Job Description Whitehouse Project Leader

Job Description Whitehouse Project Leader

ICM & ICV

Job Description – Whitehouse Project Leader

ICM

Ipswich Community Media (ICM) is a grassroots based organisation that delivers quality flexible learning, events, media engagement, and community based projects that are responsive to the needs of our local community.

ICM is staffed by a committed and skilled team of project managers, volunteers and assistants that have many years’ experience of delivering learning and community engagement to the most disenfranchised in our local community.

We focus on giving the community a voice and offer the opportunity to develop skills and help make a difference at a local level. We have a varied and engaging schedule of activities that aims to meet the needs of the hardest to reach in Ipswich and beyond. This includes informal non-accredited learning as well as innovative engagement and qualifications up to Level 3. We also deliver numerous community events throughout the year.

ICV

ICM works in partnership with Ipswich Community Ventures (ICV), which aims to invest in local communities in a way that supports local people to develop their own effective solutions to local issues.

The work of ICV is currently focussed on Whitehouse and Westgate – two of the most deprived wards of Ipswich.

Enlivening a Community – The Whitehouse Project

Whitehouse Estate Ipswich

The Whitehouse Project is based on the belief that residents know best what activities would bring the most benefit to community life. In line with this belief, Ipswich Community Ventures, with Ipswich Community Media have been supporting community initiatives across the estate.

These include:

  • The development of a Meeting Place, that can accommodate gatherings from small groups to large meetings and events
  • A Community Café linked to the Meeting Place that promotes healthy eating and well-being
  • Exciting activities for young people, based around the schools in the estate. These include radio stations and film making
  • Recreational and learning opportunities for people with Learning Difficulties
  • Residents will also be encouraged to produce short films and audio interviews about life in the estate to stimulate discussion on what actions they could take to enliven social life
  • Programmes for mums
  • Supporting the development of locally led, grass roots, social businesses

The time is now right to extend the reach of these initiatives and further involve more residents in starting ventures, developing their skills, and working together.

We are now looking for an imaginative and skilled person able to connect existing activities, extend the reach and ensure long term sustainability. We want to leave a legacy in Whitehouse of an energised, active and healthy community that is self-sustainable and acts as a model for future development.

The person will need experience of community development and have shown that they can make things happen.

They will need to:

  • Work with a wide range of ages, develop contacts with the local authority, coach individuals, facilitate working groups and larger meetings and design and manage events
  • Understand the impacts of existing initiatives, and build a wider “picture” of the community that can be communicated internally and to potential external supporters
  • Co-ordinate the work of other community development workers
  • Establish effective partnerships with public, private and voluntary sector organisations for the benefit of local people
  • Promote the development of social enterprise in the area
  • Energise and encourage people to become actively involved in community life
  • Oversee the development of social media focussed on supporting local community development
  • Lead the development of social care projects linked to the Meeting Place, ensuring adherence to quality standards

The job description gives an outline of key duties and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. The post holder may be asked from time to time to take on other responsibilities as reasonably requested by her / his manager.

This will be a full-time post, based in Ipswich, requiring working mainly in Whitehouse in the Meeting Place and with links to the Primary school and access to ICM facilities

Accountability

The post holder will be accountable to ICM’s Chair of Directors

Person Specification

Essential

1Proven experience of successful community development work

2Clear commitment to the principle of supporting communities to develop their own self-sustaining networks

3Excellent negotiating and facilitating skills

4Excellent written and oral communication skills commensurate with the production of reports and communication with senior officers in other organisations

5A good standard of numeracy

6Computer literacy commensurate with word processing, spreadsheets

7Social media, press and promotion experience

8An ability to service the travel requirements of the post

Desirable

1Embedded experience and knowledge of the Whitehouse area

2Experience of working with community media

3Experience and knowledge of the social care sector

Appointment to this position is subject to an enhanced disclosure check. Having a conviction will not necessarily cause a bar to employment.

Terms and Conditions

Hours: 40 PW

Salary: £23,166

Holidays: 24 days PA

One year contract

Closing Date: 16th September 2016

Interview Date: 23rd September 2016

ICM is committed to Equal Opportunities.

Completed applications to be returned to:

Ritu Srivastava

Ipswich Community Media

International House

6 South Street

Ipswich IP1 3NU

Email:

Tel: 01473 852552

As a CIC we are trying to keep our administrative cost as low as possible. Therefore individual applications will not be acknowledged unless you send in a stamped addressed

postcard. If we have not contacted you again by the interview date it means that on this occasion we are unable to take your application further.

Job Des 2015/Whitehouse Project Leader – July 16

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