RESPONSIBLE TO: Chief Officer
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Early Intervention and Prevention Work
JOB PURPOSE:
To support delivery of My Sisters Place Ask Me project and Volunteering programme
Fixed Term Contract
My Sisters Place are currently recruiting a Community Development Officer / Ask Me Project Coordinator to support delivery of the Ask Me Scheme in Middlesbrough.
We are now at an exciting time in developing the project further, looking to reach new communities and maximise our impact. This is an enormously rewarding role for someone who has a flair for community development and wants to make a difference through their work within a supportive organisation.
Based in central Middlesbrough, we provide specialist services to increase the safety of women and their children. Our frontline responsive service supports on average over 1000 women each year through practical and emotional support, therapeutic interventions, women’s groups and sanctuary scheme interventions.
The organisation is piloting the ‘Change That Lasts Ask Me’ project, an exciting new response to domestic abuse that will widen the opportunities for survivors to access help in their local communities.
The successful candidate will:
- Listen to and engage with local people
- Harness the power of community action to raise awareness of domestic abuse
- Support disempowered communities to challenge the status quo
- Support the development of volunteering opportunities and implement a training programme for new and existing volunteers
- Have an excellent understanding of how to develop the collective power of communities
- Have an insight into the needs of survivors, and the challenges they face in accessing support
- Have an in-depth understanding of the needs of Middlesbrough’s diverse community, how to recruit and manage volunteers and how to engage with community groups
Experience of this role doesn’t need to come from previous paid work and could be from volunteer roles or from relevant transferable skills.
My Sisters Place is committed to quality, equality and valuing diversity. We particularly encourage applications from women from black and minority ethnic communities, people under represented in similar roles and people without university degrees who have the skills described in the person specification. Women only need apply under schedule 9 (Part1) of the Equality Act 2010.
Closing date for applications 30th November 2022
Interviews will be held week commencing 12th December 2022
If you would like to know more about our work see www.mysistersplace.org.uk
Application process:
CV plus choice of cover letter (maximum two pages) or video (maximum five minutes long) detailing how you meet the person specification.
Please apply by email to recruitment@mysistersplace.co.uk
Job Description
Community Development Worker
Job Purpose:
To establish a volunteering programme which support the community hub and provides training and volunteering opportunities across My Sisters Place services with a focus in early intervention and prevention.
To coordinate and implement the Change that Lasts Ask Me scheme in the Middlesbrough area, which aims to empower communities to widen the opportunities there are for survivors to access help.
Project duties and key responsibilities:
- Coordinate a volunteering framework within My Sisters Place, including policy, process, identifying suitable opportunities across services, recruiting and training volunteers and standardising induction procedures for volunteers.
- Deliver training internally to new recruits, volunteers and placement Counsellors
- Deliver training courses on Domestic Violence to agencies and community groups across Middlesbrough with a view to raising awareness and best practice approaches as required.
- Raise awareness of and promote My Sisters Place at external events with the support of other staff and volunteers.
- Improve links within communities and work alongside the charity shop/community hub team to establish an early intervention approach for domestic abuse.
- Provide ongoing support and guidance to project leads managing a volunteers, including supervision of a small number of volunteers.
- Championing and facilitating a first class volunteer journey and experience for all volunteers.
- Implement data collection processes to evidence the impact of volunteering across services.
- Work in accordance with the policies and procedures of the organisation.
- Ensure confidentiality of records and other information.
- Maintain awareness around Health and Safety regulations relevant to the workplace.
- Undertake training, attend meetings and events as may be required.
Specific ‘Ask Me’ Scheme Responsibilities
- Adapt the tools and resources already developed for the scheme to local requirements in line with Women’s Aid Federation of England guidance.
- Maintain ongoing communication with Women’s Aid Federation of England Community Engagement Manager
- Coordinate a local project group with delivery partners. Includes developing and overseeing a local delivery plan and reporting in the scheme progress
- Build relationships with survivors and communities to develop the collective power to inform local implementation of the scheme
- Engage with and encourage a wide range of community members to join the scheme, checking for suitability throughout the training.
