Area Volunteer Development Officer Jobs in London, Greater London

Are you passionate about patient and public engagement, effecting system change, and improving services? Are you confident about carrying out research, and telling the story of the findings in written briefings? Are you adept at writing accessible, persuasive research reports? If so, we’d love to work with you to improve the experiences of people using health and social care services in Barnet.

As our Senior Research Officer, you will be working on an exciting new project to improve primary care access for residents. Your flair for planning and logistics will enable you to both gather data about the experiences of Barnet residents and to collate existing evidence. You’ll also be comfortable producing accessible how-to guidance, to enable people experiencing health inequalities to access services.

In return for your commitment to the cause, you will become part of a friendly and supportive team, working within a focused but flexible culture, where diversity is valued and you can bring your whole self to work.   

This role is only open to people with lived experience of disability, which could include mental health issues or a long term condition.  The successful candidate will need to undertake a DBS check. 

About Healthwatch

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 required each local authority area to set up a Healthwatch organisation. Healthwatch gives people a powerful voice both locally and nationally. At a local level, Healthwatch Barnet works to help people get the best from their health and social care services, whether it's improving them today, or helping to shape them for tomorrow. Healthwatch Barnet is about local voices being able to influence the delivery and design of their services, not just for the people who use them, but anyone who might need to use them in future.

Healthwatch Barnet transferred to Inclusion Barnet on 1st April 2020. It is commissioned by the London Borough of Barnet to provide the following 6 key functions:

· Gather views and understand the experiences of patients and the public

· Make people’s views known

· Promote and support the involvement of people in the commissioning and provision of local care services and how they are scrutinised

· Recommend investigation or special review of services via Healthwatch England or directly to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

· Provide advice and information (signposting) about access to services and support for making informed choices

· Making the views and experiences of local people known to Healthwatch England (and to other local Healthwatch organisations) and providing a steer to help it carry out its role as national champion

About Inclusion Barnet

Inclusion Barnet is a thriving peer-led charity based in North-West London. We believe in the power of experience, and this is demonstrated by all our services being led, developed, and delivered by people with lived experience of disability, including mental health issues and long-term conditions. We believe that learning to use our lived experience for social change is a skill. We have become experts in harnessing the lived experience of our staff, members, volunteers, and people who use our services to design and deliver higher quality, more person-centred services. We believe that this benefits both disabled people and society more widely. We also work to support other organisations to do the same. Our work is very much influenced by the Social Model of Disability. 

Battersea is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860. Our multiple award-winning Income Generation department raises around 60% of the Charity’s total income, allowing us to continue to grow to make sure we can be here for every cat and dog, now and in the future.

We are looking for someone to join our team as our Senior Legacy & In Memory Stewardship Officer to manage our Legacy and In Memory Retention and Stewardship programme – delivering bespoke and personal, multi-discipline stewardship and excellent supporter care to Legacy enquirers, Legacy pledgers and In Memory Donors, to build lasting relationships with these audiences and maximise income. 

To be successful in this role, you will have proven ability to plan, implement and evaluate direct marketing campaigns with substantial understanding of retention and stewardship journeys, as well as excellent interpersonal skills and a track record of building, maintaining and managing successful individual relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

- 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
- Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
- Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:

We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:

At Battersea, we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse workforce and inclusive culture in all aspects of our organisation. We aim to ensure that this pledge, reinforced by our values, is embedded in our day-to-day working practices and our work together.   

By hearing from and valuing different experiences, perspectives, and contributions, we know we can provide the best expert care for every dog and cat who needs us. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from diverse ethnic communities and people with disabilities, who we know are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. 

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 14th November 2024
Interview date(s): 26th & 28th November 2024 (1st round, video); 3rd December 2024 (2nd round, in person)

To apply for the role, please click the button below. All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Description:

· Job Title: Key Project Coordinator

· Salary: £27,570

· Closing Date: Thursday 15th November

· Reporting to: Programme Manager

· Contract: Full-Time, Permanent

· Job Location: London

· Interviews: Tuesday 19th November

· Start date: Monday 2nd December

· School Location: Islington

Safeguarding Statement

The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.

About the Key Project

The Key Project is an initiative at an Islington secondary school, Central Foundation Boys’ School, which aims to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain admission to top universities. The Project was launched in 2012 through a partnership between international law firm Slaughter and May, ground-breaking educational charity The Access Project and Central Foundation Boys’ School, an Ofsted rated Outstanding school. Slaughter and May provides the majority of the funding and some of the volunteers for the programme.

There are three parts to the Key Project role:

1. Tutoring: Students are either matched with a volunteer tutor to provide them with an hour-long weekly tutorial, or they take part in weekly small group tutor sessions that are led by paid professional tutors.

2. Enrichment: students are offered debating events, workshops, lectures and career insight sessions where they have the chance to discuss the latest developments in science, media and politics and gain a better understanding of the City of London. They can also apply for work experience placements at Slaughter and May or The Access Project’s other corporate partners.

3. University support: students are guided through all aspects of the university application process. They are offered university trips, university course choice and personal statement workshops, as well as individualised one to one mentoring. They are also offered specific sessions for Oxbridge and Medicine applicants, as well as mock admission interviews and entrance exam support.

