Villagers Connect Project – a great opportunity to join our team at Action in rural Sussex
Villagers Connect is a community development project which is working to sustain a strong and vibrant community in the villages of Colgate, Faygate and Rusper. It aims to build connections and relationships which increase confidence, independence and empowerment, particularly for the over 65’s.
We are seeking a part-time community development worker to work as part of a small team that is active in this rural location in the Horsham district. This role involves a good deal of community-based activity, engaging with older people and the wider community. This does therefore require someone who is understanding of older people and their interests, abilities and needs.
We champion an asset based approach to community development, which is about building on existing strengths and supporting local people to flourish; undertaking community led projects that create community cohesion and have lasting impact.
Key Objectives
· Support older people to access services and support locally that will meet their needs and improve their quality of life
· Improve the lived experiences for older people in these rural communities
· Build connections and relationships across and within the three parishes to reduce social isolation
· Develop new and support existing activities to enable a vibrant community
· Increase confidence, independence and empowerment amongst individuals, groups and community based organisations.
· Strengthen existing community assets, knowledge and skills in line with our asset based approach to the Villagers Connect Project
· Support community resilience by building community networks which are strong and sustainable into the future
Two years in, the project is well established and has gone from strength to strength. We are now seeking a new member of the team to help drive this project forward and enable this community to celebrate what can be achieved when people come together and support one another to age well and live full and active lives, despite the challenges of rural living.
Registered Charity
11 - 20
To increase the capacity of rural communities to manage change for the benefit of all their constituents.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Terms & Conditions
Start date: June 2026
Salary: £35,276 per annum pro rata ((£14,110.40 actual salary, inclusive of £3,990 Southeast Weighting)
Location: Borough of Lambeth and hybrid
Working hours: Part time: 14 hours per week
Contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2027 (extension subject to funding)
Job Description:
Key responsibility areas:
- To recruit, train and support women with experience of the criminal justice system and substance misuse needs, to become peer mentors.
- Maintain case management system to ensure accurate and timely data recording.
- Develop and maintain relationships with key partners and stakeholders, such as substance misuse services, lived experience groups and networks.
- Work with colleagues to create opportunities for peer mentors to support women impacted by the criminal justice system and substance misuse issues.
For the full job description, please download the recruitment pack
To Apply
Applications close: Friday, 8 May 2026 at 9am
Interviews with WIP: Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May 2026
To apply: Submit a completed application form
Please note, applications without an application form will not be considered.
If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk .org
We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.
We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system.
In line with legal requirements and the nature of our work, this role:
- Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
- Requires the right to work in the UK
- Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check.
- Requires that the post holder is not automatically disqualified by (or can obtain a waiver from) the Charity Commission
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The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.