Re: Community Facilitator (North Wales) - Ref. 8786

Thank you for your interest in the above position. I am pleased that you are interested in working for RNIB, which achieves such a tremendous amount for blind and partially sighted people.

Our application pack consists of:

  • an application form
  • a job description and person specification
  • our values and behaviours
  • an equal opportunities monitoring form

This pack can also be made available to you in large print, Grade 1 or Grade 2 braille, or on disk or tape. Please feel free to ask us if you would prefer to receive it in one of these alternative formats.

If you have a disability and would like assistance in filling in the form then please contact me at least three days before the closing date for the role and we shall be glad to help you.

We only accept CVs from applicants whose disability makes it difficult to complete an application form. All applicants however need to address the specific information we have asked for in the job advert.

Please read the guidance notes on the careers page of our website before filling in the application form as you may find this helpful when completing the form.

The closing date for completed applications is Midnight on Tuesday 6 September 2016

We will hold interviews on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 September 2016

If you are able to, please complete and return your application form and the equal opportunities monitoring form by email to .

However we will accept braille, audio, disk, typed and handwritten applications sent to HR Administrator, RNIB, Human Resources, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE.

We want to ensure that as much of our resources as possible go towards supporting people with sight loss and therefore we do not normally contact unsuccessful applicants individually. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. However, we would encourage you to apply for other suitable roles.

Once again, thank you for your interest in this vacancy and for working for the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

Jake Francis

Assistant Resourcing Business Partner

RNIB Job Description

Job Title:Community Facilitator

Job Level Cluster: Management, Professional, Specialist

Job Level: M2

Group: Engagement

Section: Community Facilitation

Unit:Community Facilitation

Location: North Wales

Type of Contract: Permanent

Salary: £28,126 pro rata

Reports to: Community Team Leader

Purpose of Job:

RNIB Connect is the vehicle that we hope will connect more blind and partially sighted people to one another and to RNIB Group, to blend their lived experience and social connections with our professional knowledge and resources, collectively doing more to improve the lives of people across the UK.

The purpose of this role is to work in partnership with the local community to create opportunities for blind and partially sighted people, their families, friends and supporters to connect with others. To use the skills, knowledge and experience they have as individuals and as a group to inspire and motivate others through sharing experiences and information. To ensure the community are at the forefront of change within RNIB Group and the wider sight loss sector.

Impact:

As part of the Community Engagement Team, engage with over 29,000 members of the RNIB Connect community. This role will develop and increase opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to use/develop skills and will support theirleadership and involvement withinthe wider community.

Report to and work closely with the Community Team Leader, making decisions autonomously and collaboratively with the wider community team, using this to develop leadership from within the community. Support Community Connector’s and other community team volunteers linked to the connect hubs.

Work closely with all parts of RNIB Group who have a local presenceto ensure that the community becomes integral in all aspects of their work, specifically local service delivery teams, campaigns and fundraising, to optimise the involvement of RNIB Connect members in service design and development and their participation in service delivery through volunteers.

Financial Responsibility:

Working collaboratively, so that decisions which are made by Community Connectors and community team adhere to spending guidelines for Connect activities and ensure that spending decisions are made based on the knowledge of budgetary impact.

Decision Making Responsibility:

This role requires the making of tactical decisions regarding the completion of the tasks identified under “main accountabilities” below.

