About the role
The DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) Project is a £29 million package of funding designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/about-the-know-your-neighbourhood-fund
A key focus of the programme will be to generate and share learning on how people in disadvantaged areas can be supported to volunteer and improve their social connections, which will help to support sustained action beyond the lifetime of the fund.
Objectives
The objectives of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund are, by March 2025:
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To increase the proportion of people in targeted high-deprivation local authorities who volunteer at least once a month.
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To reduce the proportion of chronically lonely people in targeted high-deprivation local authorities who lack desired level of social connections.
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To build the evidence to identify scalable and sustainable place-based interventions that work in increasing regular volunteering and reducing chronic loneliness.
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To enable targeted high-deprivation local authorities, and the local voluntary and community sector in these places, to implement sustainable systems and processes that encourage volunteering and tackling loneliness.
Cambridgeshire Libraries has successfully bid to take part in this project in Fenland, hence this exciting opportunity to work with us. The Know Your Neighbourhood Project Coordinator will lead on the delivery of this project in March and Chatteris. This post will be for 18 months from appointment on a fixed term contract.
We will be holding a drop in online on 28th Nov at 7pm for candidates to ask questions. If you would like to join, please contact debbie.price@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
What will you be doing?
During a development phase, you will be exploring potential target groups within the March and Chatteris area which could benefit from this project. You will become familiar with the current library offer and its full potential to foster social connectedness.
You will be exploring social connection opportunities for your target groups, both building on best practice and trying new things.
You will be listening to and engaging with the community and partners to codesign activities and volunteering opportunities which are attractive and fulfilling. You will work with the Libraries Volunteering Team to recruit new volunteers for the Library at Home service.
You will be considering ways to reach new audiences with the library offer, and overcoming barriers to participation.
You will be using various techniques to measure impact and gather feedback for the national project evaluation.
You will work in an agile way, both in a library setting and networking in the community. Some evening or weekend working may be required.
About you
We are looking for a resourceful and dynamic person to join our team.
You will have a strong belief in the value of neighbourhood libraries and their impact in the community, and be able to advocate for libraries and the Know Your Neighbourhood project
You will have a proven track record in using your initiative, being innovative, thinking creatively and working both independently and collaboratively
You will have the ability to establish confidence and positive relationships with library users, client groups, volunteers and community partners. You will have excellent listening and communication skills, especially when dealing with vulnerable groups.
You will be comfortable working with diverse types of people within the community
You need to be a self starter and work to a project timeline to deliver outcomes. Candidates must be able to travel within the county as required and work flexibly.
Please see the Person Specification for a full list of essential and desirable experience and skills.
Interviews will be held on 14th December in March library
Our benefits
We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits:
- Flexible working
- Flexible Bank Holidays
- A comprehensive wellbeing package
- Our Cambs Rewards employee discounts
- A comprehensive pension scheme
- IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network.
- Camweb our staff intranet helping to keep you informed
- An employee recognition scheme
About us
Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.
Our four values are central to our culture, driving everything we do.
We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to be reflective of this diversity, which we believe benefits our employees, the organisation and our communities.
Visit our jobs and careers section to find out more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities; apprenticeships; our wellbeing package; staff benefits; our commitment to equality, diversity and Inclusion.
Attached documents
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