In the heart of Coldside in Dundee, our community led charity provides a vibrant community centre, well used by groups and individuals, young and old. The services we provide adapt continually as we all work together to provide activities that meet ever-changing needs. Our thriving project, with a footfall of over 2,400 a month provides groups and individuals opportunities to take control of their lives by being able to address the difficult day to day issues affecting them such as poverty, debt, unemployment and poor health.

Our well established, award winning garden provides the local community with the skills and confidence to grow their own food and the equipment and resources to do so. The majority of local housing has no access to private outdoor space. Our community project is regularly showcased not only across Dundee but the whole of Scotland as an example of good practice.

We have identified a need within our project to create a role for someone to work with us to improve our outreach, capacity and increase our ability to support people with additional needs. We also need to further evaluate the impact of Community gardens and the benefits of integrating them into neighbourhood services.

The successful candidate will have experience and/or skills in community development, advocacy and mentoring. Experience in working with children and adults with additional needs in a therapeutic/community setting would be an advantage. You may have a background in community studies, youth work, social sciences or evaluation.

Your work will address 3 of our strategic priorities:

• Build our capacity so we can respond to the demand of offering therapy garden sessions to people in recovery, those with mental and physical health issues and children in poverty, many with additional needs. Support our volunteers with their own life goals.
• Support and empower our community, especially those in challenging circumstances to be represented in important forums or participate in consultations that will affect their lives.
• Identify community groups to support their development by sharing with them the lessons we have learnt from our experience  in community-led neighborhood-based approaches and how we integrate our work with green spaces. Then host or visit groups.

Main Duties

• Support the development of new community growing spaces across the city.
• Research, plan, deliver and evaluate a series of pilot projects for adults and children with additional support needs to inform future services and activities.
• Collect volunteer case studies and provide one to one support for individual development.
• Set up a new system for evaluating the impact of our work and support staff to do this.
• Co-ordinate, deliver and evaluate learning exchanges, sessions with schools/nurseries out with the local Coldside area and new community groups.
• Ensure our local community voices are heard in all relevant local, Scottish and national consultations.
• Build a MAXwell case study to be used for presentations and other materials as required to showcase our work.
• Support MAXwell communications to increase our reach and impact

Other Duties

This job description is a broad general picture of the post at the date of preparation.  It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time.

The position is subject to Disclosure Scotland PVG Membership

Person Specification

Click here to download the job description.