Peer support lead jobs in billericay, essex

This role presents opportunity to work innovatively & responsively, creating new, unique, & informative LGBT+ affirmative resources, crisis support, prevention & wellbeing initiatives; along with having a developmental role in upskilling & supervising sessional staff, trainees, interns & volunteers. 

This is an exciting job opportunity to join a dynamic & committed team, in a key frontline role working directly within our Heads-Out mental health service, which provides individualised mental health plans, crisis safety plans, mental wellbeing workshops, varied mental health support groups including for those seeking asylum, a trans & non-binary group; LGBTQ+ mental health social connections & activities group, and drop-in support.

Opportunities will include delivery of specialised interventions, taking direct referrals and helping to support & stabilise those at heightened risk and/ or living through mental health crisis, plus psychoeducation workshops and group programmes will further enable you to engage, empower & support participants to build confidence, develop skills, strategies & achieve goals to improve, maintain & best manage mental health, increase mental wellbeing, and reduce and/ or prevent future crisis.

elop is a  London based thriving community-led LGBT+ mental health & wellbeing charity offering a range of support, advice, information, counselling, and group support services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) communities. 

There will be one regular evening/ week and occasional weekend working required.

NB: Initially there will be some remote home-based working alongside office-based working whilst we relocate to new premises

Interviews will take place Thursday 4 September 2025 between 9.30am – 15.00 pm

Research Officer

We’re looking for TWO motivated and detail-oriented Research Officers to support the Association’s research funding activities and award portfolio.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a bold and ambitious research strategy that puts stroke survivors at the centre.

Position: CE376 Research officer (two posts)

Location: Home-based, UK, Nationwide. However, occasional travel will be required as part of this role (may include team meetings or other work-related meetings)

Salary: Circa £34,400 per annum (inner London weighting £3,950 per annum or outer London weighting £2,275 per annum may be applied in accordance with where you live)

Hours: 2 x 35 hours per week positions available

Contract: This is a fixed-term contract for 12 months

Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (this will increase with service up to 30 days, full time equivalent) cashback and discount scheme, employee assistance programme, learning and development, pension scheme, Life Assurance, Eye Care vouchers, Long Service Award, Tax-free childcare, Health Cash Plan, Working Pattern Agreement, flexible working opportunities available.

Closing Date: 10 August 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Interview Date: Likely to be between 19-21 August 2025

Interviews will be held via video conferencing. Please let us know if this will present any challenges when you email your application.

The Role

Working closely with a friendly and knowledgeable team, you’ll manage the logistics of research funding calls, support peer review and governance processes, and ensure accurate tracking of award progress and impact.

You’ll be the first point of contact for funded researchers and play a key role in making research accessible and visible to wider audiences.

The role includes opportunities to work with the Involvement Lead and Communications Lead, developing skills in research impact analysis, stakeholder engagement, and project management. You’ll also work closely with teams across the organisation to amplify the impact of stroke research in policy and practice.

About You

You will:

• Be educated to degree level in a science, health, social science or related discipline, or have equivalent research experience.
• Be confident handling research data, drafting accessible content, and working with a range of stakeholders including researchers, funders, and stroke survivors.
• Have excellent organisational, communication and analytical skills, with a commitment to accuracy and continuous improvement.

To fulfil the role, you must be a resident of the UK and have the right to work in the UK.

Please submit your CV, (including details of your current address), and a supporting statement of no more than two pages, demonstrating how you meet the person specification and what you bring to the role in terms of your skills and experience.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident scheme, please indicate this in your supporting statement.

Finding strength through support

The organisation is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. Providing tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

They are here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of supporters and donors that they can provide vital support. 

The Association is driven by an ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means they’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by an approach to solving inequity in stroke, the team are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across the charity.

The charity are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Association and are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how the organisation work.

A Disability Confident employer, the organisation is making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work. The charity has a variety of staff network groups and are committed to continuously improving diversity and inclusion efforts. If you have questions, or access needs, we’re happy to discuss any support and adjustments we can make throughout the recruitment process so that you’re able to contribute your best in a way that meets your needs.

You may also have experience in areas such as Research, Researcher, Research Advisor, Senior Researcher, Senior Research Advisor, Lead Researcher, Lead Research Advisor, Health Research, Health Researcher, Health Research Advisor, Senior Health Researcher, Senior Health Research Advisor. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

Business Development Manager
Remote working
£24,000 - £27,000 pa plus excellent benefits (FTE £40,000 - £45,000 pa)
21 hours per week
Permanent, part-time

As Business Development Manager for our Community Services will focus and lead on:

· Analysing and unlocking opportunities for new business

· Implementing business development plans

· Supporting with getting new funding and bringing services to fruition

You will be responsible for identifying and building partnerships with NHS Trusts, Audiology Departments and ICBs to secure funding and expand our RNID Near You services across the UK. You’ll work closely with internal teams to develop business cases, manage stakeholder relationships, and ensure the successful launch of new RNID Near You contracts.  

What you'll be doing 

· Identify and build relationships with potential funders such as NHS Foundation Trusts, Audiology Departments, and ICBs to support service expansion.

· Collaborate with the Bids and Tender Manager to secure funding and develop compelling business cases for new RNID Near You services.

· Implement business development plans in partnership with Heads of Operations, supporting various workstreams and projects.

· Analyse and evaluate new service opportunities, contributing to a pipeline of potential contracts and making strategic recommendations.

· Ensure delivery of growth targets, including the opening of at least four new service contracts per financial year in line with RNID’s multi-year plan.

You will be a commercially minded professional with proven business development expertise specifically within the health sector, particularly in securing new contracts and driving service growth. You’ll bring a strategic mindset and ability to spot and seize opportunities through partnerships and projects. Your excellent relationship-building and communication skills will enable you to craft compelling proposals that resonate with stakeholders. A collaborative team player, you’ll thrive on bringing people together to achieve shared goals, and you’ll be motivated by purpose, with a strong understanding, or willingness to learn, about deaf culture and the communities we support.

RNID Near You is our national community-based service run by trained volunteers which offers:

· a hearing check and information on how to book a full hearing test.

· basic hearing aid repairs, cleaning, and advice on using hearing aids.

· information on hearing aids, hearing loss, tinnitus, and related issues, including emotional and practical peer support from volunteers with lived experience.

We are RNID: the national charity supporting the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Together, we will end the discrimination faced by our communities, help people hear better now and fund world-class research to restore hearing and silence tinnitus.

We work with our communities and partners across industry, government, charity, education and more to change life for the better. RNID has a proud history and big ambitions. We also know the value of a friendly face in local communities to support people where they need it most. 

We champion the value of difference and equality and celebrate our diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively encourage applications from eligible candidates from BAME backgrounds or who are deaf or hard of hearing. With almost 20% of our employees having a disability we proudly hold Disability Confident Leader status and guarantee an interview for disabled applicants meeting the minimum essential criteria.

Closing date: 17 August 2025
Interviews: 4 September 2025

Job Level   Internship

Location Hybrid – with majority working from home 

Hours  Negotiable and can vary between 21 and 35 hours per week

Start Date                     As soon as possible, ideally starting in August 2025

Contract 3 months (with possible extension)

Background

Lepra is dedicated to addressing leprosy and lymphatic filariasis (LF) and their consequences through direct support, advocacy, and the promotion of inclusive communities. We work in Bangladesh and in India, through our sister organisation, LEPRA Society. We work in partnership with people affected by leprosy and LF to improve detection, ensure access to treatment and care, and promote inclusion and wellbeing. Last year we finalised our new Global Strategy for 2024-30, which will guide us in our efforts to accelerate progress towards global targets for leprosy and LF, and towards our vision of a world free from leprosy and LF.

