Community Development Officer
Job Purpose: The Community Development Officer will oversee the operations of a community garden, ensuring its sustainability and success. The garden should be developed with environmental and sustainable principles to promote pollinators, biodiversity, and ecosystems. This role involves supporting, recruiting, and managing volunteers, coordinating garden activities, and promoting community engagement and education.
Key Responsibilities:
* Garden Management: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the community garden, ensuring that it is well-maintained and productive.
* Volunteer Coordination: Recruit, train, and support volunteers to participate in garden activities. Facilitate a positive and inclusive environment for all participants.
* Program Development: Develop and implement environmentally sensitive gardening programs and workshops to educate community members and visitors about sustainable gardening practices.
* Community Engagement: Promote the community garden through outreach efforts, including social media, local events, and partnerships with other organisations.
* Resource Management: Manage a budget and garden resources, including tools, seeds, and supplies, ensuring they are used effectively and sustainably.
* Reporting and Evaluation: Track and report on the progress of garden projects and volunteer activities for funders. Evaluate the impact of the community garden on the local community and identify areas for improvement.
* Grant Writing and Fundraising: Assist in identifying funding opportunities and writing grant proposals to support the community garden's initiatives and growth.
Qualifications:
* Education: A qualification (or evidence of experience) in community development, environmental science, horticulture, or a related field is desirable.
* Experience: Previous experience in community development, volunteer management, or gardening is highly desirable. Experience in carrying out risk assessments and implementing controls is essential.
* Skills: Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of sustainable gardening practices and principles.
* Personal Attributes: Passion for community engagement and sustainable development. Creative, proactive, and adaptable with a strong commitment to making a positive impact.
Working Conditions:
* Flexible working hours, including some evenings and weekends to accommodate community events and volunteer schedules.
* Outdoor work in various weather conditions.
* Be prepared to work between various venues within the community and surrounding area.
* Must be prepared to undertake training if required for the role, which may be in person or online.
Additional Requirements:
* There is no public transport, so the successful candidate will need to be able to get to the garden site and other local venues.
* The successful candidate will need to obtain a PVG (protection of vulnerable groups) certificate from Disclosure Scotland.
* £18 per hour
* The post will be for one day per week for one year.
This is a part-time role, ideally spread over 4 or 5 days. Availability on Fridays is essential to meet service needs, with flexibility on other working days. There will be some evening and weekend (Saturdays) work on a rotational basis.
Positive Help is a well-established, third sector service provider – a registered charity – based in central Edinburgh. We have almost 40 years’ experience of supporting adults, children and families living with/affected by HIV and/or Hepatitis.
With the support of a cohort of trained and supervised volunteers, we provide a range of services to help people who have complex needs live fulfilling, healthy lives in the community.
We are now looking for a Children’s Services Support Officer with proven experience of working or volunteering with children, young people, or families. We work from our centrally situated office in Edinburgh, although there is the option to work from home depending on business need.
The ideal candidate will have the skills and experience we need to help us deliver our children’s services – specifically our Befriending and Study Buddy services - and support the wider organisation effectively and efficiently, having a genuine interest in this very rewarding work.
As our Children’s Services Support Officer, you will assist the Children's Services Manager in ensuring that volunteer-delivered Befriending and Study Buddies services to children and families run well. You will play a key role in ensuring that volunteers are appropriately matched and well supported/supervised to maintain a high standard of practice and satisfaction. This role involves coordinating day-to-day service delivery, liaising with families, volunteers, and professionals and ensuring services meet the needs of children and their families.
You will use your strong communication and interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with the children and families to identify their support needs, develop support plans, and ensure the service is tailored to individual children and their families. You will take a non-judgmental and empathetic approach, all while demonstrating commitment to safeguarding and confidentiality.
You will have good administrative and organisation skills, be able to work independently and manage your time effectively, with the ability to adapt to changing service needs.
Our work can be challenging though highly rewarding. Therefore, you will need to be motivated, ambitious, and self-organised, and be prepared to play a part in our ongoing organisational development.
In return, we offer you a supportive working environment, a 21-hour working week, 25 days annual leave plus 10 public holidays (pro rata) and an employer contributory pension scheme.
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