Contract: Casual / Zero-Hours
Hours: Variable according to operational need
Salary: £13.45 p/h
Location: The Parish Trust premises and community settings across the local area
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer or nominated Line Manager

About The Parish Trust

The Parish Trust is a community-focused charity working to strengthen people, families and communities through practical support, opportunities, relationships and hope.

Our work is deliberately broad, responding to the changing needs of the communities we serve. Our projects include support for people experiencing financial hardship, food and practical assistance, children and families, youth work, wellbeing activities, volunteering, community development and a growing range of preventative and early-intervention services.

Purpose of the Role

The Community Development Worker is a flexible, community-facing member of The Parish Trust team who will work across different projects and areas of the charity according to need.

The post exists to provide additional capacity, develop relationships, support activities and help strengthen the quality and impact of The Parish Trust’s work.

There is no single project attached to this role. Instead, the postholder may work across different services, activities and priorities at different times. This could include direct work with individuals and families, practical project support, group activities, mentoring, community engagement, communications, events, administrative tasks and helping to develop new areas of work.

The balance of responsibilities will therefore vary according to the needs and priorities of The Parish Trust.

Main Responsibilities

Community Support and Engagement

• Build positive, respectful and supportive relationships with people accessing The Parish Trust’s services.
• Welcome people into our projects and help create an inclusive, friendly and supportive environment.
• Listen to individuals and families, understand their circumstances and help connect them with appropriate support.
• Provide practical help, encouragement, mentoring and signposting where appropriate.
• Help identify emerging needs, gaps in provision and opportunities for The Parish Trust to respond.
• Encourage people to become more connected with their community and, where appropriate, access volunteering, activities and other opportunities.

CARE Project and Practical Support

Support the operation and development of the CARE Project and related poverty-relief activities, which may include:

• helping to prepare and distribute food and other essential items;
• welcoming and supporting people referred to the service;
• supporting stock, donations, collections and deliveries;
• helping with referrals, records and appropriate follow-up;
• assisting with food collections and practical project activities;
• identifying additional needs and signposting people towards further help;
• supporting volunteers involved in the project; and
• helping improve the experience and effectiveness of the service.

Money and Debt Support

Support the development and operation of The Parish Trust’s Debt Support Centre and wider financial wellbeing work.

Depending upon training, competence and the regulatory arrangements applying to the service, this may include:

• helping people understand their income and expenditure;
• supporting budgeting and general money-management activities;
• helping people gather information, paperwork and evidence;
• providing practical assistance in accessing relevant services;
• supporting individuals to complete forms or make appropriate enquiries;
• providing information and signposting to specialist services;
• supporting financial wellbeing workshops, courses and group activities;
• maintaining appropriate records and follow-up;
• assisting qualified or authorised advisers; and
• undertaking debt-support activities within the training, authorisation and supervision arrangements established by The Parish Trust.

The postholder must work within the limits of their training, competence and authority and must not provide regulated or specialist advice unless specifically authorised to do so.

Early Years and Family Support

Support The Parish Trust’s growing work with babies, young children, parents and families.

This may include:

• helping deliver early-years and family activities;
• welcoming and building relationships with parents and carers;
• supporting play, learning and developmental activities;
• providing practical encouragement and informal mentoring;
• helping families access other relevant support;
• helping organise groups, courses, events and activities;
• supporting the Baby & Maternity Bank and related services; and
• contributing ideas for developing preventative and early-intervention support for families.

Youth and Children’s Work

Support The Parish Trust’s provision for children and young people, including:

• helping plan and deliver clubs, groups, events and activities;
• engaging positively with children and young people;
• providing appropriate mentoring, encouragement and support;
• supporting holiday activities and special events;
• helping young people develop confidence, skills and opportunities;
• supporting young volunteers;
• helping maintain safe, welcoming and well-organised activities; and
• contributing ideas for the development of youth and children’s provision.

Community Development

• Build relationships with residents, community organisations, churches, schools, statutory agencies, businesses and other partners.
• Attend community events, meetings and activities on behalf of The Parish Trust where required.
• Help promote opportunities for local people to become involved with The Parish Trust.
• Support consultations, surveys, community conversations and other ways of understanding local needs.
• Help develop new activities, partnerships and responses to emerging needs.
• Represent The Parish Trust positively within the community.

Communications and Public Voice

Help The Parish Trust communicate effectively with the communities it serves.