About the three partners

Central Foundation Boys’ School

Central Foundation Boys’ School is an Ofsted rated Outstanding school with 150 years of history located on the Old Street “Silicon” Roundabout. In 2016, the school was ranked as the 64th best school in the country in the new Progress 8 measure for GCSE, and the school’s Sixth Form was in the top 15% of

all post-16 providers in the country. Since the Key Project was launched, five times more students are going to the top-third most-selective universities in the country

The Access Project

The Access Project believes that every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the most of their education. They aim to reduce the educational barriers their students face, helping them to pursue a career in their chosen field and follow their dreams.
Their mission is to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring. TAP work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university.
The programme combats educational inequality and improves social mobility by raising students’ grades and supporting them to understand the pathway to a top university. Students who receive support from TAP’s programme are more than twice as likely to attend top universities as statistically similar students, according to UCAS.

Slaughter and May

Slaughter and May, a leading City law firm with around 1,300 partners and worldwide staff, is regarded as one of the most prestigious law firms in the world. Its lawyers advise on high-profile and groundbreaking international transactions for clients that include leading corporations, financial institutions and governments. Social mobility is a key area of focus for the firm, with the award-winning Key Project considered as its flagship initiative.

About this position

The Key Project Coordinator will benefit from working closely with inspiring young people every day and helping them to transform their lives. The majority of the students from Central Foundation Boys’ School are from non-privileged backgrounds; the Key Project Coordinator plays a significant part in helping to open the door to top universities for these young people by helping them to achieve excellent academic achievements and develop strong interpersonal skills. The school has a mixed gender Sixth Form, and all the students from Year 10 to Year 13 are highly dedicated and achieve outstanding outcomes.

Benefitting from being in a fast-paced, demanding and exciting environment with high levels of responsibility and autonomy, the Key Project Coordinator will be based in the school four days per week. The school is excellently located at the Old Street Roundabout and has an exceptional record of retaining staff due to their happiness at working at the school. The Coordinator will be an employee of The Access Project so will gain a unique experience of working in a rapidly growing and innovative charity.

Duties and responsibilities:

The Key Project Coordinator is the case manager for all key stakeholders who interact with the programme including students, tutors, teachers, Slaughter and May and TAP staff.

Students

• Building strong mentoring relationships with students to drive awareness of and enthusiasm for the programme.
• Delivering The Access Project’s programme of university support activities at the school, including one to one meetings, workshops and assemblies
• Assessing student progress towards being able to make successful university applications by uploading all interactions to our CRM system: Salesforce
• Recruiting students onto the programme in line with our student enrolment criteria
• Matching students with volunteer tutors and liaising with the school to get provisional groups for Group Tuition signed off
• Manging difficult conversations
• Monitoring student attendance to tutorials and devising innovative solutions to encourage attendance
• Using the schools’ existing reporting on students’ academic and pastoral progress to monitor the impact of tutorials, and intervene as appropriate
• Collecting and uploading various data sets relating to a student’s eligibility or performance on the programme. This ranges from consent forms to individual UCAS applications.

Tutors

• Building and managing relationships with volunteer and paid tutors to ensure they have a positive experience of the programme, deliver good quality tutorials, and continue volunteering with us year-on-year
• Liaising with tutors and managing any day-to-day requests that they have regarding The Access Project or their tutee
• Managing tutor attendance to tutorials through weekly monitoring systems
• Observing tutorials and giving tutors any necessary feedback

School Staff

• Working with school staff to ensure their cooperation and timely completion of activities contributing to the smooth running of the programme.
• Chairing and presenting alongside the Programme Manager at termly school meetings with Senior Management to report on programme progress.

Other Activities

• The Key Project Coordinator based in our partner school from Monday-Thursday. On Fridays, they undertake training, attend meetings, and feed into internal projects to improve the quality of delivery of the programme.
• The Key Project Coordinator supports the volunteering team by helping to deliver tutor training sessions, which can take place on Saturdays and weekday evenings.
• The Key Project Coordinator will be required to support our Central Provision function including staffing our two annual university trips and our university society events.
• The Key Project Coordinator will oversee other initiatives within the school. This will include the improvement of existing initiatives related to supporting students’ progression and the launch of new projects as appropriate.

Supporting Slaughter and May activities at the school

• The Key Project itself will be managed jointly by The Access Project and the School. The Project Coordinator will also work closely with the Community team at Slaughter and May, attending regular meetings alongside their Programme Manager to update on and review the progress of the programme against its KPIs, as well as providing formal termly reports.

Any other responsibilities

Reasonably deemed necessary by the Access Project’s Programme Managers or Director

Person specification

We are seeking applications from individuals who are:

Essential

• Able to communicate and influence with impact at all levels. The role involves building relationships with staff, students and tutors on a one-to-one basis and presenting information to/running workshops with groups of students and teachers: The Key Project Coordinator will need to be professional, articulate and credible in a range of situations.
• Able to deliver projects and manage administration. The Key Project Coordinator will need to be able to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.
• Able to effectively time manage. The role has a complex and varied workload, involving autonomous working and teamworking, and managing tasks over different periods of time. The University Access Officer will need to be able to plan their time effectively to complete all tasks to pre-set deadlines.
• Able to lead and manage change. The University Access Officer will be the key representative of the programme in school and will need enthusiasm and vision to make this a success.
• Passionate about educational disadvantage. This is a demanding role which requires University Access Officers to be committed to our mission and values (see below) and motivated by and engaged with the work of The Access Project and our partner schools.
• Resilient and adaptable. The University Access Officer will need to adapt to a fast-moving environment in school, and react to challenges and requests from students, staff and tutors.
• Skilled in stakeholder management. The University Access Officer will need to be able to build and maintain excellent relationships with school staff as well as our volunteer tutors.

