JOB DESCRIPTION: COMMUNITY CO-ORDINATOR: EAST AYRSHIRE

Transcription

1 JOB DESCRIPTION: COMMUNITY CO-ORDINATOR: EAST AYRSHIRE Job Title: Community Co-ordinator: Place-based Hours: 35 hours per week Location: Cumnock, East Ayrshire JOB CONTEXT For 30 years, the Foundation has contributed to improving the lives of disadvantaged individuals and communities, giving over 97 million in grants in almost 14,000 awards to charities across Scotland. In 2014, the Foundation devised a progressive new strategy to help meet the everchanging needs of Scottish communities. It has three overarching objectives, to be delivered by 2017: 1. to be the best grant maker we can be through continued progressive grant making 2. to reach communities traditional grant-making doesn t through innovative asset-based community empowerment 3. to work with other grant makers so we can all be the best we can be by maximising our expertise. The role of National Co-ordinator: Place-based was created in 2015 to drive the roll-out of the second strategic driver. JOB PURPOSE The primary purpose of the role of the Community Co-ordinator is to act as a catalyst: working closely with the people of and the people who rely on Cumnock (in the first instance) to develop a widely-owned sustainable Community-Led Action plan and support its implementation. This will involve collaborative working with a range of stakeholders predominantly at a local level, through building strong relationships to empower and enable local people. The post holder reports to the National Place-based Co-ordinator. It will be essential that Community Co-coordinator works closely with key agencies operating in Cumnock, in the first instance, throughout the lifetime of their contract. After discussions with Chief Executive, Fiona Lees and Katie Kelly, Strategic Manager, Vibrant Communities, the Foundation has tailored the programme for East Ayrshire to ensure that the work will be undertaken in partnership with the Vibrant Communities Team. Recognising that East Ayrshire Council are currently delivering a phased roll out of a specific model of asset-based community-led action planning across all 35 neighbourhoods in East Ayrshire, the post will therefore be supported locally by the Vibrant Communities Team. Page 1 of 5

2 STRUCTURE MAIN ACTIVITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES SUPPORT OF DELIVERY OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE TWO: Reach communities grant-making doesn t through innovative asset-based community empowerment, specifically within the Local Authority of East Ayrshire and initially the community of CUMNOCK Undertake the role in conjunction with the East Ayrshire Vibrant Communities Team, involving the following approach: Carry out systematic quantitative and sensitive qualitative research into the local area, using all relevant tools such as desk-based research, new and traditional media, engagement, observation, active listening etc. Develop an asset map of the community which demonstrates a detailed understanding of its people, its resources, its challenges and opportunities - existing and potential. On an ongoing basis: o Identify and mobilise a voluntary team of community connectors to extend the reach of the initiative and generate new connections; o Actively promote the initiative amongst the community; o Develop strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders; o Identify suitable community hubs ; o Engage working groups and audiences. As appropriate, use traditional, creative and innovative methodologies to actively engage the community including those considered hard to reach and stimulate interest, active participation and enthusiasm in the development of a community action plan: Page 2 of 5

3 o Facilitate and aid the process of community theme-building based on local ideas and solutions; o Enable the community to produce a shared vision for the community, i.e. community action plan; o Support the generation of a local identity for the community action plan and its participants. Support the implementation of the widely-owned community action plan, through engendering effective team work to support and empower local people to draw on all available expertise to enable them to: o Establish their short and longer-term priorities; o Consider how best to resource their plan, helping secure local and national support and funding; o Create a series of delivery plans. Work with the National Co-ordinator on the range of support the Foundation can invest in the community s action plan including the identification and organisation of relevant skills training for volunteers. Work with the National Co-ordinator to identify national partners to support the delivery if the community action plan, where appropriate. Work with the National Co-ordinator and other Community Co-ordinators to identify opportunities for peer-to-peer contact within the volunteer network and actively encourage this. Work closely with fellow Community Co-ordinators to share learning. Mindfully and actively transfer skills and knowledge to the community supporting it to develop links and networks whilst building capacity and confidence. Support the generation of complementary local community activities and foster partnerships and collaborations through working projects. Gather and document monitoring and evaluation data of both the engagement process and the outcome(s), from the formal such as statistics through to the informal such as capturing storytelling. Produce regular reports on the evolving picture, showing progress against aims. Work with colleagues in the Foundation to capitalise on knowledge and skills and where appropriate mobilise their support. Work closely with colleagues in the place-based team and the External Relations Manager on marketing tools and materials, awareness raising and public relations. Page 3 of 5

4 SKILLS REQUIRED FOR FULLY ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE Principal skills for this role include the ability to connect with a range of people, build meaningful relationships, foster partnerships and collaboration, create and stimulate fruitful dialogue to build a movement of people empowered to take action and provide them with support. In addition to local knowledge, the post holder will have great communication and interpersonal skills. The nature of the job demands a strong ethical and fair approach. The post requires a clean driving licence. ESSENTIAL - The post holder must: Have a degree or diploma in Community Development; Have experience of working with local communities to get things done; Have great facilitation skills, and an ability to identify local solutions and ideas; Be able to demonstrate an ability to form positive working relationships with a range of individuals and groups; Be a creative marketer able to reach audiences far and wide to promote ideas; Have supported project design and development; Have provided support and supervision to volunteers; Have knowledge or experience of community planning; Have previous experience of managing local community group and/or project, on a paid or voluntary basis; Be proficient in data gathering all monitoring and evaluation data and report writing; Be based within the community or surrounding area; Have an ability to work flexibly within the community; Be enthusiastic, self-motivated and have an ability to work independently and as part of a team. DESIRABLE - The post holder should: Have an understanding of the role of community connectors; Have experience in or understanding of community development practice, specifically Asset- Based Community Development (ABCD) and the tools used such as asset mapping. Have a knowledge of policy in relation to community learning and development. Clean, full driving licence Page 4 of 5

5 WORKING CONDITIONS This role will be based within the community, to be agreed with the Vibrant Communities Team with travel required throughout East Ayrshire and attendance at meetings across Scotland. The jobholder is line managed by the National Co-ordinator with localised support from the East Ayrshire Vibrant Communities Team and regular appraisal meetings will take place. Page 5 of 5