Community Support Worker - Portuguese Speaker

About the role

The Community Support Worker will play a key role in our community support team and service provision.  Leading a team of volunteers, they will manage community enquiries through our helpline, digital channels, and in person at our Welcome Area, ensuring that IRMO remains a warm and accessible space for all. 

They will work closely with other teams to provide service users with accurate, up-to-date information, support the delivery of our advice services and make referrals to partner organisations and services. They will also play a key role in the delivery of the Community Support and Access to Health initiatives by planning, organising and delivering one-to-one support, outreach activities and workshops. This post is designated for a Portuguese speaker, in order to strengthen engagement and inclusion of Brazilians and other Portuguese-speaking migrant communities.

Key responsibilities

Community Support

• Serve as a key point of contact for Portuguese and Spanish-speaking community members, guaranteeing a welcoming environment, managing enquiries and referring to relevant IRMO services or external providers as needed.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of internal and external resources and services available to the community, and share this information with community members.

• Follow safeguarding practices across the services provided by the Community Support team.

• Actively contribute to the planning, organising and delivery of the Advice area’s  activities, events and workshops, including outreach sessions.

• Lead the recruitment, induction and supervision of Community Support volunteers.

• Represent IRMO in meetings and events related to community engagement, promoting our services among key stakeholders.

• Maintain accurate and timely records of service users and project activities using IRMO’s monitoring tools and database (Views).

• Record user feedback and complaints.

• Respond promptly and professionally to phone calls, emails, WhatsApp messages, and other enquiries.

• Assist with additional administrative tasks as required.

Access to Health

• Organise and manage drop-in sessions, including initial screenings.

• Deliver specialist information and advice as part of Access to Health initiatives, increasing awareness and accessibility for the community on topics such as cancer screenings, Chagas disease, sexual and reproductive health and vaccination uptake.

• Assist and advocate for community members facing barriers in accessing healthcare.

• Plan, organise and deliver rapid community testing screening sessions and health promotion events, both at IRMO and in external community settings.

• Organise and participate in regular outreach activities to promote Access to Health services and engage community members.

Key Duties & Responsibilities may evolve to meet the changing needs of the organisation and community, requiring flexibility and openness to additional duties as directed by the line manager.

Person specification

E = Essential - D = Desirable

Qualifications, Experience & Knowledge

• At least one year of experience in a similar role (E)

• Experience working or volunteering in the not-for-profit sector (D)

• Experience in managing and motivating volunteers (D)

• Understanding of issues facing the Latin American community in the UK (E)

• Understanding of safeguarding and child protection practices (E)

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Portuguese (E)

• Good verbal and written communication skills in Spanish (E)

• Ability to communicate in an effective and accessible way with a diverse range of individuals and organisations (E)

• Ability to work with service users in a way that promotes their rights and dignity, while being aware of relevant boundaries (E)

• Ability to interact with service users from all backgrounds in a friendly, approachable and supportive way (E)

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail (E)

• Ability to manage own time and workload effectively (E)

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team (E)

• Good IT skills, including experience using Google Workspace applications and databases (E)

Personal Attributes

• Professional, positive and flexible attitude (E)

• Self-motivated and resourceful (E)

• Commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion (E)

• Commitment to IRMO's vision, mission and values (E)

Other requirements

• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required (E)