DALGARNO TRUST
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position: Healthworks Community Development Worker (CDW)
Department: Service Delivery
Reporting to: Senior Manager - Service Delivery
Working hours: 15 hours per week
Contract: Permanent - subject to funding
Salary: £21,840 pro rata per annum
Main Purpose of role:
To work within a team of Community Development Workers (CDWs) for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities as part of a joined-up strategy to effect better health outcomes within BME communities and to build capacity within communities to tackle the wider determinents of health, thereby improving the quality of life for these communities.
This team works for a voluntary sector partnership which will work with NHS Kensington and Chelsea and the Royal Borough commissioners and providers to improve health services for BME communities. This involves:
- Developing an understanding of individual and group service needs amongst BME communities. Respond to identified health priorities from within communities
- Improve service user understanding and ability to prevent and/or manage health needs
- Working with a cross-sector, multi-agency approach to develop relationships with BME community groups and voluntary sector organisations. Working with the Healthworks consortium, BME Health Forum, the Health Trainers, RBKC and NHS Kensington and Chelsea
- Helping communities to work together to identify and address the wider determinents of health and wellbeing
- Developing an understanding amongst service users about what health services are available and how they can be accessed (identifying routes/pathways to health services)
- Facilitating links and partnership working between BME groups themselves and also with healthservice providers to identify solutions to common issues.
- To work with and actively support the Health Champions in the team
Key Objectives & Duties:
- To take forward health promotion and work to promote health and wellbeing, as set out in the joint local strategy for public health;
- Identify and engage with individuals from BME and other disadvantaged groups and assist them in making healthy lifestyle choices by organising/facilitating hands-on workshops, physical activity sessions etc. as well as conveying health messages and signposting people to other locally available services;
- Raise awareness of the service in priority areas such as chronic disease prevention and with priority groups and give practical support and information to help people improve their knowledge, skills and confidence in taking preventative measures;
- To capacity build BME communities to enable them to a) manage their own health and b) identify and address some of the wider determinants of health c) be able to assist with recruitment of BME Health Champions/Volunteers and key community figures for training as part of BME communities capacity building;
- To take a proactive role within theHealthworks teamand contribute to clear communication, regular partnership meetings and effective partnership planning;
- To use principles of community development in order to facilitate and promote engagement with positive health outcomes amongst local BME communities. This involves working in partnership with BME community groups and voluntary organisations to implement a range of interventions including needs assessment, community engagement, training, group work, one to one work;
- To support the role of the Project Managerin developing the BME communities’ ability to take a directrole in developing services through participation in appropriate consultation and advisory structures;
- To identify common and shared health issues in the BME communities and facilitate joint initiatives to tackle the priorities;
- To work with NHS Kensington & Chelsea and RBKC to implement the findings of relevant reports with specific reference to the needs of service users from BME communities by interpreting local and national strategy;
- To keep accurate and timely records for the purposes of monitoring and evaluation of the Healthworks interventions, as specified in the Healthworks strategic frameworkand ensure all monitoring information is submitted within agreed deadlines and fully completed
- To feed back information on need, via the Project Manager, into the commissioning process
General
- To work supportively and proactively with the team and wider organisation, participating in team meetings and activities, and other internal and external meetings and activities, as required
- To participate in regular supervision, annual reviews and other professional development activities as applicable, and comply with all reasonable requests and requirements from your line manager, including direction on projects and priorities
- At all times to work within agreed policies, code of conduct, procedures and practices, and values, including but not limited to Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety at Work and Confidentiality, and to observe the requirements of the Data Protection Act and Health & Safety legislation as required
- To represent the Healthworks consortium professionally and constructively at all times and to promote the services offered by them and partner organisations.
- To work flexibly within the broad remit of the post, including occasional working outside of normal office hours (Time Off in Lieu will apply) as required
- To undertake other agreed tasks that sit within the level, grade and purpose of the post.
7. Role subject to DBS / due diligence checks
Person Specification
Specifications / SPECIFY ESSENTIAL(E) DESIRABLE (D)Qualifications and Experience /
- At least 2 years experience of working with communities either in the statutory or voluntary sector in a health or related field
- A minimum of 2 years community development experience
- Possession of a relevant qualification, preferably in public health
- Significant experience working with Black and Minority Ethnic communities
- Experience of working with health services
- Experience in health needs assessments
- Experience of multi-agency partnership working
- Experience of implementing monitoring and evaluation systems
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Knowledge /
- Understanding of health inequalities and community development approaches
- Underpinning knowledge of health and public health issues
- Understanding of the national policy context of the Department of Health’s ‘Community Development Workers for BME Communities’
- Understanding some of the barriers for BME communities in accessing services.
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Skills /
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to speak a relevant BME language
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Proven influencing and negotiation skills
- Excellent communication skills and ability to gather and interpret sometimes complex information – verbal and in writing
- Proven ability to document work appropriately and to produce reports, action plans etc.
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications
- Ability to engage with a range of stakeholders from different settings
- Ability to plan, develop, deliver and evaluate training
- Ability to manage time effectively
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Attributes /
- Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and challenging inequalities
- Able to work some evening and weekends for which time off in lieu can be taken
- Highly motivated, self-starter and with attention to detail
- Possession of a first degree or equivalent experience
- Postgraduate qualification in health promotion, community development or related field. Or equivalent in terms of your work experience.
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