Job Context

Lepra UK is seeking to expand impactful social research, and the research internship was created to assist with moving forward some key research pieces during the summer 2025. As Research Intern, you will work alongside the Head of Research and a team of research volunteers to complete a systematic evidence review on the experience of children affected by leprosy of stigma, discrimination and mental health responses. You will support the review with screening of articles, data extraction, verification, coding, synthesis and quality assessment. You will join the team two months into the project, taking on various roles to assist with the completion of this project. You will also help with conducting a literature review on the socio-cultural reasons for (non)adherence in multi-drug therapy treatment (MDT). Other tasks will be assigned as they emerge. Your work will provide valuable insight into under-researched fields and will contribute to evidence-based publications, recommendations and programming.

Working Relationships

• Reports to Head of Research in the Programmes and Advocacy Department
• Works as part of a research team in the Programmes and Advocacy Department

Person Specification

Essential

• Current or recent post-graduate in a relevant MSc/PhD programme (or otherwise affiliated to an academic institution) 
• Passion for social causes and global health with high levels of intrinsic motivation/drive
• A desire to excel in high quality outputs with superb attention to detail
• A desire to contribute to published outputs as co-author, with the relevant analytical skills
• Previous experience of literature reviews and/or systematic reviews (Prisma)
• Advanced knowledge of referencing mangers, such as EndNote
• Advanced experience of using Excel spreadsheets for data management

Desirable

• Some understanding of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and/or leprosy
• Prior understanding of stigma/discrimination/mental health in NTDs or other contexts
• Experience of qualitative research (including facilitation skills and data analysis)
• Reading knowledge of Portuguese would be an added advantage given the requirements within the team

Key Responsibilities

1. Research assistance in systematic review: data extraction, verification and synthesis

• Assist with screening of academic articles and relevant literature.
• Extract, verify, and code data according to pre-established criteria.
• Organise and synthesise findings in Excel.
• Implement colour-coded classification of themes within PDF documents in an EndNote library.
• Use CASP checklists to assess the quality of included articles.
• Support the writing of specific sections for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
• Ensure quality control and consistency in data handling and documentation.

2. Research citation management

• Take responsibility for managing a research library in EndNote, updating references and formatting outputs in line with Lancet/Vancouver style

3. Research assistance in new literature review

• Assist with conducting a comprehensive literature review.
• Search academic databases and grey literature for evidence on complex factors for MDT (multi-drug therapy) (non-)adherence.
• Capture both barriers and enablers including the following categories: social, cultural, emotional, clinical/reactions, systemic/health system, disease knowledge.
• Assist with writing up findings for publication in peer-reviewed journal.

4. Any other tasks as they emerge, potentially involving other written outputs

All contributions to published outputs on the required level of quality and depth will lead to
co-authorship.

Please submit your CV and a maximum one page long Cover Letter, specifying the following in one paragraph each:[DD1] 

1) How you meet the essential criteria.

2) How you meet the desirable criteria.

3) Explain your personal circumstances and preferences (such as preferred start date and availability in terms of length of internship and weekly hours). Include a sentence on how this internship will help you with your career goals.

We offer a lot of flexibility in working practices and there is free reserved parking available when visiting our Colchester office. We also offer 26 days annual leave plus public holidays (pro-rated).

 Please check your email inbox and spam/junk mail folder for any email correspondence for this vacancy.

If you require any reasonable considerations such as access or information in an alternative format, please inform us soon as you are able so that we can make the appropriate adjustments.

£46,520 (£58,150 FTE) per annum

Part time, 28 hours per week

Permanent contract

*Home based role (subject to meeting homeworking assessment requirements, which includes a minimum broadband speed of 18Mbps and a dedicated space to work from)

A physiotherapy role like no other

Are you a registered physiotherapist seeking a fresh challenge? Are you interested in leadership and looking for your next career opportunity? Do you want to use your knowledge, skills and experience to support other physiotherapists, students and support workers? Would you like to help shape the future of the profession?

