thrive in a leadership role on a challenging project. If you think this role might be for you then please send in your cover letter and up to date CV.

We are seeking an experienced individual to help us deliver a productive, empowering, needs-orientated programme of training and development activities for community rail groups. Under the guidance of the Training & Development Co-ordinator you will aim to strengthen the community rail movement and enhance the value it delivers to communities. 

About us 

Community Rail Network is a not-for-profit organisation, working across Britain to support a growing ‘community rail’ movement. Community rail promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making projects, and brings people together. 

Community rail is made up of 77 community-based partnership organisations, 1,300 station friends volunteer groups, and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects with young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence with families and marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener travel and tourism by rail. 

Our enthusiastic team of 23 works mainly from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to advise our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights via decision-makers and the media. We believe in developing our team and supporting everyone to reach their potential while having a good work-life balance. 

 
Responsibilities: 

You are principally responsible for supporting the delivery of a year-round programme of high quality, empowering training and development opportunities for our members. The programme will be delivered in line with inclusion and accessibility best practice, will be largely online with some face-to-face sessions and events.

• Work with the Training and Development Co-ordinator to agree a rolling programme of training that supports member organisation capabilities and their impact on communities. 

• Topics will largely include areas required to achieve accreditation (for CRP’s) as well as good community-based practice for other member types. This includes but is not limited to training to support members with skills in creating and prioritising activity plans, project management, how to apply for grants and funding (including our own grants funds), how to prepare for an accreditation meeting, designing good outcomes and demonstrating organisational impact (including impact reports and use of social media), community engagement, volunteer recruitment, and co-production techniques. 

• Work with the Training & Development Co-ordinator to ensure your own understanding of these topics is current and identifying areas for personal development to support our training offer to be more robust. 

• Work with colleagues in other teams to set up, administer and deliver (largely online) webinars, networking and showcase events, setting them up, researching and engaging speakers and collating case studies to use, sending invites, facilitating the presenters and discussion during the event, and collating and reporting on feedback to inform future sessions. 

• Support the T&D Co-ordinator, colleagues in the regional support team, and communications team, to promote training and networking sessions effectively. 

• Where directed ensure we maintain high-quality training partnerships and opportunities that members can be signposted to and be responsible for administering our bursary scheme.

• Regularly report on bursary expenditure, member feedback, attendance figures and any specific funder requirements. 

• Be responsible for supporting member organisations and colleagues to use our impact reporting platform and to keep up to date on any changes in how we record and demonstrate the social, economic and environmental impact of community rail. 

• Attend team and all staff meetings, online and in person, contributing to strategic shared areas of work, information sharing and workforce development activities. 

Skills and competencies: 

1. Understanding, and experience of running, online and in person training and networking sessions, ideally within a community or not-for-profit context; 
2. Knowledge of, and ability to share effectively, key skill areas for example, volunteering recruitment and support, project management, applying for funding, co-production techniques, community engagement best practice, demonstrating outcomes and impact. 
3. A proven ability to work collaboratively, develop and maintain productive partnerships and joint activities, and form professional networks internally and externally; 
4. Demonstrable ability to manage time and resources effectively under pressure, and meet deadlines; 
5. Excellent writing, communication and presentational skills, including the ability to develop and deliver audience-appropriate training materials, presentations and other content to professional and community audiences; 
6. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, the internet and social media; excellent administration skills and the ability to identify efficient and secure ways of working using AI; 
7. Awareness of social and sustainability issues and the relationship between transport and social and economic development.

Online interviews are scheduled for 16 February 2026.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required. 

Other information

This post is home-based, but with some travel (including overnight stays) for our programme of events and meetings. Applicants will need local access to a train station to enable rail-based travel for work as needed.

This is a permanent position and includes a probationary period of three months from the date of appointment. Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

We are committed to being a flexible, supportive, inclusive and understanding employer.

The Fundraising Officer will play a key role in the Fundraising and Communications team driving income from Events & Community as well as assisting with wider income generation and supporter care activities.

We are a small but mighy team at Doctors of the World UK. Our vision is of a world in which people affected by war, natural disasters, disease, hunger, poverty, or exclusion get the healthcare they need. As well as running medical programmes across the globe we also support people excluded from healthcare in the UK and advocate for their rights. 

