Football Group Coordinator

Our Community and Integration work includes a range of classes and groups focused on providing development opportunities for our clients as well as supporting their improved integration into the community. It is a creative outlet, a community, and an opportunity for clients to learn new skills. We have recently partnered with Arsenal FC to run a weekly football group. We recognise that for many of our clients, football can help to improve physical wellbeing, as well as alleviating stress and anxiety, and fostering a sense of community. We are looking for a volunteer to attend these weekly football sessions with our clients. You will be there to support and encourage the group, to help them integrate with the other players, and to provide 1:1 support to clients when needed. You will also be responsible for receiving referrals to this group from therapists at the Helen Bamber Foundation, and inviting clients to the sessions.

Main tasks and activities

• Receiving referrals from various teams at the Helen Bamber Foundation and checking the suitability of each referral

• Communicating with clients over the phone to invite them to football sessions

• Using trauma-informed facilitation methods to create a safe and trusting environment;

• Maintaining contact with the Community and Integration Manager and raising any issues or concerns relating to client safety and wellbeing

• Coordinating the clients and taking the register on a weekly basis;

• Reimbursing client travel expenses using our petty cash system

• Communicating with the Arsenal coaches to ensure all sessions are safe, accessible and inclusive

Skills and experience needed

• Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation;

• A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking;

• An interest in football

• Experience working/volunteering with people who struggle with their mental health

• Understanding of working in a Trauma Informed way (desirable)

• Some experience working/volunteering as a sporting coach or mentor (desirable)

• Awareness of confidentiality and the importance of protecting our clients’ privacy;

• Punctual, reliable and self-motivated with a positive, ’can-do’ attitude;

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;

This is a client-facing role and prospective applicants will need to be able to travel to our offices / a community space for football in London for face-to-face work. Travel expenses to and from our offices will be reimbursed.

What you will get out of the role

• A strong understanding of how HBF’s integration programmes contribute to the wellbeing of our clients;

• The opportunity to be part of developing a new and exciting group space for our clients

• An appreciation of the processes and systems that asylum seekers and refugees deal with in the UK;

• Increased experience and confidence in coordinating group activities

• Increased experience in supporting people with mental health problems

• An ability to multi-task between competing priorities.