Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator

Salary £25,000 + monthly travel card

About South London Cares

South London Cares is a community network of young professionals and older neighbours hanging
out and helping one another in our rapidly changing city.

Our objectives are to tackle the growing plight of isolation and loneliness not just amongst older
people but also amongst young Londoners; to help improve the confidence, resilience, skills,
connection and power of all participants so that older and younger neighbours alike can better
navigate the modern world; and to bring people together to bridge widening social, generational,
cultural, attitudinal and digital divides.

We do this because in the context of globalization, gentrification, digitization and urban transience
London has become a place of social extremes. The boroughs in which we work at South London
Cares – Southwark and Lambeth – contain some of the best-connected young professionals in
Britain living directly alongside some of the most isolated, with particular challenges to do with
deprivation, depression, loneliness, anxiety and ageing.

The result is that older people often have deep roots in their communities, but few connections,
while young professionals often have hundreds of connections but no roots. That disconnect
wastes human potential, perpetuates social division, entrenches isolation and is ultimately corrosive
for our society.

In a dynamic city like ours, these two groups have so much to gain from one another – in shared
time, laughter, new experiences and, especially, friendship.

South London Cares therefore seeks to harness the people and places around us and to mobilise a
new generation of young professionals to build relationships and share experiences with our older
neighbours in a variety of fun, authentic ways. We speak the language of younger and older people
alike – and make interaction on a personal level mutually accessible, sociable, rewarding and fun.

We work at the cross-section of the public, private and community sectors in partnership with local
authorities, voluntary and community groups, businesses and individuals to identify isolation
where it occurs and to create new opportunities for older and younger neighbours to share time.

Specifically, we operate four programmes. Our Outreach work identifies older people at risk of
isolation in our communities pro-actively through innovative ongoing campaigns. Our Winter
Wellbeing project, for example, supports older neighbours through multiple interactions and
interventions to stay warm, active and connected through the most isolating time of the year.

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Secondly, our Love Your Neighbour programme matches young professionals and older
neighbours to spend time together one-to-one, often in people’s homes, to improve the life
experiences of all parties and help bring some of the outside world in for older people who may
struggle to get out. Neighbours build relationships on their own terms, enjoy meals together, and
often become long-standing friends.

Meanwhile, our Social Clubs are group activities bringing people together in community centres,
cafes, pubs, parks and local businesses to share time, laughter and cultural exchange. Regular clubs
include film nights, ‘Desert Island Discs’ evenings, ‘back to work’ business visits and themed get-
togethers like summer BBQs.

Finally, our Community Fundraising offers another chance for younger and older neighbours to
contribute to their community network. Through individual physical challenges including
marathons, triathlons and Tough Mudders as well as events, corporate partnerships, digital
campaigns, regular donations and more, local people support South London Cares in a variety of
exciting ways.

About the role

You will work closely with our dedicated team to develop, deepen and expand our outreach
programme and the management of our large network of volunteers. You will meet hundreds of
older people and young professionals, helping to create friendships across the generations, tackling
isolation and loneliness of both younger and older Londoners alike, and ensuring our safeguarding,
records, and storytelling procedures are upheld to the highest standards.

All of that requires a broad skill set, with particular emphasis on organisation and
communication, and characteristics including confidence, personal warmth, determination and
resilience. In this role you will be at the heart of the charity, enabling older and younger Londoners
to be part of the South London Cares network and participate in our programmes.

You will lead our volunteer induction and onboarding processes, to enthuse, motivate and
mobilise dozens of young professionals to spend time with their older neighbours and meaningfully
contribute to their communities.

You will meet older neighbours in various circumstances – ranging from the most active, outgoing
fun-loving 90-somethings to people facing huge and complex personal challenges whilst navigating
complicated support systems.

You will lead our innovative, proactive annual Winter Wellbeing project, helping older neighbours
to stay warm, active, healthy and connected during the most isolating time of year – through a
combination of outreach, interventions and interactions.

You will be the chief communicator with our community partners within local statutory services,
NHS services, housing services, charities and community groups.
To all groups, you will confidently and clearly articulate South London Cares’ vision and the aims
and objectives of the charity so that all participants and stakeholders – including older and younger

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neighbours, family members, health agencies, councils and other partners – understand the unique
role we play.

When you join our team, you will work predominantly from our office space in the heart of Brixton.
A lot of your time will also be spent out in the community, encouraging older neighbours and
young professionals to join the network, holding meetings across Southwark and Lambeth and
presenting to various partner organisations key to the successful delivery of our outreach and
volunteer work and our overall vision.

We therefore need someone who understands and is motivated by the demographics and social
challenges of Southwark and Lambeth – and in particular who is passionate about people and can
clearly promote our vision for building friendships across deepening divides in order to tackle
isolation and loneliness in those boroughs.

We are looking for someone who can relate to people from all backgrounds, someone equally
comfortable discussing illness and isolation with a 93-year-old on an estate in Peckham as they are
presenting to Clinical Commissioning Groups and networking with young professionals to generate
volunteer sign ups.

You will be trusted to work dynamically and independently across this exciting young charity, with
a growing profile and backing from major local and national supporters. You will also be provided
with the development opportunities, professional support and networks to play a lasting,
transformative role in the development of the “Cares” vision and family.

