Warrington Voluntary Action - Community Connector Officer

Salary

Between £14,986.66 and £15,563.08 gross pay dependant on experience.

Hours per week:
20 hours per week

Place of work:
Mainly community based (within designated community settings), with 1 day per week at WVA Offices, Warrington Town Centre.

Contract:
Fixed term for 12 months.

The Community Connector Officer will work directly with older adults in the community, to build strength-based community resilience, enhance wellbeing, encourage social connection, and support independence. The role will focus on empowering residents to take ownership of their community, ensuring sustainability beyond the post-holder's involvement.

The postholder will work with residents to identify needs, facilitate connections to local services, and coordinate social, health, and recreational activities. Resident-led forums will be used to collect voices, co-produce initiatives, and strengthen the community, avoiding dependency on the officer. Over the 12 months, the officer will help residents create a self-sustaining and vibrant community life.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The Community Connector Officer will work directly with residents to build a strong, resilient, and self-sustaining community. Acting as a visible and trusted point of contact, the officer will work alongside residents to identify their needs, priorities, and aspirations. Through one-to-one conversations, welcome visits, and regular Resident Forums, they will gather insights and develop personalised approaches that focus on what matters most to individuals.

A key part of the role will be to empower residents to shape their own community, ensuring that activities and support systems continue beyond the life of the project. The officer will support the development of resident-led forums to capture feedback, encourage participation, and promote co-production of activities and solutions. They will nurture a small group of peer volunteers to assist with building neighbour-to-neighbour support, helping residents to maintain independence, reduce social isolation, and strengthen community ties without creating dependency on the officer's role.

The officer will map local services and support networks, working closely with health, social care, community, voluntary, and private organisations to signpost residents appropriately. They will coordinate a programme of health, wellbeing, and social activities by bringing external providers in, ensuring that activities are inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities and backgrounds. At every stage, the officer will champion a strengths-based approach, focusing on the skills, interests, and assets of residents.

Monitoring and evaluation will be a key part of the role. The officer will record baseline information, track engagement levels, monitor the development of community initiatives, and produce quarterly reports, highlighting progress, impact, and any emerging needs. They will be expected to identify gaps in service provision and recommend improvements, contributing to organisational learning and helping WVA adapt this community model for wider use in Warrington.

Throughout the project, the officer will work flexibly and creatively, adapting to resident needs and evolving community dynamics. They will uphold WVA’s values, policies, and safeguarding standards at all times, ensuring that the work builds a vibrant, connected community that residents are proud to sustain themselves.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To build trust with a mixed ability cohort of residents.
• To consult and capture the voice of residents through forums and feedback mechanisms.
• To identify gaps in provision, hidden needs, and potential barriers to community engagement.
• To build partnerships with external organisations to bring services and activities into community settings.
• To develop sustainable models of support that empower residents to continue initiatives post-project.
• To maintain accurate records and contribute to monitoring and evaluation processes.
• To contribute to organisational learning at WVA and help adapt the model for other community settings.
• To work within safeguarding, health and safety, and confidentiality policies at all times.
• To work flexibly and adapt the approach as the project evolves.

GENERAL TASKS

• Gather feedback via surveys, interviews, forum minutes, and attendance records.
• Track referrals and interventions using WVA systems.
• Produce quarterly monitoring reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage in ongoing professional development with your line manager.
• Carry out duties consistent with the level and responsibilities of the post.
• Promote WVA's values in all community interactions.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential (E)

Ability to build trust and rapport with people from diverse backgrounds

Experience in community development, engagement, or support roles

Knowledge of strengths-based and empowerment approaches

Experience working with older adults or vulnerable adults

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver community activities

Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload

Basic IT skills (Word, email, data entry)

Knowledge of safeguarding principles

Desirable (D)

Ability to collect data, outcomes and create reports

Experience facilitating forums, consultations or co-production

Knowledge of Warrington VCSE sector, health, and statutory services

Car driver with access to a vehicle

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• DBS clearance required.
• Flexibility required, occasional evening or weekend work may arise.
• Travel expenses reimbursed.