As a Professional Adviser for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), you can achieve this and more. We have an exciting role serving the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Ideally you will be based in, or within easy travelling distance of Yorkshire and Humber to meet the requirements of the role and engage in member-facing activity.

This is a totally different role where you will use your professional knowledge, skills and experience, working with the physiotherapy workforce and other stakeholders across the UK to improve and transform practice and service delivery. You will work with colleagues across the CSP to develop resources and approaches that will facilitate and empower members to demonstrate the impact and value of physiotherapy to the populations they serve.

This role has both national and regional responsibilities. You will play a key role in the progression and delivery of innovative national projects and lead specific areas of work related to our strategic objectives. In collaboration with national stakeholders, you will play an active role in identifying and influencing developing policy across the UK, looking for opportunities to enhance service provision and improve patient outcomes and experience through better provision of physiotherapy.

The CSP has a network of regional teams across the UK to support our members wherever they live, work or study. So, alongside a national role, you will join a regional multi-disciplinary team with CSP colleagues from policy, communications and the trade union to develop robust networks and engage members. This role therefore requires excellent communication, influencing and networking skills to enable members to understand, evidence and articulate the value and impact of physiotherapy to influence local decision-making.

It doesn’t stop there. You will be part of a team of professional advisers who provide peer support and a professional advice service to CSP members. There are numerous development opportunities to work as part of other corporate teams, giving you access to a range of experiences such as lobbying government, influencing press and media coverage and working with local physiotherapy services to shape commissioning strategies and decisions.

The CSP provides a supportive culture for your own learning, with opportunities for you to stretch yourself and test out different ways of working. The CSP is committed to promoting equity, inclusion and belonging within both the CSP and the profession more widely. It is important that our professional advisers represent the diversity of our members and the populations we serve.

If you are looking for an exceptionally rewarding and challenging role, would enjoy working in a team environment and seeing the difference your input makes to the profession across the UK, this role is for you.

Why work for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy? 

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is the professional, educational and trade union body for the UK's 65,000 chartered physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and support workers; and one of the largest representative bodies in healthcare. 

At the CSP, our goal is to create a culture characterised by innovation, respect, encouragement, passion and teamwork. We all strive for continuous improvement and to be the best at everything we do. We aspire to work in a way that embodies our values of learning, courage, inclusive and integrity. Our shared values are part of our organisational DNA, reflecting the expectations we have of ourselves and others. They guide what we do and how we do it, to have the greatest impact for our members. Please visit the website for further information. 

We offer an excellent benefits package, including 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata), Christmas office closure between 25 December to 01 January and generous pension scheme with 12% employer contribution. 

To enable our employees to balance their individual, family and work-life, we would be happy to discuss flexible working arrangements with shortlisted candidates (subject to business needs). 

To apply for the role please click on the ‘Apply online’ tab below and complete the online application form. CVs will not be accepted.  

Closing date: 10am, 13 August 2025.

Interview date: w/c 1 September 2025.

If you require any adjustments during the application stage, please email the Human Resources team at Head Office.

The CSP is committed to equity of opportunity, aiming to provide a working and learning environment free from discrimination. We are taking appropriate steps to create a workforce that reflects the diverse society in which we work and live in. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from candidates under-represented in the CSP’s workforce, including those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ people. Please note, all candidates will be expected to actively demonstrate their commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Belonging throughout the application and interview stages. To view our equity, diversity and belonging strategy, please visit the website. 

NO AGENCIES 

Grade: Manager 

Job Title: Grants Programme Manager, Europe

Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31st December  2026 

Location: This job is open to candidates living in  France, Germany, Spain, Sweden  and the UK. Please note that we currently do not have the infrastructure to support visa sponsorship and you must have the relevant right to live and work in your country of residence.

Reports to: Senior Programme Manager, Europe

Direct reports: Grants Officer (Associate)

Hours per week: 35 - 40 hours/week (depending on local labour laws)

Compensation: Salaries are benchmarked to the country of residence and mapped to years of experience. Please note that to counter inequity, salaries at CPI are non-negotiable. 