Key Responsibilities

Outreach Coordination

● Lead, plan and deliver South London Cares’ proactive outreach in the community, facilitating
and supporting older neighbours to be involved in our core activities;

● Lead, design, deliver and report on our annual Winter Wellbeing project from October – March,
reaching pre-agreed targets to identify isolation in our communities, supporting older
neighbours to stay warm, active, healthy and connected through targeted interventions;

● Support the Head of Programmes with recruitment and onboarding of an Outreach Officer who
will work with you for the duration of the Winter Wellbeing project;

● Support and manage the Outreach Officer during the Winter Wellbeing project, with weekly
supervision and Professional Development Reviews;

● Design and deliver inclusive and effective promotional materials specifically tailored to
encourage and motivate older neighbours to join the network and drive engagement with our
programmes through posters, letters, leaflets and digital media content;

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● Work with our outreach partners across the public, private and community sectors – receiving
referrals from local authorities, health professionals and other sources, communicating with our
internal team, and delivering outcomes for neighbours and volunteers;

● Present on South London Cares’ purpose and core activities to existing and potential partners in
the community – including health professionals, housing associations, community stakeholders
and more;

● Research and manage new and existing community partnerships with the aim of to expanding
our reach and to support more older neighbours to join over the coming year and beyond;

● Effectively administer our comprehensive Salesforce contacts database and engagement tools
to record and track the number of new interactions, partner and older neighbour relationships
and outreach activities South London Cares creates;

● Lead innovative retention efforts and re-engagement with older neighbours who aren’t
regularly attending Social Clubs through phone calls and other communication to encourage
participation and offer support through signposting to other organisations and services;

● Work closely with our programme delivery team to support the participation of our core
activities by engaging in outreach with older neighbours new to South London Cares, both in
person directly, telephone self-referrals and website or email referrals from partners;

● Support the participation and delivery of our Love Your Neighbour programme by contributing
to our referral and assessment processes for suitable volunteers and older neighbours;

Volunteer Coordination

● Inspire, recruit and mobilise young professionals to volunteer, providing the best possible
experience for people interested in spending time with their older neighbours through our
programmes;

● Lead our monthly volunteer inductions for 40+ new volunteer sign ups to make our network as
inclusive and welcoming as possible;

● Manage our volunteer onboarding process, applying your personality to welcome and screen
new participants adhering to our safeguarding processes, record important information about
them, and describe activities and inspire people to get involved;

● Design and deliver inclusive marketing materials to engage and mobilse new and existing
volunteers to participate in our programmes, including a monthly email campaign distributing
our social club programme to oversee the sign-up process via our online booking system for our
growing network of 1,250 volunteers per month;

● Support the social clubs team and fundraising team to provide appropriate recognition and
feedback to volunteers to cultivate their engagement, reward commitment and celebrate their
efforts;

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● Create colourful, engaging, powerful communications and digital content including blogs,
Instagram images, Facebook and Twitter posts, case studies, reports and blast emails;

Required Skills

 You’re an authentic, high quality communicator and storyteller – with the ability to build and
sustain relationships with diverse groups effectively and appropriately, from young
professionals, to older neighbours, to key local partners (through both written and verbal
communication);

 You are a people-person and someone who can build trust and authentic relationships with a
variety of people.

 You have high quality written and exceptional administrative skills, and are confident designing
important materials to creatively promote the work of South London Cares externally;

 You have experience at dealing with multiple tasks, sensitivities and challenges at the same time
to the highest standard;

 You are professional with an organised approach, diligent with procedures and records and an
intrinsic understanding of the power of networks and digital media;

 You are a creative, enterprising and confident colleague, full of energy and determination. The
standout candidate will also have experience and knowledge of the different and diverse
communities across our city;

 You have the flexibility to work regular evenings and weekends in order to support the delivery
of our core activities, with time off provided in lieu;

 You are a self-starter: someone committed, tough, results orientated and focused working alone
as well as in teams; who is passionate about further developing, improving and sustaining South
London Cares over the coming months and years;

 You are able to obtain a clear CRB/DBS certification upon hire (provided);

 You are professionally agile, and able to adapt to the rapidly changing needs of a small but
growing charity.

Desirable Qualities

 You are charismatic, fun, warm, approachable, self-starting, confident, outgoing, creative,
empathetic, determined, ambitious, flexible, resilient, discreet, organised and professional;

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 You have experience working in a small or medium sized organisation leading ambitious and
creative community initiatives, and have experience managing projects and/or people;

 You have a good understanding of the culture and socio-economic challenges facing south
London – and can relate to and build relationships with people from all backgrounds;

 You have an eye for design, and are confident using Photoshop, and/or InDesign.

Features

 Zones 1-3 travel covered

 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holiday
 Flexible working hours
 Significant opportunities for learning and development
 Staff counselling service

To apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter in PDF format to Jasmin White at
jasmin.white@southlondoncares.org.uk showing us why you feel you are right for this role.

 Application deadline: 1pm on Sunday 6th January 2019.

 First round interviews will take place on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th January 2019.
 Second round interviews will take place on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th January 2019.
 Starting date of 1 March 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Please note that our office is closed for Christmas from Friday 21st December 2018 until
Monday 7th January 2019. Jasmin will be available via email from 10am-2pm on Wednesday 2nd
January 2019 to respond to questions.