Team Up Take Part Project Worker

Do you want to help build a world where everyone feels part of a community? Are you a highly motivated, professional individual with experience of working with volunteers and motivating vulnerable adults? In the current climate, communities can often feel divided, but sport and leisure activities have the unique power to unite Londoners through shared experiences. We're seeking someone to bring their skills, knowledge and positive values to participate in an exciting new project, tackling loneliness by pairing local people with a shared interest in sport and leisure. We will pair enthusiastic volunteers with isolated adults in their local area, to connect and build a lasting friendship whilst encouraging each other to take part in local sporting or leisure activities.

In this role, you’ll

Design, develop and lead a new befriending project based upon the power of sport and activity to motivate and bring people together.
Recruit, induct and train a range of local, enthusiastic volunteers with a passion for sport and fitness.
Promote this unique new offer in Southwark to Voluntary and Community sector partner organisations, local health and social care teams and the public to identify and attract isolated, local adults who could benefit.
Assess individuals to establish a set of interests, goals and risks involved in providing them with a befriending volunteer and participate in new activities.
Pair and introduce volunteer befrienders and beneficiaries taking account of personality, ability and interest matches.
Supervise and oversee each pairing, ensuring volunteers feel supported and have the resources they need for progress to be made.
Develop a thorough and diverse knowledge of local sport and leisure opportunities to provide befriending teams with ideas and suggestions for their planned activities. Offer signposting and advice to other T&T members looking for local sport opportunities.
Coordinate with partner organisations and individuals to ensure a range of exercise sessions are available through T&T venues or in the wider neighbourhood. Develop and support volunteer-led or peer support group activities within T&T to increase our sport and leisure offer.
Organise and deliver an annual sports day to provide befriending teams an opportunity to come together, play, demonstrate their progress and celebrate.
Be a part of the day to day life of a lively, busy community centre where no two days are the same!

You will have experience of working with volunteers and the mental health services, as well as organising peer support groups for vulnerable populations. You have a demonstrable passion for sports and leisure, working in a community setting and providing opportunities for adults with a wide range of needs and abilities.

You’ll be adept at building trusting and appropriate relationships with individuals from all backgrounds, as well as having knowledge of motivational and health coaching techniques. You have a good understanding of Adult and Child Safeguarding, as well as wider Health and Social care practices. A strong and empathetic communication ability is essential, as well as the ability to multi-task, prioritise and balance lots of sources of information well at the same time.

Additional Requirements

Participation in evening and/or weekend events, networking and meetings.
Ensuring adherence to necessary legislation, e.g. GDPR, Health and Safety Act at Work, etc.

At Time & Talents, we bring people together for fun, friendship, and mutual support, to create a world where everyone feels part of a community. We work with people of all ages in a lively, creative and supportive centre, running activity programmes for children and families, older people and adults, and offer additional support to those with physical and mental health issues in accessing our programmes. Last year, we worked with around 5000 people of all ages in the wider community, from two unique venues in north Southwark – in Rotherhithe and Canada Water (SE16).