Desirable

• Knowledge/experience of working and/or volunteering in schools or the education sector. Please note, as a minimum requirement, applicants will:
• be in a position to commit to the role for at least two years;
• have a university degree;
• have the right to work in the UK.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata) plus Bank Holidays and 5 days Winter closure

• PerkBox – offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more

• Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff

• Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day

• Interest-free travelcard loans

• Cyclescheme loans

• 3 paid Volunteering Days

• Employer’s pensions contributions (3%)

• CPD options

• The Access Project welcomes requests for flexible working arrangements

Equal Opportunities Statement

The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. If you believe you have most of the skills to fulfil the role we encourage you to apply. Amongst staff at our organization, there is under-representation of people who are Black, Asian or people from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, care-experienced, from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are LGBTQIA+ . We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience in reference to our mission

We are proud to be a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments please contact us.

Disclosure of a Criminal Record

The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 applies to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment that involves working with children and young people must disclose anything listed in their criminal record, with the exception of protected cautions and convictions. All Disclosures are carried out in the strictest confidence and are made only in connection with your application for employment and for no other purpose.The application for a DBS check at a level appropriate to the job role will be activated before your first day of work. Members of staff who are not eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check are required to undertake a basic DBS check only in line with legal requirements. If you are selected for appointment to the role, you will be subject to this procedure.

Present or most recent employment 

It is important to give full information, including the organisation you work in, or most recent employment if not currently working, full dates, address and explanation of any gaps in employment. 

Education, Qualifications and Training: Ensure you give all the information requested, including dates, establishment where you studied and make clear the level of any examinations e.g., GCSE, GCE 'O' Level or 'A' Level or equivalents etc. and the grades you obtained. Also include any skills training you have had. You will be required to produce original documentary evidence of any qualifications relevant to the job, and these will be detailed on the person specification.

Proof of qualification is required before the appointment is confirmed.

References

All appointments are subject to verification of employment and suitability of the candidate for the post applied for. We reserve the right to approach any previous employer for a reference and to verify their identity but will request your permission before doing so. If you have experience of working with children, please include this as one of your references.

SOS Children’s Villages UK is part of a global federation, founded in 1949. SOS Children’s Villages exists to ensure that each child and young person grows up with the healthy relationships they need to become their strongest selves. Working in over 130 countries, we are the world’s largest non-governmental organisation focused on supporting children and young people who don’t have, or who are at risk of losing, parental care.

We are now recruiting for a Trust and Foundations Officer, with experience of securing funds in any sector who enjoys picking up the phone and building relationships with donors. This is an exciting opportunity to join an ambitious and progressive team, working within an international federation that supports children and young people across the world.

You will have the opportunity to:

• manage and grow a portfolio of small to medium trusts and foundations, increasing income by identifying new prospects and through the stewardship of existing donors.
• write high quality applications and communicate accurately and transparently on the progress made with donors’ funds. 
• work with our network of international programme experts to develop expertise in key programme areas and build your knowledge of international development.
• support colleagues with applications and reports to large funders, building experience of working with institutional partners. 

This role sits within the Programme Funding Team and suits an ambitious self-starter with excellent IT, research, communication, writing and organisational skills with an interest in developing their knowledge of international development.

To Apply

Please read the full job description within the Candidate Pack, and submit a copy of your CV and a covering letter.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th November at 17.00 UK time. We reserve the right to close the application process early if a successful candidate is found.

Please note: The post-holder must be UK-based. We are unable to provide employment sponsorship if required and unfortunately cannot progress applications without the required right to live and work in the UK on a permanent contract.

Head of Development, Operations and Impact.

About the organisation 

CARAS is a dynamic and exciting charity offering holistic support to refugees and people seeking asylum. We pride ourselves on coupling the expertise of our staff team with strong values that mean we always place the voices, needs and wants of our group members at the heart of all that we do. We know that this is a transformative way of working and. Our Strategy, Theory of Change, Monitoring Framework and Values were all written with full participation from our group members. 

Our Values are: 

Kindness. CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents and interests. 

Justice. CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all of our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

Empowerment. CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

‘With’ not ‘for’. CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its community members at the heart of all that we do. 

CARAS is a thriving organisation with a highly motivated, friendly and experienced staff team, bolstered by the generous support of equally skilled volunteers and trustees who come from many walks of life. We are impactful across a range of measures that demonstrate the life-changing work we do, and are proud to receive testimonials from our group members that bring our impact to life.

The Head of Development and Impact will be our lead fundraiser, drawing in support and expertise from across the team. They will take ownership of identifying funding sources, creating a strategy, forecasting our fundraising income, and building strong relationships with donors, bringing the experiences of our group members to life in fundraising communications. They will line management a full-time fundraiser who specialises in individual giving while the Head of Developent, Operations and Impact will lead on grant writing. 

In the last 5 years, this role has achieved huge success in CARAS’ development, more than trebling our income and enabling us to expand our staff team and therefore our reach. We are a highly impactful organisation that is often looked to for our insight in the sector. We have an ambitious five-year strategy, co-produced with group members, staff, volunteers, trustees and partner organisations, that guides our current work. 