• France: €74,482 - €86,896 

• Germany: €86,395 - €100,794

• Spain: €76,766 - €89,560

• Sweden: 860,190 kr - 1,003,555 kr

• UK: £68,770 -  £80,231

Closing Date: Sunday 24th August  2025, 23:59 (11:59pm) British Summer Time

About the Centre for Public Impact (CPI):

At the Centre for Public Impact, we believe in the transformative potential of government to improve lives and create better outcomes for all. Yet, we recognize that many of today’s government systems, structures, and processes are not yet designed to address the complex challenges of our time. That’s why we are committed to reimagining government- working towards systems that truly serve everyone, equitably, and effectively. 

As a not-for-profit organization founded by the Boston Consulting Group, we act as a learning partner for governments, public servants, and a diverse network of change makers. Though we are a small organisation, our global footprint is expansive. We have dedicated and innovative teams in Asia,  Australia/ Aotearoa New Zealand,  Europe and North America. We are all aligned by our  Global Hub operational team who provide people & culture, operational, finance, and communications partnership across the regions.

CPIE was founded in 2020 and our culture is founded on the values and principles within our vision for government. So in everything we do we aim to be humble, open, empathetic, authentic, trusting and trustworthy, curious and to champion diversity and inclusion. We continually experiment with ways to embody our values, striving to share power and devolve decision-making to those best placed to make the decision. We challenge traditional hierarchies, adopt a strengths-based approach, and prioritise mutual support. 

Our Values: 

• Curiosity - We champion exploration and creativity.

• Courage - We are authentic and brave in our decisions and actions.

• Collaboration - We share power and work together.

• Empathy - We embrace others’ perspectives and experiences.

• Equity - We disrupt systemic barriers to shift power.

The AI Opportunity Fund:

The AI Opportunity Fund, led by the Centre for Public Impact with support from Google . org, is currently a  €16 million initiative aimed at empowering underserved workers across Europe with essential AI skills. The programme has selected 73 organisations from hundreds of applications to provide tailored AI training to at least 20,000 workers across 24 European countries. These organisations focus on diverse communities, including rural job seekers, underemployed women, and public sector workers, aiming to bridge the digital divide and promote economic resilience. The initiative underscores AI's potential to drive social mobility and equitable growth across the continent. We are also hoping to scale our work in this area in the future. 

Position Overview: 

We are seeking an experienced Grants Programme Manager to ensure the successful delivery of the AI Opportunity Fund. This role is responsible for the operational leadership of the programme, ensuring that it is planned and executed effectively on time, on budget and within scope. A key focus of the role is ensuring that the grant-giving component of the programme is designed and stewarded diligently.

This is a middle management role that is primarily operational with some elements of strategic leadership. It requires strong project management skills, good grant-making practice and the ability to manage relationships with diverse partners.  We’re looking for someone who is comfortable working with considerable scope and complexity; and who embraces the challenges and opportunities of a startup environment where learning, adaptability, and building the plane as we fly it are central!

Responsibilities and Competencies:

Programme Development and Delivery

• Lead on shaping the design and execution of the AI Opportunity Fund utilising appropriate project management frameworks.

• Coordinate high quality project deliverables including implementing an AI training programme at scale and convening peer learning and knowledge sharing workshops. 

• Collaborate closely with Finance and Senior Leadership to manage and monitor the programme budget and expenditure.

• Identify, escalate and contribute to addressing programmatic risks to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and donor requirements.

Grant Making and Management

• Lead the design and implementation of the AI Opportunity Fund grant making function, embedding good grant making practice whilst adhering to donor expectations. 

• Develop and implement robust grant-making systems, processes and structures to successfully execute each stage of the grant lifecycle. 

• Provide excellent stewardship of a large portfolio of grants, providing technical support and effectively managing escalated issues to ensure the programme achieves its strategic objectives.