Interviews will be held on Friday 20th February.

We are looking for a Centre Co-ordinator to support the work of the developing Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre team by ensuring the smooth running of the charity’s office, administration support and fundraising support.

It is a varied role that covers a range of support duties but there are two primary focuses of the role, which are:

1. To ensure effective office administration and support for CRCC and its services.
2. Supporting members of the public to fundraise for CRCC and support the charity’s fundraising volunteers to develop and deliver a programme of community fundraising activities and events.

To give an idea of our priorities for this role, we envisage the post holder’s time over a working week to be split as: 3 days office administration and support and 2 days fundraising support.

It is essential that the post holder has excellent office administrator skills but, whilst fundraising skills are desirable, we are able to offer training to develop the fundraising-related skills needed for the role.

Please note: It is an occupational requirement that the post holder is female, in line with the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, Paragraph 1.

BPCN Scrapstore: Retail & Community Engagement Lead

Retail & Community Engagement Lead (Scrapstore Birmingham)

Hours: Minimum 26 hours per week, including alternate weekends and occasional evening

Work pattern:  Tues – Friday and alternate Saturdays

Pay: £14.00 per hour (£26,572 fte, 70% = £18,928 actual salary)

Make a Difference Every Day

Join Birmingham PlayCare Network (BPCN) at our unique Scrapstore – a creative, eco-friendly retail space that helps materials find new life in play, learning and community projects. This is a role for someone who loves people, enjoys a busy hands-on environment, and wants their work to directly benefit children, families and neighbourhoods across Birmingham.

What You’ll Do

As a key representative of BPCN, you will help lead the day-to-day running of the Scrapstore, providing an inspiring shopping experience while supporting sustainability and community wellbeing.

You will:

• Champion our welcoming, inclusive visitor experience and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Lead, support and motivate a team of volunteers and trainees, helping them develop skills and confidence.
• Work closely with other team members to understand stock trends and plan effective purchasing.
• Organise and merchandise the store to maximise space, visual appeal and product availability.
• Maintain a safe, tidy and inspiring retail environment – from sorting stock to lifting and moving items.
• Operate our till and EPOS system, handle payments, and help increase sales that sustain our charity’s work.
• Promote imaginative, creative reuse of materials and help grow engagement in our Scrapstore.
• Support wider BPCN activities when needed, contributing to a flexible and collaborative culture.

What We’re Looking For

You will thrive in this role if you bring:

• A friendly, enthusiastic approach to customer service and community interaction.
• Experience in retail, sales, or marketing with a track record of meeting income targets.
• Excellent communication, teamwork and relationship-building skills.
• A proactive, solutions-focused attitude and readiness to multitask.
• Confidence when supervising volunteers or trainees.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• A willingness to work within BPCN’s inclusive and supportive values.

What You Can Expect From Us

At BPCN, you’ll be part of a supportive, positive and community-driven organisation where your skills are valued, and your work truly matters.

You will receive:

• Comprehensive training to help you shine in your role.
• Clear communication, guidance and regular feedback.
• Recognition and appreciation for your achievements and commitment.
• Opportunities to make meaningful contributions to local communities and the environment.

· 24 days paid holiday (pro rata for reduced hours)

Additional Responsibilities

• Provide cover for other Scrapstore team members where required.
• Follow all Health & Safety and Fire Safety regulations.
• Attend meetings, training and development sessions.
• Uphold BPCN’s equal opportunities policy and commitment to combat discrimination.
• Carry out duties reasonably associated with the post.

Introduction

East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) working with Mind CHWF and other voluntary sector partners is delighted to offer a secondment as a community connector to support the mental well-being of people with complex mental health and social needs in the Neighbourhoods in City & Hackney.

This is a new role and we are looking to work with individuals from the voluntary sector to help us co-design and test out the role.  You will help to shape the role, working closely with people in Neighbourhoods to reflect their strengths, interests and ideas for what matters to them about good mental well-being.

