Medway Voluntary Action & Swale CVS are recruiting now!

Are you, or do you know anyone, who is looking for a new role where they can help change lives?

MVA and Swale CVS are seeking candidates for an exciting new role within their exciting and innovative Community Health Catalyst programme – a new initiative dedicated to reducing health inequalities for local people.

Working in specific geographic areas in Medway and Swale, you will have the opportunity to engage, encourage and energise local people to get involved with the programme and to support them through the process to achieve their best possible outcomes.

They are looking for driven and motivated individuals with innovative ideas, and a passion for working with local communities and who would like to be part of a growing campaign to reduce health inequalities.

The successful candidates will be dynamic, flexible, committed to offering accessible and inclusive support and have a passion for co-development through working alongside communities and people from all walks of life.

Aim of the Role:

To deliver the exciting and innovative Community Health Catalyst programme in two specific geographic areas in Medway and Swale. With the support of locally based Community Activators and VCS Infrastructure organisations, to deliver listening activities and co-develop with local people a ‘Local Asset Signposting and Solutions Plan’ to empower them to achieve their best possible outcomes. We are looking for a driven, motivated and organised individual, with a passion for working with local communities and who would like to be part of a growing campaign to reduce health inequalities.

Copy and paste this link into your browser to view the role description: https://cdn2.assets-servd.host/bewildered-zebra/production/Documents/Job-Descriptions/JD-Engagement-and-Action-Officer.pdf

Post Title: Community Engagement and Action Officer

Hours of Work: 30 hours weekly, flexible hours to be agreed (some evening and weekend working may be required)

Salary: £32,000 (pro-rata) annually

Contract: Fixed term until September 2023 (upon completion of a satisfactory 3-month probation period) with the potential for
extension

Responsible to: Programmes Manager

Location: Based at Medway Voluntary Action, Chatham; currently hybrid working

Closing Date: Wednesday 24th August 2022 (6pm)

Interviews: Tuesday 30th August & Thursday 1st September

Interested applicants should apply with a CV, and a covering letter (no longer than 2 sides of A4) that demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the Person Specification contained within the Role Description and an outline of any relevant experience. Please email applications to info@mva.org.uk.

Responsibilities

Activation

• Support and monitor Community Activators’ delivery of engagement and recruitment activities in their target geographic areas.
• Be a positive role model who supports the team to build good rapport with people within our target geographic areas - especially those who are currently disengaged, inactive or from marginalised communities.
• Ensure community activation objectives/targets are being met by Community Activators.
• Responsible for supporting the implementation of the community health catalyst strategy on the ground.

Listening

• Liaise with local Health decision makers and securing their commitment and appropriate resource to be actively involved in the engagement process (‘You said, we did’)
• Work with health decision makers to develop the research documents and models
• Undertake a range of engagement and listening activities (e.g. focus groups, interviews, interactive community listening) with the support of the Community Activators.
• Record, collate and share a summary of the listening with Health decision makers
• Based on what has been identified and learned from the listening activities, work in partnership to create a ‘Local Asset Signposting and Solutions Plan’.
• Identify and recruit VCS groups to deliver Focus Group sessions through their own networks to support programme listening aims. Connect VCS groups to relevant training (for quality assurance) and payment scheme available through the
programme.
• Support Community Activators to identify and remove individual barriers to local people participating in engagement and listening activities. Approve any expense claims in relation to this.

Action

• Work with VCS infrastructure organisations, health stakeholders and the wider VCS to develop ‘Local Asset Signposting and Solutions Plans’ (a list of possible
actions/support that local people can pursue to impact on what they have identified as the most important issues for them during listening activities).
• Deliver the ‘Local Asset Signposting and Solutions Plan’ to local people and, with the support of Community Activators, encourage and empower them to participate in the
opportunities offered.
• Support Community Activators to identify and remove individual barriers to local people participating in the ‘Local Asset Signposting and Solutions Plan’. Approve any
expense claims in relation to this and approve any VCS payments required for individuals to access clubs/activities etc.
• Identify and support local people and VCS groups to co-develop community chest activities and apply for the available funding to support these.
• Manage the allocation of the community chest funding pot.
• Liaise with health stakeholders to deliver feedback sessions to local people in relation to actions arising based on their feedback during listening and engagement activities.
• Support local residents to measure the impact that activities/initiatives are having on their communities.
• Support residents to access any other relevant community start up training as required.

Quality assurance, monitoring and reporting

1. Ensure quality assurance checks are undertaken in relation to activities and events
delivered through the programme.
2. Collate and report on participant’s outcome monitoring assessments/surveys.
3. Maintain records in line with programme requirements and key performance indicator
criteria.
4. Monitor programme budget in line with MVA guidelines.
5. Create reports as required by funders.

General

1. Line management of Community Activators.
2. Work with the your wider Community Health Catalyst team and hosting organisations to maximise opportunities to meet outcomes and optimise efficiency and effectiveness.
3. To work within the framework defined by the MVA Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies.
4. To attend support and supervision sessions with your line manager.
5. To attend training relevant to the role and agreed with your line manager.
6. To perform additional duties that fall within the scope of your role as delegated by your line manager or the Chief Executive.

Person Specification (Essential):

-Management of a team
-Experience in monitoring, evaluation and reporting techniques
-Experience of networking effectively with a range of stakeholders
-Delivering and reporting on engagement activities
-Project management
-Supporting co-development and design of activities/initiatives
and to present ‘the case’ for support
-Community organising experience
-Quality assurance auditing experience
-Experience of promoting a new service and engaging a range of potential cross sector stakeholders
-Experience working within health and/or voluntary and community sector

Knowledge
-Knowledge of the needs of potential communities we are
aiming to recruit to the programme
-Knowledge of varied engagement and listening methods to maximise accessibility
-Knowledge of Population Health Management and Health
Inequalities
-Familiarity with the target geographic areas

Skills
-Well-developed ICT Skills; ableto use a number of softwarepackages
-Active listening and analytical skills
-Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, presentation skills and negotiating skills.
-Able to prioritise and manage a complex and varied work load
-Ability to manipulate data for reporting purposes
-Good researching skills

Personal
-Understanding of equality and diversity
-A genuine interest and commitment to the value of community engagement and empowerment
-Commitment to quality, responsibility, high work standards and initiative
-Flexible approach to working hours, and working in a team or individually unsupervised
- An understanding of confidentiality and data protection
-Excellent networking and interpersonal skills
-Self-starter with drive and passion; and an enthusiastic and positive mental attitude
-Ability to travel independently within the service area
-Interest in community development and its value to Medway & Swale