This is an exciting role that comes with many varied commitments, expectations and timescales. We are seeking applicants who want to be at the forefront of change, striving to improve the rights, entitlements and day-to-day experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum. You will need to be able to show how your skills and experiences fit the role, as well as possessing a drive for social change in support of under-served people. Within this role, you will have scope to shape and secure the future of CARAS.

You will be supported in a variety of ways, including by an expert team of staff around you who will collaborate with you and work together as needed; a highly professional Board of Trustees who you will work with at key points throughout the year and who are available for consultation and advice as needed; robust and effective systems; and a network of organisations and funders who share CARAS’ goals. Additionally, you will have regular and detailed supervision with your line manager, and you can access our Employee Assistance Programme at any time. 

This opportunity comes at a very exciting time. CARAS will be piloting a 4 day week from the 1st of January- 30th June 2025, meaning that all staff will be working 80% less time for 100% pay. Full time employees will reduce their hours to 4 days per week. We anticipate that this will be a huge boost to staff wellbeing and will become part of our commitment to care for staff as well as our community members.  

We are also creating our next Strategic Plan, preparing for a future in which CARAS is a highly respected, impactful organisation with a £1million income. 

Key info 

Role title: Head of Development and Impact 

Salary: £43,000 - £46,000 p/a 

Hours: 4 days per week at full pay (pilot)

Contract type: permanent, full time 

Annual leave: 28 days full-time equivalent, plus additional time off between Christmas and the New Year. Annual leave increases with length of service. 

Employee benefits: 

4 day week

7% employer pension contributions 

Other benefits include flexible working, enhanced parental leave and sick pay, a cycle scheme, tech scheme, interest-free loans, study leave and volunteering leave. All staff are offered access to an Employee Assistance Programme. 

Preferred Start date: 1st January 2025, but flexible for the right candidate. Earlier would be welcome!

Reports to CEO 

Location:  The role is based in Tooting with a significant portion of remote working if desired. You can choose to work from home or from our premises in Tooting.  You will need to be able to attend meetings and events in Tooting and in other London locations on occasion.

Equalities Statement. 

As an organisation who works with refugees, we especially encourage applications from people with lived experience of forced migration. You will be invited to say whether you have been an asylum seeker or a refugee in the UK on the application form. Applicants with lived experience who meet essential criteria are guaranteed an interview.  

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The role: 

The Head of Development, Operations and Impact is required to lead a wide range of activities. You will be expected to manage your own time, prioritising tasks and leading a small team of people who contribute to CARAS’ fundraising. You will inherit excellent systems and skilled, supportive and enthusiastic team players. You will work closely with the CEO, and the senior leadership team which draws together Heads of Service from each of our programme areas. You will collaborate with our Finance Manager to ensure smooth management of grants and donations, and will play a key role in budget setting with the Finance Manager and CEO. 

The role demands cross-departmental working, and regular contact with community members to enhance your ability to advocate for them. You will be at the forefront of developing new ideas and approaches, and ensuring that teams have the money and resources to have an impact. 

Key tasks and activities. 

General 

• Lead the Operations department, line-managing team members in fundraising and operations management.

• Secure diverse and sustainable income streams to secure the future of CARAS. 

• Be the main point of contact for grant-makers and donors, communicating clearly and effectively about our work and its impacts. 

• Participate in organisational strategic reviews, making decisions on how to prioritise where limited resources are focused across the different activities and projects. 

• Carry out other duties as necessary and commensurate with the role. 

Fundraising 

• Line-manage our Fundraising Officer and work together to generate income to meet CARAS’s budgetary targets through trusts and foundations, individual giving, community fundraising and other means at our disposal. 

• Develop and deliver a fundraising strategy which synchronises with the CARAS Strategic Plan.

• Maintain a real-time pipeline of fundraising opportunities and oversee delivery. Lead or allocate all income generation opportunities in good time so that appropriate co-design and decision-making processes are behind applications. 

• Ensure compliance with best practice in fundraising including use of data and confidentiality. 

• Work collaboratively with Heads of Service and CARAS’ Finance Manager to develop, deliver and iterate systems to ensure grants are accurately and effectively managed. 

• Lead on the development of programmatic and core budgets for diverse grant funders. 

• Identify and build corporate partnerships based on organisational needs, values and income targets. 

Operations  

• Line-manage our Operations Manager and work together to ensure our premises, IT infrastructure, data management and risk management systems are effective, efficient, and legally compliant.

• Oversee or directly manage service providers and ensure that all contractors represent value for money and are appointed in line with our policies. 

• Maintain and develop strong, effective partnerships with delivery stakeholders such as our landlords, Wandsworth Council officers etc.

• Support the team to monitor projects from start to finish, including preparing costing for applications/bids, agreeing contracts and grant terms, monitoring deliverables and finance, and co-ordinating timely reporting. 

Finance 

• Work collaboratively with the Finance Manager to ensure the rigorous financial management across all income and expenditure to ensure all grants and donations are accurately accounted for and spent. 

• Working collaboratively with the Finance Manager and CEO, develop the organisational annual budget and lead on income projections for the year ahead to ensure expenditure budgets are feasible and unlock multi-year growth. 

Monitoring, evaluation and impact 

• Leading CARAS’ annual outcomes evaluation, managing work across departments to collect, disaggregate and analyse outcomes data from our Learning, Casework and Social Programmes. 