• Build the capacity of the wider AI Opportunity Fund team in grant making skills and capabilities. 

• Manage and coach the Grants Officer, ensuring they deliver their grants administration responsibilities effectively. 

Partnerships and Stakeholder Management

• Provide excellent donor stewardship of Google . org, securing their confidence in CPIE as a thought and delivery partner. 

• Cultivate, maintain and oversee strong relationships with wider stakeholders on the programme including service providers and evaluation partners.

• Support senior leadership to position the programme strategically internally and externally in order to advance CPIE’s reputation and offer. 

Monitoring, Evaluation  and Learning

• Ensure that CPIE prepares and submits accurate, timely and high quality programme and grant reports to Google, CPI’s Board and other key audiences.

• Collaborate closely with the Communications Team, Senior Leadership and external providers to ensure robust impact measurement of the AI Opportunity Fund.

• Identify and leverage opportunities to share insights from the AI Opportunity Fund to a range of stakeholders including broader CPI teams, wider civil society and current and potential clients.

• Embed a culture of learning and reflexivity in the team, utilising insights from the Programme to shape project management in an iterative way. 

 DEIB & Collaborative Working

• Actively contribute to a diverse, equitable, inclusive and belonging (DEIB) culture by embracing different perspectives and fostering an environment of respect.

• Dedicate time to continuous learning about DEIB and how it informs our mission, and commit to disrupting white supremacy in the workplace.

• Demonstrate empathy for government and the communities they serve to advance DEIB within systems that government influences

• Embed DEIB within the AI Opportunity Fund design approach and team.

This job profile isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of your duties, rather it gives an outline of what your role will involve. 

Skills & Qualifications:

We expect applicants for this role will generally have 5-8 years work experience. 

Essential

• Significant project management knowledge and experience, with demonstrable application of project management methodologies and frameworks.

• Proven grant making experience including designing, developing, implementing and monitoring sizable portfolios, and maintaining good grant making practice.

• Proven experience of identifying, assessing, prioritising, and managing risks when executing programmes.

• Proven experience of building productive relationships with external parties, including in convening stakeholders for  learning or wider objectives.

• Intercultural competence, experience of managing high performing teams. and proven commitment to advancing DEIB.

Desirable

• A recognised project management qualification e.g. PRINCE2, Agile Certifications etc.

• Experience of successfully delivering complex contracts for high value donors/clients e.g. third party grant programmes.

• Experience or understanding of AI or related technologies.

Salary, benefits, and how to apply 

At the Centre for Public Impact, we are committed to countering pay inequality and  have conducted a global compensation benchmarking process to ensure that we're paying our staff fairly and well for the roles that they hold. Therefore, salaries at CPI are non-negotiable. 

CPIE offers comprehensive benefits to its employees including a range of high-quality health, dental, and vision plans; employer’s contribution to pension/retirement as applicable;  dedicated professional development funds; generous paid leave and public holidays;  short/long term disability, paid parental leave and extended illness leave; and a year-end organisation-wide closure. We anticipate this position will require approximately 10 - 15% domestic and international travel.

We use a structured review process to ensure fairness in our hiring. Please note that we are collecting CVs and cover letters.We understand applicants may use tools like ChatGPT as thought partners; however, we are looking for original work that reflects your unique perspective, skills and reflections. Please do not submit content that is directly copied or heavily reliant on AI  as these will be flagged and marked down. We have a team of  real people  who review and score your CV and cover letter and a system that helps us ensure applications maintain authenticity. Please apply by Sunday 24th August 2025, 23:59 (11:59pm) British Summer Time,  the portal closes automatically and we will not be able to reopen it. Please note: We may close the application window early if we receive a high volume of applications. 

To advance our purpose of reimagining government so that it works for everyone, CPI seeks to attract and support a diversity of backgrounds, experience, talent and thought. For this reason, we encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply. You can read our full Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy here. CPI is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, colour, caste, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.