* Looking for Community Connectors in the Whitton, Gainsborough and Belstead Hills areas of Ipswich, Suffolk
* £10,156 actual per annum (£22,222 FTE)
* 15 hours per week (flexible days/ hours but some evening and weekend work required)
* Temporary Contract for a maximum of 1 year
* Reference: 0153
* Required as soon as possible
Job Purpose:
Volunteering Mattersare partnering with Active Suffolk to recruit6Community Connectorsto work in the following areas of Ipswich:
* 2 x Whitton
* 2 x Gainsborough
* 2 x Belstead Hills
The ideal candidates will have strong local knowledge of the area and preferably live within the community they are assigned to. In this role, you will have conversations with local residents (aged 18+) to capture lived experience around barriers, motivations and perceptions of being physically active in the local community. You must be a confident communicator and able to work off your own initiative.
The information collected will be shared with project partners and local stakeholders to guide further learning and community development, with the goal of securing future funding for further investment in these areas.
Responsibilities
* identify, plan and create opportunities to have conversations with local residents around being physically active in the local community
* identify community needs – gather information from local residents on what they value the most, the challenges they face, and what services or initiatives could benefit them. This could be done through informal conversations, community meetings, and surveys
* share ideas with the local community and project partners/ stakeholders
* signpost to information and support for residents wanting to get more involved with their local community
* build relationships and networks locally to promote and create opportunities for conversations
* conduct conversations safely and effectively in a range of settings (eg cafes, outside local schools, community events etc) to reach a diverse range of local residents
* participate in regular team meetings to support learning, problem solving and collaboration
* work within agreed budgets and utilise community resources and venues to undertake conversations.
Skills and Experience:
* strong connections with and experience of the Whitton, Gainsborough and Belstead Hills areas of the town. Preference would be from applicants living in these areas
* enthusiastic, friendly and approachable manner
* experience of bringing people together in your community
* a confident self-starter – some who is creative and can use their own initiative
* flexible and proactive
* great at putting people at ease and building rapport
* excellent listening and communication skills
* excellent organisational and IT skills including ability to manage workload and prioritise effectively.
About us
At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.
We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great.And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.
People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK.We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England.We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.
To find out more
For an informal discussion only, please contactEllieon07958 759807
How to apply
Please send your CV and covering letter to:join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk
Closing date: 5pm, 15 May 2025.
Interview date: week commencing 19 May 2025 most likely 21 May 2025,
Location TBD but will be in person in central Ipswich.
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