• Develop CARAS’ outcomes report and donor report ensuring they are data rich and clearly demonstrate impact. 

• Monitoring the wealth of data CARAS collects through our frontline service to ensure we stay agile and adaptable within a changing policy context, supporting Heads of Service and other relevant stakeholders to deliver excellence. 

Governance 

• Contribute to the maintenance of up-to-date policies relevant to the role.

• Attend board meetings as requested to share reports with the Board on fundraising.

• Work closely with the Treasurer and the Finance Committee on fundraising strategy. 

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Person Specification 

Essential  

Direct experience of the following: 

Proven experience in a leadership role. 

Proven experience of fundraising or business development successfully raising income from a range of sources. 

Proven experience in line management, supporting teams to deliver excellence and creating clear CPD plans to ensure staff are happy and motivated. 

Outstanding written communication with demonstrable experience of creating compelling cases for support and experience of successfully securing funds from large foundations. 

Confidence working with numbers and developing programmatic and organisational budgets. 

Experience collecting and analysing data. 

Committed to reflecting, refining and iterating practice to ensure learning is embedded throughout your work. 

Works collaboratively across teams and isn’t afraid to ask for help, recognising the diverse expertise held across the organisation.  

Proven experience in creating budgets, forecasting income, analysing and extracting data for reports. 

Ability to understand and clearly convey financial information to others for a wide range of purposes, ranging from grant applications and reporting, budget preparation and scrutiny with the Board of Trustees, and transparent communication with programme staff and participants. 

Proven experience building or delivering a fundraising strategy to increase corporate and individual funding streams. 

A confident and charismatic communicator. 

Commitment to upholding CARAS’s values in all your work. 

Desirable  

Experience in co-designing services or ideas with a community. 

Experience or knowledge of issues affecting refugees and asylum-seekers. 

Knowledge of the fundraising opportunities in the migration sector. 

Experience of working with accountancy software such as Quickbooks or Sage. 

An interest in keeping up to date with, and including, best practice within workplace culture. 

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To apply. 

Please complete our application form and return it by email.

We do not accept CVs or covering letters. You must include all details within the form.

Deadline: 9am, Friday 22nd November 2024. 

We offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet all essential criteria and who have lived experience of forced migration. 

We are hiring a Grassroots Development Officer at BVSC on a 2 year contract. Responsible to the Funding and Development Manager, the role of Grassroots Development Officer will be to support the growth and sustainability of small voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in Bexley. This role is funded by the VCSE Capacity Building & Infrastructure Fund 2024/2025 through the South East London Integrated Care System (SEL ICS) and aims to enhance the effectiveness of smaller, often informal groups delivering services that are both ‘by and for’ their service users that are crucial in addressing local health and wellbeing needs for the ‘under-served’ but face significant challenges in visibility and support.

The Grassroots Development Officer will be responsible for providing a wide range of organisational development support services and activities to assist grassroots VCSE organisations to develop, thrive and remain sustainable. This role is particularly interested in working with groups who deliver services to young people, the elderly, minority ethnic (global majority) and migrant groups, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and residents in the north of the borough (areas with high deprivation and a higher proportion of small groups). 
You will be led by the VCSE sector within Bexley to ensure services are accessible, connected, consistent and to a high standard. Development work strives to build the capacity and capabilities of local groups, provide partnership/networking opportunities that enable them to carry out their own objectives effectively and offer high quality services. You will work flexibly and nimbly to provide consistent and seamless support to organisations. You will support across the whole spectrum of charity development, but focus on EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), governance, funding, safeguarding and developing a holistic training package in a variety of formats suitable for grassroots VCS organisations.

To apply please send us your CV, cover letter & completed 'Applicant Questions' form by 9am Monday 4th November. Please note uncompleted applications will not be considered.Successful applicants will be notified by Thursday 7th November, for interviews the following week on Thursday 14th November.

If you have not heard from us by 7th November, please assume your application was not successful, we are unable to provide feedback on applications which are not shortlisted. 
 

About the Help Chapter

The Help chapter brings together our core services responsible for responding to incoming enquiries from supporters, beneficiaries, and members of the public, including managing and responding to feedback and complaints.

About the role

As a Chapter Member at the National Deaf Children's Society, you'll be in a Chapter of like-minded and skilled specialists, experts, and emerging experts. Chapters are self-organising, and every member has a vital role to play, sharing their skills, knowledge and experience and learning and developing together. Led by the Chapter Lead all Chapter Members will value and respect each other's contribution and learn and develop collaboratively.

This role will design, implement and manage systems to ensure that fundraising and marketing activity is of a high quality, complies with relevant legislation and sector codes and is consistent with National Deaf Children’s Society policies.

You will carry out a programme of detailed quality assurance activity and monitoring to identify areas where improvements can be made and provide fundraising teams with recommended actions. This work has a particular focus on the management of telemarketing and face to face recruitment.

You will prepare reports for internal teams and stakeholders and provide support and guidance to fundraising staff in relation to compliance and what is required of them.

You will network effectively with peers across the sector and engage with external regulatory and sector bodies, such as the Fundraising Regulator, the CIOF, the DMA and the ICO, to ensure that the organisation is aware of all relevant developments and our views and priorities are taken into consideration; actively participating in sector consultations, meetings and working groups as appropriate.