You will be a welcome member of the multi-disciplinary (MDT) mental health team, with day-to-day managerial and professional supervision provided within the team. You will also be able to access training and other staff support within ELFT during this time.

Background

In the autumn of 2019 ELFT was successful in securing funding from NHS England (NHSE) for community mental health transformation. It is one of 12 national pilot sites. City and Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets are all part of the ELFT pilot. The aim of the transformation is to develop a model of support for people with serious mental illness (SMI) that recognises complexity and social determinants over and above diagnosis, and supports them through a blended team of voluntary sector, mental health and primary care staff to connect better into a range of activities in their neighbourhoods. The new teams are organised around City & Hackney Primary care networks (PCNs) / Neighbourhoods, and will provide wraparound support for people with varying levels of need. These teams will develop a rich understanding of population mental health need, and work with individuals, families, and communities to develop capacity for self-management, and provide local treatment and support for individuals when they need it.

The teams include the new community connector role. This will be someone from the voluntary sector, well connected in the neighbourhoods and bringing expertise in wider social support and well-being. We are working with voluntary sector partners to design and test this role.

Responding to Covid 19

Since the Covid 19 emergency began in mid-March much of the transformation programme has had to be adapted. ELFT is keen that where the transformation can support the Covid 19 response it should continue. In particular the role of the community connector could be valuable during the Covid 19 emergency and recovery.

The role obviously needs to be different and we will work closely with the connectors and the voluntary sector to design and test out the role. The description here is intended as a starter for ten to give some idea about the shape the role might take.

During the Covid pandemic, the community connectors will be part of the ELFT community MDT team, making links to specific Neighbourhoods. Also the face to face work in terms of assessments, interventions, group work, partnership working may need to be carried out differently. The role will now include:

· providing support to service users by phone/virtually

· connecting service users to the fast developing range of Covid 19 resources in each neighbourhood and keeping the mental health and primary care teams up to date about these resources and how to refer people to the/access them. Including supporting the new Neighbourhood MDTs as these develop.

· developing a good knowledge of all the online resources in each neighbourhood and connecting service users and staff to these

· we will keep the option for face to face work and group work under review, depending on the government guidance on social distancing. As lockdowns are lifted there may be some possibility to offer this type of support

The following five design principles have guided our model development to date:

1. Service users and citizens will be active, equal partners: leading the design, implementation, governance, and delivery of our new mode

2. We will integrate mental and physical health, wellbeing and social care: our services will feel fully integrated to service users and carers

3. The right support in the right place and the right time: services will be delivered in the PCN footprint, and service users will not be “bounced around” services

4. A focus on what matters to service users: care planning will look beyond health goals to life goals and wider determinants of health; and we will work to connect people to each other and their communities

5. Evidence-based interventions: Service users will be confident that our services provide the latest evidence-based care, treatment and support.

The role

The Community Connectors will support individuals to connect within neighbourhoods, and use local assets to self-organise.

Who you will support

The post-holder will work closely with individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or personality disorders (PD), developing an understanding of complexity in order to provide the most appropriate support. Some of the service users you will work with will have been supported by community mental health recovery teams, seen in outpatients and are not care co-ordinated, so could be better supported by their local neighbourhood team. Other service users will be on primary care SMI registers and likely to benefit from additional support, but do not meet the thresholds for traditional secondary care. Other people might not be known to our services currently, and could benefit from the more personalised, local, holistic offer you will be developing.

Your approach

The ethos of this work will be recovery focused, move away from a traditional referral model, blur the boundaries between primary and secondary care, explore needs through complexity (rather than diagnosis), focus on a person’s strengths and assets, and focus on the wider determinants of health and wellbeing. This approach is as important as your experience and expertise. You will develop a strengths based biopsychosocial assessment, and supportive approach, and work with colleagues and local people to develop the MDT approach in its infancy. 

Although not exhaustive, below is a list of the skills and responsibilities that may be required:

Individual Support

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills. It is important that you listen to service users and carers to find out what is important to them, and that you build open, supportive and trusting relationships (working with the challenges of not meeting face-to-face, at least initially, due to the current Covid-19 public health crisis. We will keep the option for face to face work and group work under review, depending on the government guidance on social distancing. As lockdowns are lifted there may be some possibility to offer this type of support.)