Main Accountabilities:

  1. To co-design a local plan to increase the number of blind and partially sighted peopleinvolved in RNIB Connect, working closely with RNIBcustomers, volunteers and colleagues in the wider RNIB Connect community.
  1. Encourage RNIB Connect members to share their experiences and stories across the network, creating connections through a range of formats such as presentations, through radio and social media. Empower people to use their experience to develop materials, such as guides and toolkits to enable and empower others.
  1. To co-design and co-deliver training sessions locally for volunteers and RNIB Connect colleagues.
  1. Work with Community Connectors todevelop and nurture local partnerships and actively involve all sections of the community, including children and young people, families, friends, supporters, BME groups and colleagues in building these relationships.
  1. Ensure communications are community led and are co-designed.
  1. To provide induction, volunteer management, support and training for community connectors and other volunteer roles within the community team. Be responsible for maintaining relationships with regular engagement and communication.
  1. To co-design and co-deliver UK wide, large scale events as required and support others to organise local activities that involve RNIB Connect members and the wider community.
  1. To motivate members of the RNIB Connect community to write articles and speak on behalf of RNIB Connect as appropriate.
  1. Build meaningful and reciprocal relationships with blind and partially sighted people, working with all stakeholders to ensure RNIB Connect members and customers are fully embedded in all aspects of the organisations activities.
  1. Measure and evaluate, in collaboration with Community Connectors, the impact outcomes, through growth, involvement and partnerships.
  1. Support community members to utilise all of the tools available for connection through telephone digital and face to face functions.
  1. Any other activities to grow RNIB Connect as agreed by Line Manager.

General

1.Undertake any other duties commensurate with the post

2.Adhere to all RNIB policies and procedures

Person Specification

  1. Specialist Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

1.1Direct experience or an in depth knowledge of issues affecting blind and partially sighted people.

1.2Can demonstrate a good understanding of the co-production and engagement ethos.

1.3Experience of using a variety of methods to engage and empower customers, through face to face, digital and telephone.

1.4Experience of working effectively in a changing environment, with the ability to adapt easily.

1.5A fluent Welsh speaker.

Desirable

1.5Experience of working within a community based setting, empowering others to lead and take ownership of their own community.

  1. People management skills/ team working skills

2.1Ability to provide effective volunteer management within the community, providing support, identifying potential and enabling personal development.

2.2Ability to develop and maintain meaningful reciprocal relationship’s both internally and externally, working with all stakeholders to achieve the aims of the community.

3. Planning

3.1 Ability to plan and organise own time effectively by prioritising and creating own work schedules.

3.2 Ability to enable customers to co-design local development plans within the community, engaging with other stakeholders to ensure RNIB Connect community is aware of local strategic aims.

  1. Communication skills

4.1Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, adapting style to suit the audience.

4.2 Knowledge of all the tools available to communicate within the community, through face to face, digital and telephone.

  1. Innovation and problem solving

5.1Ability to think creatively and co-develop new ideas, identify potential risks/difficulties and work with the community to generate workable solutions.

5.2Ability to spot potential within the community and nurture skills and talent.

  1. Equal Opportunities

Ability to understand and demonstrate commitment to RNIB's Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure all activities are consistent with the Equal Opportunities Policy. This includes all staff activities and their interface with the general public.

  1. Special Conditions

7.1Must be prepared to travel across regions/nations and to enable the community to function and to attend meetings and training as required which may involve occasional overnight stays.

7.2Must be prepared to work at times that suit the needs of the community. This could include evenings and Saturdays.

Behaviours
Deliver results
  • Motivates and develops others to continually exceed standards and expectations.
Engage Customers
  • Makes systems and processes more customer-friendly, and acts as key “go to” person for customer knowledge for the service area.
Engage others
  • Coaches and mentors others in the development of supportive and trusting relationships with colleagues, customers and others which develop and enhance the service and organisation’s profile and reputation.
Set Direction
  • Demonstrates awareness of commercial and financial considerations.
  • Drives and enables creativity, innovation, improvement and new activities for team and service which contribute to sustaining organisational success.
  • Manages change effectively, recognising and addressing the impact of change on people and services.
Lead and inspire
  • Creates and leads high performing teams, recognise the importance of leadership in own role and take steps to improve ability to lead and motivate others.
  • Displays resilience and takes a rational approach.
Personal impact
  • Gains support for position and achieves win/win situations through negotiation and compromise, demonstrating confidence, passion and authority.