Occasional travel will be required to shadow and monitor compliance training and to support our fundraising agencies.

 What might a day in the life look like? 

• Take ownership of and manage our internal Call Monitoring process – selecting and allocating calls from our agencies and listening to the majority to recognise any potential issues or trends that may arise.
• To follow up any feedback with the agencies and ensure they are compliant with fundraising code of practice.
• Updating and monitoring the site lists on our websites to ensure our supporters know where we are.
• Attend monthly and ad-hoc compliance forums and engage with external bodies to ensure we are maintaining standards across the sector. A chance to network with peers and even offer insight into our best practise.
• Quarterly due diligence checks with our agencies, along with monitoring of job adverts and contracts to ensure compliance.
• To manage and monitor our Mystery Shopping programme – engaging with the agencies regarding feedback and follow up, and approving invoices.
• A monthly compliance tracker to be shared internally so we know our key areas of focus.
• Management of our fundraising shadowing programme, with the occasional visits to our agencies for compliance training, feedback and shadowing.
• To help the organisation to deliver excellent standards of supporter care by providing cover for the team where necessary.
• To identify compliance issues which require follow-up or investigation and to conduct or direct any internal investigation.
• To conduct periodic audits (including National Deaf Children’s Society’s fundraising suppliers) to ensure that compliance procedures are followed and that compliance systems are effective.
• To catch up with your Chapter and offer valuable insights and support.

Who are you?  

· You’re passionate about working as part of a team and sharing and developing your skills, knowledge, and expertise in a collaborative environment 

· You have a can-do attitude and are focused on achieving outcomes 

· You’re happy to share your thoughts, skills, knowledge, and experience 

· You have an open mindset and embrace new concepts and ideas 

· You’re a natural collaborator 

· You’re adaptable within a changeable environment 

· You thrive in an agile product design and delivery environment 

What will be in your toolkit? 

· Strong digital skills and a sound understanding of agile values and principles 

· A commitment to the organisation’s culture 

· Comfortable with ambiguity 

· Bravery, courage and an appetite for risk taking 

· An exclusive focus on customers 

· An enthusiasm for giving and receiving continual feedback 

 

Disclosure check

This role requires a basic disclosure check. This post will be working in a position of trust and responsibility within the charity.

 

Our expectations

We expect all staff to:

· abide by and promote our Policy of Informed Choice, its Vision and Values, Code of Conduct and Equal Opportunities Statement.

· take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.

· develop an understanding of deaf awareness and BSL skills whilst employed with the charity.

The National Deaf Children’s Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young adults and expects staff and volunteers to share that commitment. 

Senior Peer Support Development Officer – North West

About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first. We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together.

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub. You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment. Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for:

We are seeking an individual located in or around Greater Manchester, and willing to travel across the North West of England who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

· Establish new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities

· Supervise a small team of Peer Support Development Officers

· Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to inspire yourself and your team to achieve key targets and objectives

· Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the delivery of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.

· Maintain current Peer Support Groups, taking the lead from the national Hub.

· Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

In the role of Senior Peer Support Officer, you will be instrumental in ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, consistent, and sustainable peer support service that has a significant impact on the lives of kinship carers.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

You will be an inspirational and energetic team leader with experience in providing day-to-day line management and operational support for a small team.

We are ideally looking for candidates based in or around Greater Manchester but willing to work initially across the whole of the North West. This role may involve working to establish groups in West Yorkshire and into North Staffordshire.

A valid driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes are essential, as this role may require travel across London and its periphery to reach areas in need of dedicated support.

Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local and regional communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Work creatively to set up and develop new sustainable in peer support groups, attending up to six sessions in person (if needed) before transition to self-sufficiency.  Existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support will need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreements across the team, in addition to new groups. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Deliver training to support group leaders (group roles and responsibilities, safeguarding, setting up, running and promoting a group).
• Develop strong boundaries and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Help develop and deliver a service blueprint for sustainable peer support groups, thinking strategically about how to develop groups.
• You'll collaborate closely with the ‘Hub’ team to provide a joined up and positive user experience for kinship carers. This collaborative approach is key to our success and ensures that kinship carers receive the best possible support.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.

Management and supervision: 

• Inspire, motivate and be responsible for day-to-day line management and supervising up to 4 staff members
• Oversee tactical development of new sustainable groups in your area and your team.
• Help set clear objectives to achieve targets and outcomes.
• Actively encourage personal development and learning.
• Increase efficiencies and impact across the team.
• Ensure good team induction processes and systems are in place.
• Role model Kinship values. 

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential: 

• Experience of team leadership or line management and supervision of a small team and managing performance to deliver targets effectively.
• Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.
•  Experience developing peer support communities.
• Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers. 
• Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services is evidenced through high-quality data collection. 
• Evidence of delivering training/support to volunteers,
• Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user led groups with charity beneficiaries. 
• Understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families. 
• Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.
• Full driving licence and use of a car for work purposes.

 Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc).

· Full, clean driving licence/own car.

 General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England and Wales.

· Drive and have access to a vehicle.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Good standard of written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

· Able to remain focused on the primary task of establishing new peer support groups, ensuring that more kinship carers have access to high-quality peer support.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing date and interview details:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews:  1st Interview Week Commencing 4 November

2nd Interview Week Commencing 11 November

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format. 