· A strong sense of what factors influence health and wellbeing.

· The ability to assist service users in setting goals and making changes that are meaningful to them.

· You will conduct regular innovative and engaging sessions (currently with individuals, over the phone) in order to work towards support plan goals.

· You will ensure ongoing assessment and management of risks within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'.

· You will give people time to tell their stories and focus on ‘what matters to me’, build trust, providing non-judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices.

· You will use health coaching and motivational interviewing techniques, identify barriers to people accessing services, and work with service users to overcome these. You will support people to identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, employment circumstances and unemployment, loneliness, isolation and caring responsibilities.

· Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate.

Community Development

· You will act as the ‘glue’, linking people in with experts and local assets, and undertaking support work in partnership with external stakeholders to complement their interventions.

· You will stay up to date with the constantly developing environment, local offer, and national policies, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Significant experience in local statutory and/or voluntary sector services.

· You will have a deep knowledge of City & Hackney (or a specific local area or demographic), what is available locally and how to signpost and support people (network creation, mapping).

· You will develop productive relationships with local partner organisations to improve service outcomes, and involve service users and carers in the design, development and delivery of the service.

· You will need to triage referrals and signpost to specialist support quickly where necessary, and deal with general queries to contribute to the overall smooth running of the neighbourhood team.

· Where appropriate, introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable.  Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.

· Where appropriate you will connect people to each other through shared common interests and the need for mutual support.

· You will have the ability and drive to build networks with local community resources such as activities and services that may have an impact on health and wellbeing, and support individuals to access these. To be proactive in encouraging self-referrals, and connecting with all local communities.

· You will work in partnership with existing community navigation roles in City & Hackney.

Project Management

· You will monitor and record outcomes of all those accessing the service through the use of recognised assessment tools and outcome measures. With the wider team, you will gather and collate statistical and other information and data as required, reporting on activity and outcomes and ensuring effective qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation of the services.

· You will help to develop and adapt this role as the societal circumstances we are operating under change (as the Covid-19 public health situation develops and/or social distancing is relaxed).

General

· You will reflect on practice and participate in team meetings, practice development forums and peer supervision. You will identify own training and development needs in conjunction with your Line Manager and participate in training opportunities.

· You will develop an awareness of local and national developments and best practice in this area of work and to attend relevant conferences, meetings and training events as required.

· You will adhere to organisational policies and procedures relating to risk and personal safety. You will refer all safeguarding issues in line with local policy.

· You will manage volunteers and other team members as required.

· You will identify issues relating to systemic challenges and disconnects, and report these to the Programme Manager, developing an eye for service improvement opportunities.

Person Specification

As a community connector, you will become a local expert, gathering and sharing information about local opportunities, activities, and support, bringing people together and supporting them to remain confident and independent in their everyday lives.

We are looking for community connectors with experience supporting with people with their mental health, with significant experience in statutory and/or voluntary sector services, knowledge of City & Hackney (or a specific local area or demographic), and strong interpersonal skills.

Skills and experience:

Person Centred

- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others.

- Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour. Is approachable and open-minded.

- Prefers working as part of a group or team.

- Has a practical and logical mind.

- Well organised and knows how to prioritise tasks. Able to plan own workload.

- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments.

- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication.

- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgmental.

- Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.

- Experience of supporting people, families and care in a related role (including unpaid work).

- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity.

Community Development

- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities.

- Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets.

- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.

- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.

- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.

- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude.

- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour.

- Demonstrates a desire for continuous professional development.

- Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work).

- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations.

Knowledge:

- Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities and how adverse circumstances and structural barriers can affect people's relationships

- An understanding of the experiences of people who live with significant mental distress.

- Knowledge of community development approaches.

- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports.

- Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills.

- Knowledge of voluntary and community services in the local neighbourhood.

Essential:

- Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent by experience).

- NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent.

- Significant experience in statutory or voluntary sector services.

- IT literate.

Desirable:

- Mental Health First Aid or willingness to work towards the qualification.

- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.

- University degree and/or professional qualification.

- Experience of delivering peer support groups.