- Oversee all administrative tasks related to the project such as venue booking, ensuring delegates receive training course information and maintain a tra8ining record
- Deliver training and workshops to community member to increase their understanding of the right response to domestic abuse in line with the Change That Lasts principles
- Provide ongoing support and guidance to community ambassadors encouraging a consistent quality of actions to raise awareness about domestic abuse and to offer safe, helpful responses to any survivor who discloses.
- Using monitoring tools provided by Women’s Aid Federation of England, implement data collection processes to support the evaluation of the scheme and submit punctual monitoring reports to Women’s Aid Federation of England and the local project group.
General
- My Sister’s Place is committed to continuous organisation and employee development. The post Holder is required to participate fully in all initiatives, which facilitate continuous improvement in Service Quality Performance including employee performance.
- All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to the principles of equal rights both in relation to employment issues and service delivery, and adhere to the polices of the organisation in the performance of their duties.
- The above duties and responsibilities cannot totally encompass or define all of the tasks that may be required of the post holder. The outlined duty may therefore vary from time to time, without materially changing either the character or level of responsibilities. These factors are reflected in the post grade.
Other
This job requires regular travel and occasional unsocial hours (evening/weekends).
Person Specification:
Experience
- Experience of involvement in/with a community engagement/organising project
- Experience of delivering services to survivors of gender based violence
- Experience of implementing delivery plans with a range of stakeholders
- Experience of working with and for diverse groups
- Experience of delivering workshops or training
- Experience of writing and producing briefings, reports or other information resources
- Experience of supporting others to improve their response to domestic abuse or another social issue
- Experience of working with or supporting volunteers
Skills
- Excellent verbal communication skills to a wide range of audiences
- Ability to build a project that is service user/community-led
- Ability to plan and deliver projects within a set timeframe and with clear outputs/outcomes
- Ability to analyse complex information and identify the implications for women and children affected by gender-based violence and services supporting them
- Ability to work on own initiative to meet objectives in a complex, changing environment and to plan, initiate, manage and evaluate projects
- Highly computer literate and proficient in word processing, spreadsheets and databases, email and website technology, preferably in a Windows based environment
Knowledge
- A very good understanding of the experiences and needs of survivors (women, children and men) affected by domestic and sexual violence, and of the barriers to disclosure
- Excellent understanding of the role of a range of services in supporting survivors at risk of gender-based violence, particularly within Teesside area
- Excellent understanding of the diverse local communities in Teesside area
- An understanding of the barriers people from different backgrounds and identities might experience in accessing services and projects (including Change That Lasts Ask Me training).
- A good understanding of power structures and working with/for grass-roots organisations
- Current connections/ relationships with different groups in Teesside area
Other
- Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the aims, objectives and values of Women’s Aid Federation of England
- Commitment to anti-racist and discriminatory practice and equal opportunities
- Willingness to travel regularly and work occasional weekends and evenings as required
Education/Qualifications
- No formal qualifications are required for this role although evidence of relevant learning is advantageous
My Sister’s Place Employment Benefits
Annual Leave
All staff commence their employment with 26 days annual plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees). In the leave year following 2 year’s service you will receive an extra day’s leave each year (up to a maximum of 30 days).
All staff receive an additional day’s leave for their birthday each year following 12 months service.
Birthday Benefit
MSP operate a Birthday Benefit Policy where you are given a day off work on your Birthday.
Pension Scheme
All employees are automatically enrolled into the company pension scheme. Employees are able to ‘opt out’ of the scheme should they not wish to take part in the scheme.
Sick Pay
We operate a contractual sick/injury pay scheme which, on completion of twelve months service, provides payment during periods of certificated sickness for 4 weeks at full pay and 6 weeks at half pay.
Eye Tests
The organisation will pay for an eye test and partial costs for spectacles for employees where VDU use is an essential part of their work and where vision impairment meets certain criteria.
All new staff are subject to a six-month probationary period.
Contact
Lesley Storey
01642 241864
recruitment@mysistersplace.co.uk
The closing date for this job is 30 November 2022 - 12:00pm.