Position: Senior Campaigns Officer
Type: Full time (35 hours a week), Permanent
Location: Office based in London with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £32,301* per annum plus excellent benefits  
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 2, Charity

*you’ll start at our entry point salary of £32,301 per annum, increasing to £34,320  after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £36,338 after a further 6 months.

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK. 

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference. 

About this job

With a new UK government, elections upcoming in Scotland and Wales, a new MS Society strategy in the wings for 2025, it’s an exciting time to join our campaigns team as we look to take our campaigning up a gear.

Whether it’s about making sure people access groundbreaking treatments, tackling the poverty people face when living with MS, or making sure the right support is there when people need it most, as a Senior Campaigns Officer you’ll be working directly on campaigns to empower, inspire and mobilise our community to become change makers.

Do you want to craft digital campaigns that hit the right note, emails that pack a punch and bring energy and creativity to our campaigning? Are you keen to join a team where we will prioritise personal development and foster a culture which supports learning, innovation, testing and giving things a go? Do you want to support people living with MS to be more involved in our campaigns and develop activities to embed co-production throughout our work?

If this sounds of interest we’d like to hear from you.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Thursday 21 November 2024

Anticipated interview date: Friday 6 December 2024

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

Peer Support Development Officer – Greater London

 About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first.

We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together.

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual located in Greater London, who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.
• Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub.
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based in or around Greater London and willing to work initially across London Boroughs. This role may involve work to establish groups on the periphery of this area that currently have no dedicated Development staff.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

 Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency. 
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient.
• Develop strong boundaried and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups.
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.
  

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential:

· Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.

· Significant experience developing peer support communities.

· Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.

· Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high-quality data collection.

· Evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on the needs of service users (in this case kinship carers).

· Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user-led groups with charity beneficiaries.

· Proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce).

· In-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.

· Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.

Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc).

· Full, clean driving licence/own car.

General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Excellent written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

 

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

 

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing and Interview details are:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews: Week Commencing 4 November

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

 

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing and Interview details are:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews: Week Commencing 4 November

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format. 

About The Role
Application Process: For this application, we strongly recommend including a supporting statement letting us know why you are interested in this role.
We have two exciting opportunities to join us on a Fixed Term Contract until March 2025 and also a 12 month contract. 
 
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
The Evaluation Officer role is a specialist post created to support the management, development and implementation of evaluation programmes across Alzheimer’s Society. The role is pivotal to promoting a culture of continuous improvement across all directorates. The post holder will support the Evaluation and Impact Team in the development and implementation of evaluation and impact measurement programmes for support services, influencing and research activities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 
You are someone who is passionate about making a difference for people affected by dementia and understand the important role that evaluation plays in making this happen. You also appreciate the complexities that come with working in a large and fast-moving organisation but are able to prioritise tasks and manage your time effectively to get the job done. We are looking for a quick learner who brings an open mind and lots of enthusiasm.
The successful candidate will benefit from working as part of a small and supportive team, whilst also taking responsibility for a number of their own evaluation projects. They will connect with colleagues across the Society to understand areas of work and develop appropriate evaluation approaches, provide evaluation support and recommendations, report on and share findings.
You are:

- Proficient in Qualitative and Quantitative research approaches in social research
- Able to lead on 2/3 projects simultaneously, using project management approaches.
- Able to apply research methodologyinto practice from scoping projects, to producing reports and making recommendations, aligned to an evidence base and with the Help and Hope strategy
- Aware of differing evaluative approaches and tools.
- Able to facilitate training and focus groups
- Curious, with a problem solving approach to data collection to greater inform decision making

Alzheimer's Society has recently been named on the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023! We have achieved excellent scores for workplace happiness, pride, and job satisfaction. This is a fantastic achievement and we're incredibly proud as this is a fantastic indication of how far we’ve travelled over the past few years.

About Alzheimer's Society
At Alzheimer's Society, we believe passionately that life doesn't end when dementia begins.  We are here for anyone affected by dementia, and we do everything we can to keep people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter most.

Everything we do is shaped by people affected by dementia. Their knowledge and experience are critical to bringing about real-world solutions. From choosing the most promising research through to telling their stories to raise awareness; they are the heart of this organisation.

Our Values

We are Determined to make a difference when and where it matters most, by being passionate, focussed and making a lasting impact for people affected by dementia.

Every one of us is a Trusted expert, listening, learning and using evidence and experience. We are Better together by being open, combining our strengths, helping us to achieve more together. We are Compassionate, we are kind and honest, and we don’t shy away from challenges.

Through our values we will make the greatest difference for people affected by dementia.

Equal Opportunities

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.

We are committed to building a diverse organisation that represents the communities we serve and ensuring inclusion in everything we do. During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and be at your best.

