Post title: 

Community Connector 

Employed by: 

Lyde Green Community Association CIO (LGCA). Registered Charity no. 1172725 

Accountable to: 

Charity Manager 

Contract: 

Permanent 

Hours: 

Part-time 22.5 hours (0.6 FTE). Hours will include evenings and weekends. 

Location: 

Based out of Lyde Green Community Centre but expected to work across Lyde Green and the surrounding area. 

Salary range: 

£25,000 - £28,000 pro-rata, depending on experience, plus pension 

Annual leave: 

25 days per annum (pro-rata) plus bank holidays 

The role (what you will be doing) 

You will work to create a strong sense of belonging and community cohesion in Lyde Green and the surrounding area, helping Lyde Green be a great place to live, work and play. 

You will do this by embedding our strengths-based approach to community development and building a sustainable approach to volunteering, community engagement, and support. 

You’ll champion that people know best what is needed in their local area and that they have the ideas, skills, and talents to make it happen, connecting like-minded individuals together and encouraging people to engage and act on things that matter to them. 

The LGCA (about the charity) 

Lyde Green Community Association CIO (LGCA) is a charity that has been set up by residents for the benefit of the community in Lyde Green and the surrounding area. It is run by local volunteers, with the objective of generating community spirit and making Lyde Green a great place to live and visit. As well as organising community events, we support a community partnership that meets regularly to solve problems that matter to residents and help the whole community shape its future. 

The LGCA run and operate Lyde Green Community Centre, situated at the heart of Lyde Green near the local primary school and nursery. It is an exciting time to be working in Lyde Green, and the LGCA have received lots of support from both residents and local partners to date. 

Your responsibilities 

General 

Work closely with the Charity Manager and Trustees to ensure the outcomes of the Community Connector project are delivered 

Lead and embed the LGCA’s strengths-based community development approach 

Work as the Charity’s Volunteer Coordinator, developing and maintaining guidance and encouraging active participation in the community 

Help plan and support charity events 

Being an initial point of contact for the charity’s community engagement work, dealing with enquiries across multiple channels 

Report on and monitor project progress and agreed KPIs at the quarterly partnership meeting and via grant funding reports 

Ensure notice boards, website and social media are up-to-date with opportunities to get involved 

Work within LGCA’s policies and procedures 

Undertake any other reasonable duties as required 

Explore and discover 

Develop a good understanding of Lyde Green and the surrounding area 

Find out what is already happening in the area 

Listen to local people and find out what they care about, what their hopes and dreams are for the area, and what they’d be willing to take action on 

Build trusted and respectful relationships with residents, services and partners in the area 

Make connections 

Connect people together based on their interests or ideas 

Connect people to existing groups or organisations 

Signpost people to relevant support services eg employability, training 

Encourage people to try new things 

Promote use of Lyde Green Community Centre as a safe, warm space and use it and other local assets to bring people together 

Share knowledge on how to access funding and guidance so that people can get started with their ideas or projects 

Celebrate success 

Help people share and celebrate their stories of success and encourage more volunteering 

Work with those already linked to and engaged in Lyde Green to understand the role they wish to play in the wider community 

Share what has worked well with other volunteers, groups and projects 

Build momentum 

Support the design of project outcomes when working with people 

Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation requirements of a project 

Demonstrate a commitment to personal learning 

Increase the number of people volunteering and actively engaging in the community 

Help demystify volunteering and overcome barriers (eg setting up groups, navigating processes, assessing risk, accessing funding etc) 

Your skills and experience 

Essential 

Experience of working with a wide range of people 

A good general education 

Motivated and self-reliant 

Good organisational skills 

Ability to prioritise workload and manage time