RESPONSIBLE TO: Barbara Hastings CEO of the Ayrshire Community Trust

Link Up Community Worker

RESPONSIBLE TO: Barbara Hastings CEO of The Ayrshire Community Trust

LOCATION: Central Saltcoats

HOURS: 35 Hours per week

SALARY: £29,000

CONTRACT: Fixed Term (September 2017)

Link Up is an innovative programme exploring a new approach to investing in and harnessing the capacity of local people and communities in Scotland. The programme focuses on the existing skills, knowledge and interests of individuals in the local community, and aims to generate an environment where people in the community can come together to design and participate in new activities and experiences that they want (e.g. cooking, gardening, cinema, arts, crafts, sports). Link Up aims to build new, and strengthen existing social connections in the community and at the same time, develop the confidence and capacity of the people involved.

We are seeking a talented community worker to develop, implement and run our new project in Saltcoats to September 2017. This is a challenging role as the Link Up worker’s skills, experience, qualifications and attributes are critical to the success of the project. Key skills required are:-

•  Relationship building skills – must have the ability to build and maintain relationships based on trust and respect.

•  Skills in supporting and facilitating individuals and groups – requires the worker to be able to nurture and support individuals and groups to develop at their pace and to become self-sustaining.

•  Organisational and time management skills – must be able to juggle processes and tasks.

•  Confidence, adaptability and resilience – must be able to work alone often in challenging local circumstances.

You should have experience in developing and facilitating community-led projects in an assets-based manner; empowering people/groups to develop ideas and to address issues and opportunities; engaging and communicating with people, groups and organisations; working in partnership with, and where necessary, co-ordinating action across a variety of organisations/groups with differing vested interests; and evaluation techniques, particularly identifying indicators of more intangible outcomes and developing frameworks to record and analyse this information.

You should also have a degree in community development or similar.

A knowledge of the Saltcoats community, the issues it faces, the people involved in development and engagement, and the agencies and community groups which operate there would be desirable, but not essential.

You will be required to be disclosed under the PVG scheme. A current driving licence is beneficial for this post.

Instructions

Please complete the attached application form. Your form should be completed and submitted either via email or post If you have any questions about the form please contact Lauren Smith at The Ayrshire Communities Trust via email on the above address or by phone on01294 443044. The closing date for all applications is 5.00 pm 15/05/15.

ng homes is a trading name for North Glasgow Housing Association Ltd