Volunteer Project lead - Social Change Research

When:

Start: immediate

Project length: until end January 2026

Hours / Days: as required (guide: 2 hrs per week)

Location:

Flexible: Home working and at Nova New Opportunities, 2 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL with possible travel to other locations within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) if required.

About Nova 

Based in North Kensington since 1983 and serving its poorest wards & those of surrounding London boroughs, Nova works with individuals from marginalised and disadvantaged communities who are looking to develop their potential and achieve a better future for themselves. Nova brings about real and lasting change in people’s lives by addressing every person as an individual and seeking out ways to best support that person to reach their goals. We endeavour to help every person that comes to us who is motivated and committed to improving their quality of life.    

Reaching 2,500+ people each year, we believe in improving people’s lives one person at a time, supporting individuals to achieve their potential by:

·      Developing knowledge, education and confidence  

·      Connecting diverse groups   

·      Providing opportunities  

Our work, operates on 2 levels:   

·      Grassroots Community Support – including responsive actions (e.g. Grenfell, COVID-19), education, IAG, family programme and volunteering.     

·      Reach Social Change – focussing on challenging stigma, prejudice and inequality – working with individuals, organisations, networks and decision makers to move through conversation to action.  

Purpose of role:

This volunteer role will lead a small team of volunteer researchers in the delivery of a project that will capture, evaluate and document the impacts of the Reach Social Change programme and relevant elements of our Grassroots services, on individual participants, facilitators, volunteers and Nova staff; as well as describing the programme’s impact on organisations and communities. 

The output will expand and deepen our understanding of the qualitative and quantitative impacts of Social Change; and will allow the sharing of such knowledge to a wider set of stakeholders and interested parties, as well as informing Nova’s own activities.

Responsibilities:

You will:  

·      Lead the design, development, and execution of the research project plan, ensuring it aligns with Nova’s guidance and requirements.

·      Inspire and supervise a small team of dedicated research volunteers. 

·      Maintain a comprehensive overview of the project, with regular tracking and follow-ups to ensure timely delivery of objectives.

·      Act as the go-to contact for project troubleshooting, ensuring team members receive the support they need to overcome any challenges.

·      Deliver regular updates and reports on the project's progress, highlighting key milestones and achievements.

Requirements:

·       A good Bachelor’s degree at minimum.

·       Experience or academic background in fields related to loneliness and isolation, social cohesion, identity and belonging, inequity, diversity, class, or social geography.

·       Strong understanding of research methods and the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly.

·       Excellent organizational, writing, analytical, and communication skills.

·       Proven ability to manage deadlines and deliver results on time.

·       A resourceful and proactive approach to problem-solving.

·       Open-minded, inquisitive, and reliable.

·       Respectful of client information and circumstances, adhering to data privacy policies.

·       Comfortable following Nova staff directions as well as working independently and taking the initiative.

·       DBS checked or willing to undergo a check.

·       Proficient in IT packages relevant to research activities (e.g., MS Office - Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Knowledge of Salesforce is a plus.