About The Role
Hours: Please note this is a part time role working 21 hours a week, the salary will be pro rata. 
Application Process: For this application, we strongly recommend including a supporting statement letting us know why you are interested in this role.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
The Evaluation Officer role is a specialist post created to support the management, development and implementation of evaluation programmes across Alzheimer’s Society. The role is pivotal to promoting a culture of continuous improvement across all directorates. The post holder will support the Evaluation and Impact Team in the development and implementation of evaluation and impact measurement programmes for support services, influencing and research activities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 
You are someone who is passionate about making a difference for people affected by dementia and understand the important role that evaluation plays in making this happen. You also appreciate the complexities that come with working in a large and fast-moving organisation but are able to prioritise tasks and manage your time effectively to get the job done. We are looking for a quick learner who brings an open mind and lots of enthusiasm. 
The successful candidate will benefit from working as part of a small and supportive team, whilst also taking responsibility for a number of their own evaluation projects. They will connect with colleagues across the Society to understand areas of work and develop appropriate evaluation approaches, provide evaluation support and recommendations, report on and share findings.
You are:

- Proficient in Qualitative and Quantitative research approaches in social research
- Able to lead on 2/3 projects simultaneously, using project management approaches.
- Able to apply research methodology into practice from scoping projects, to producing reports and making recommendations, aligned to an evidence base and with the Help and Hope strategy
- Aware of differing evaluative approaches and tools.
- Able to facilitate training and focus groups
- Curious, with a problem solving approach to data collection to greater inform decision making

Alzheimer's Society has recently been named on the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023! We have achieved excellent scores for workplace happiness, pride, and job satisfaction. This is a fantastic achievement and we're incredibly proud as this is a fantastic indication of how far we’ve travelled over the past few years.

About Alzheimer's Society
At Alzheimer's Society, we believe passionately that life doesn't end when dementia begins.  We are here for anyone affected by dementia, and we do everything we can to keep people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter most.

Everything we do is shaped by people affected by dementia. Their knowledge and experience are critical to bringing about real-world solutions. From choosing the most promising research through to telling their stories to raise awareness; they are the heart of this organisation.

Our Values
We are Determined to make a difference when and where it matters most, by being passionate, focussed and making a lasting impact for people affected by dementia.
Every one of us is a Trusted expert, listening, learning and using evidence and experience.  We are Better together by being open, combining our strengths, helping us to achieve more together. We are Compassionate, we are kind and honest, and we don’t shy away from challenges.
Through our values we will make the greatest difference for people affected by dementia.
Equal Opportunities
We’re a national charity providing dementia support to a community that’s ethnically diverse, but we don’t reflect this in our senior leadership. This needs to change.
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from ethnically diverse communities who are traditionally underrepresented in the charity sector leadership roles.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
We are committed to building a diverse organisation that represents the communities we serve and ensuring inclusion in everything we do. During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and be at your best.

Location: Hybrid working part London Office (Islington, London) part home working. The post holder will work a minimum of 1 day per week in the office.

Salary: pro-rata £31,175 per annum  
Hours: 21 hours per week (over 3 or 4 days) 

Closing date: Tuesday 5 November 2024 at 10.00am 

Interview date: Tuesday 12 November 2024 

This is a part-time fixed term maternity cover for 10 months. 

Please note that we reserve the right to hold interviews earlier so please apply as soon as possible.

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for a part-time maternity cover Finance Officer to join our ambitious and growing type 1 diabetes medical research charity, Breakthrough T1D. 

As one of two Finance Officers you will focus on income processing, credit control and gift aid. Reporting to the Head of Finance, but working closely with the Supporter Care team, this is a key role in contributing towards the smooth operation of the Finance team responsible for delivering timely and accurate financial information to the organisation.

You will be proficient with accounting and other software packages including Excel and Sage 200 or equivalents. 

You’ll have previous experience of charity income accounting and knowledge of fundraising platforms. You will be able to work independently as well as being part of the Finance team. 

Experience required 

• ​Good Finance experience at a similar level preferably in the Charity sector

• Solid experience of producing sales invoices and identifying and dealing with debt 

• Ability to handle large amounts of data in Excel 

• Good attention to detail and high level of numeracy skills 

• Good communication skills and flexible approach 

About Breakthrough T1D 

Breakthrough T1D is the world’s leading charitable research funder into type 1 diabetes, improving lives until we find the cure. We are dedicated to our 400,000 strong type 1 community in the UK and work closely with our international affiliates across the world, including the US, Canada and Australia. 

You will find a vibrant atmosphere and spirited team at Breakthrough T1D, always striving to make a difference to people living with type 1. 

Employee benefits 

As an employer we offer: 

• Hybrid working arrangements

• Flexible working and will consider compressed hours

• Generous annual leave entitlement – 25 days per year plus bank holidays for full-time staff with leave increasing after three- and five-years’ service

• Health cash plan that allows you to claim for some treatments such as dental, optical and physiotherapy treatment

• Season ticket and cycle loan

• Pension scheme

• Family-friendly policies – maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave at enhanced rates

• Personalised training to suit your career aspirations and professional development 

Breakthrough T1D is an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation or age. 

Peer Support Development Officer – South East and M4 Corridor

Thank you for your interest in the above role.  This pack tells you more about Kinship, how we work, and details of the role and the people you will be working with. It also gives information on how to apply.

About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first.

We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual located in South East of England, who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.
• Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub.
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based close or within easy reach of our priority development areas in the South East of England which include; Reading, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Slough and Hampshire but also able to travel to locations along the M4 corridor.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

 Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency. 
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient.
• Develop strong boundaries and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups.
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.
  

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential:

· Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.

· Significant experience developing peer support communities.

· Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.

· Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high-quality data collection.

· Evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on the needs of service users (in this case kinship carers).

· Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user-led groups with charity beneficiaries.

· Proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce).

· In-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.

· Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.

Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc.).

· Full, clean driving license/own car.

General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Excellent written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing date and interview details:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews:  Week Commencing 2024

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format.