Salary: up to £29,341.00 per annum
Deadline: 16/07/2022 23:59
Hours: 35hrs
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 Sport, Activity & Fellowship Practitioner to join our team. Please see below for more information on what just might be your future role.
Based at: This is a community delivery and field-based position with an element of home working across one or more regions. East Region comprises of the following areas Shropshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Northants, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridge, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex.
Job Purpose
Working within the wider Recovery Activities Team, and with the guidance of the Activity and Wellbeing Lead, you will facilitate the delivery of multi-sport, activity (non-sporting) and fellowship engagement programmes for the charity’s beneficiaries. These programmes will offer beneficiaries quality interventions to improve health, fitness, combat social isolation, encourage peer support schemes, social networks, and opportunities to engage with the wider community. This role has particular emphasis on community-based support, signposting and social engagement activities to ensure that beneficiaries can live well within their community.
Using an asset-based approach, the SAF Practitioner will nurture and harness beneficiary confidence, competence, skills, and knowledge by continuously promoting interest, participation and peer facilitation offers to aid individual recovery and on-going wellness. Using social activities, they will contribute to early identification of presenting need and prevention where needed. Where desired, will use physical activity and performance in sport as a tool for individual recovery and wellness.
Regional ‘offers’ will reflect community assets and resources available to maximise the recovery chances of individuals.
The postholder will work cross functionally.
Accountabilities
- Accountable for the delivery of safe and effective activity programmes. The role forms part of the Sport, Activity and Fellowship Community function within the Recovery Directorate, with overall leadership provided by the Head of Service.
- Responsible for enhancing the beneficiary’s sense of identity, self-management, independence, and the ability to improve overall quality of life, empowering veterans to actively participate in managing their own recovery.
- Responsible for ensuring the most positive beneficiary experience, within the resources available, with particular attention to accessibility of services and beneficiary involvement to support
Main Responsibilities
- To develop fully inclusive programmes with local, regional, and national partners to widen the delivery of sport, activity, and fellowship engagement opportunities, bespoke to localities and beneficiary needs, involving families and the wider community.
- Work with community-based organisations and harness the skills and experiences of beneficiaries to develop cost effective peer support networks, reaching further into local communities.
- To offer appropriate levels of engagement at the start and completion point of a recovery journey, as well as being integral to individual recovery journeys.
- To work with beneficiaries to remove barriers to participation, identify their assets, social needs, opportunities, rights, and responsibilities.
- Extend and develop the reach of support, using outreach and community venues, across digital channels and actively seek out to new beneficiaries in new localities and those hardest to reach, including those supported through the Very Seriously Injured programmes.
- Provide timely and accurate recovery information and signposting, promoting informed recovery choices, aspiration, achievement and move on
- Develop and maintain constructive professional relationships within Help for Heroes Recovery services, the wider charity, across all sectors and other relevant agencies
- Ensuring risk assessment and quality management protocols are followed, with support from the
- Activity and Wellbeing Regional Lead and the Fellowship Development Manager.
- Recognising the needs and complexity of some beneficiaries, work within safeguarding and case management informed practice, making internal referrals when appropriate
- Participate in the development of MDT community meetings and case conferencing where needed
- Monitor, collate, and record evidence on the impact of activities.
- Provide support for Help for Heroes authorised volunteers and peer facilitators involved in community delivery.
Essential Qualifications
Either a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care/Community Development (or willing to work towards) or a related field, or the equivalent experience working in community settings (3 years) Or a range of relevant NGB sporting/coaching and/or outdoor educational qualifications – Level 3
Current First Aid Certificate (charity would support if needed)
Essential Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Proven track record in the delivery of safe and effective activities to improve sports activities, general health, connectivity, confidence, mutual support and ‘move on’ within recovery outcomes.
- Demonstrable knowledge and experience in the use and delivery of engagement and social interaction opportunities to achieve recovery progression and quality of life outcomes.
- Ability to communicate effectively (empathise) with wounded, injured, and sick service users and their families,
- Ability to liaise with beneficiaries and a wide range of internal and external contacts and cross sector organisations to increase opportunities and positive outcomes for beneficiaries.
- An effective decision maker employing good reasoning and judgement skills, capable of taking independent action when undertaking duties remotely from others and reporting back to Activity and Wellbeing Regional Lead and others as required.
- Initiative and creativity to contribute to the development of a quality, sustainable service offer.
- Competent in the use of computers, particularly the use of Office 365 and teams
- Front facing direct delivery.
- Sector experience – charity/military
- Ability to work effectively as part of a dispersed team.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Understanding of the Recovery ethos.
- Experience in the facilitation and delivery of community-based services
- Experience of facilitating beneficiary involvement and co-production.
- Experience in the facilitation and delivery of activities and Disability Sports
- Defibrillator or willing to work towards
- D1E Drivers License
Key Competencies & Behaviours
- Confident and polite manner
- Ability to build rapport quickly and to understand needs and expectations
- Positive, empathetic, patient, polite and friendly manner
- Ability to remain calm under pressure
- Displays the highest levels of integrity, confidentiality and commitment
- Respond quickly to changing demands and demonstrate strong skills in prioritisation and time management
- Work within a range of environments and working cultures, adapting personal style accordingly
- Lead and drive work forward with minimal direction
- Analyse information quickly and communicate in a concise and articulate manner
- Well organised with the ability to prioritise
- Attention to detail in all aspects of work
- Demonstrates an ability to work as part of a team and be a flexible team player
- Demonstrates self-motivation
- Flexible re. hours of work
There is frequent contact with agencies and groups across the region. Therefore, travel within a working day is to be expected. Absence from home overnight is unlikely but may be required on occasion.
Model our Values. We are:
Innovative-Collaborative-Authentic-Resourceful-Energetic
Help for Heroes is committed to safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI).