Community Builder (London/Maidstone)

There is x1 role available in London and x1 role available in Maidstone. The successful candidates will work 35 hours a week over 5 days, including evening and weekend work as required by the company. 

At Help for Heroes, we believe those who serve our country deserve support when they are wounded. Every day, men and women have to leave their career in the Armed Forces as a result of physical or psychological wounds; their lives changed forever. We help them, and those still serving, to recover and get on with their lives.

And who are we you’re wondering? We are experts and beginners. Generalists and specialists. Ordinary people with an extraordinary passion towards making a positive change to the lives of our veterans (and having fun while doing it).

As One Team we share a philosophy – I.C.A.R.E. It’s the way we walk and talk, the way we interact with others and how we approach everything we do. We are:

Innovative – Collaborative – Authentic – Resourceful – Energetic. 

We have an incredible opportunity for a COMMUNITY BUILDER to join our Community Development team.

Please see below for more information on what just might be your future role.

About The Role 

The Help for Heroes Community Development team are looking to recruit a team of Community Builders to assist in their reshaped participation and connection strategy. Using Asset Based Community Development, we seek to support the charity’s objective to enhance reach and positive impact for members of the Armed Forces Community facing challenges within their local communities.  

Are you interested in the Armed Forces community and harnessing their strengths and gifts? Can you identify what already exists in an area and utilise it to create new networks and make things happen?   

We are looking for a motivated, dynamic and confident people who are passionate about collaborating with communities in the design and delivery of interventions that bring and connect people together to strengthen networks within the local community. If you believe in the advantages of having a strong community, this role could suit you.  

Working closely with Community Development Managers across regions within the UK, the Community Builders will play a vital role in helping to improve lives for Armed Forces Community members by creating a supportive environment that allows them to re-engage and connect with the services at Help for Heroes and with the wider community. 

The main purpose of this role is to connect local people through their skills, passions and assets and support the creation of new connections, bringing people together to improve wellbeing and make the community a better place to live. This will include listening to different points of views, building relationships and motivating people to work together and create their own action influenced by their interests and skillsets to positively impact local communities and help them to flourish.  

About You

You will have experience leading and facilitating the mobilisation of local communities, asset mapping, bringing together people for engagement that matters to them. You will have knowledge and experience of Asset Based Community Development work, outreach methods and you will have good organisational skills, energy and the ability to animate local communities. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Deliver outreach to drive local connection, engagement and participation opportunities for the AFC 

• Develop and embed an ABCD informed way of work 

• Asset map 

• Organise and facilitate community meetings to share ideas, encourage collective decision making and build a sense of belonging 

• Encourage and pilot community lead action in response to local AFC needs/interests through peer led/co-designed initiatives 

• Increase awareness of the challenges faced by military personnel, veterans and their families  

PLEASE NOTE: As part of your application, you will be asked to specify which location (listed above) you wish to apply for.

The successful candidate will need to be based within an hour’s commute of their allocated locality and there is a requirement to travel within a 75-mile radius of this location (travel expenses covered). The successful candidate must possess a valid full UK driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle with business insurance for work purposes.

Flexibility in working hours is necessary to ensure a total of 70 hours is covered over a 2-week period so please take this into consideration before applying. 

We are looking for someone with the following: 

• A Community Development qualification and/or at least 3 years' experience working within a community development or similar role, with responsibility for bringing about social change and improving quality of life 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop relationships which lead to actions  

• Demonstrable experience within an integrated multi-disciplinary service  

• Experience of engaging and working collaboratively with partners/stakeholders 

About the Team 

You will work as part of the Community Development team; this newly formed team will approach working in defined localities using an asset based community development approach. Together the Community Development Managers and the Community Builders will strengthen local communities using resources and networks that are readily available. You will do this to proliferate opportunities for sustainable participation and engagement alongside a multi-disciplinary team in order to support the Armed Forces Community to live well after service. 

Please see job description for more details about the role. 

Please note due to a high volume of applicants, we may close this vacancy early.