This may include:

• creating or contributing to social media content;
• taking photographs or gathering appropriate stories and content;
• helping publicise projects, events and opportunities;
• developing simple promotional materials;
• helping communicate the impact of The Parish Trust’s work;
• identifying stories, experiences and issues that should inform our wider public voice;
• supporting campaigns and community messages; and
• contributing ideas to improve how The Parish Trust communicates with different audiences.

All communications must follow The Parish Trust’s policies regarding confidentiality, safeguarding, consent, data protection, brand and public communications.

Project and Organisational Support

As a flexible member of the team, the Community Development Worker may also be asked to:

• provide additional staffing for projects experiencing particular demand;
• assist colleagues with activities and events;
• help set up and clear away activities, rooms and equipment;
• undertake basic administrative and organisational tasks;
• contact service users, volunteers or partner organisations;
• help manage equipment, resources and supplies;
• collect or deliver items where appropriate;
• support fundraising, consultation and community events;
• help with monitoring, evaluation and gathering feedback;
• contribute to team discussions and project planning;
• provide short-term cover or additional capacity within suitable areas of the organisation;
• help test or develop new activities and initiatives; and
• undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the broad purpose and level of the role.

A Flexible Role

This role is intentionally varied.

The postholder may spend one shift supporting a community activity, another helping within the CARE Project, another working with children or families, and another supporting communications, an event or the development of a new project.

We are therefore looking for somebody who is comfortable moving between different areas of work, enjoys variety and is willing to help wherever their skills can make a useful contribution.

The postholder is not expected to be an expert in every area from day one. Appropriate induction, training, support and supervision will be provided for the duties they are asked to undertake.

General Responsibilities

The postholder will be expected to:

• uphold the vision, values and ethos of The Parish Trust;
• treat everyone with dignity, compassion and respect;
• maintain appropriate professional boundaries;
• comply with safeguarding procedures at all times;
• maintain confidentiality and handle personal information appropriately;
• follow health and safety requirements;
• work collaboratively with staff, volunteers and partner organisations;
• participate in relevant training, supervision and team meetings;
• maintain accurate records where required;
• raise concerns appropriately;
• work within the limits of their competence and training; and
• be willing to undertake a broad and changing range of reasonable duties according to the needs of the charity.

Person Specification

Essential

We are looking for somebody who:

• enjoys working with people from a wide range of backgrounds;
• is approachable, compassionate and non-judgemental;
• is confident communicating with individuals, families and groups;
• can build positive relationships with people;
• is adaptable and comfortable undertaking a varied range of tasks;
• is willing to get involved practically rather than seeing any reasonable task as “someone else’s job”;
• can work both independently and as part of a team;
• has good organisational skills;
• can use basic IT, email and digital systems confidently;
• understands the importance of confidentiality and professional boundaries;
• has a commitment to safeguarding children and adults;
• can use initiative whilst recognising when to seek guidance;
• is dependable and able to represent The Parish Trust positively; and
• supports the values and community-focused ethos of The Parish Trust.

Desirable

It would be particularly helpful, although not essential, to have experience in one or more of the following:

• community development;
• family support or early-years work;
• youth or children’s work;
• mentoring;
• food banks, poverty relief or crisis support;
• money guidance, budgeting or debt support;
• benefits or welfare support;
• community engagement;
• social media or communications;
• volunteering;
• events and activities;
• charity or voluntary-sector work; or
• working with people experiencing disadvantage or difficult circumstances.

We are interested in the whole person, however, and applicants should not be discouraged if their experience does not cover every area listed above.

Additional Requirements

The role involves work with children, young people and potentially vulnerable adults. Appointment will therefore be subject to satisfactory references, appropriate safeguarding checks and any DBS check required for the duties undertaken.

Some work may take place during evenings, weekends or school holidays. There is no fixed pattern of hours and work will be offered according to the operational needs of The Parish Trust.

Because this is a casual/zero-hours position, there is no guarantee of a minimum number of hours. The postholder may accept or decline work offered in accordance with the terms of their contract.

What We Are Looking For

Above all, we want someone who sees what needs doing and is willing to help.

This role would suit somebody who enjoys people, enjoys variety and gets satisfaction from making things work better – whether that means spending time supporting an individual, running an activity with children, helping organise a project, producing a social media post, packing food, setting up an event or contributing an idea that develops into The Parish Trust’s next piece of work.

It is a role for someone who is practical, relational, adaptable and committed to helping The Parish Trust make a positive difference in the community.