We want our work to mean something. Get it right and we can change communities and even society for the better. So, we are looking for an empathetic, personable and well-networked person to join our award-winning engagement and insights team as a Community Engagement Officer.
Our engagement team works with the whole agency to gather valuable insights for a range of campaigns in health, social care, education, and sustainability. Your role will include working within under-represented communities to gather research and insights, organising and hosting creative workshops and focus groups, conducting 1:1 interviews, facilitating events and acting as a voice for the communities we’re trying to reach through public engagement activities.
Cowshed is a Real Living Wage employer, a Blueprinted agency, a Disability Confident Employer, and an Autism Aware Business. We strive to be culturally competent in all aspects of our work and work environment.
We actively encourage candidates from under-represented and diverse backgrounds to apply.
If you need any assistance with your application, please contact us and we can make suitable adjustments. Our office is fully accessible.
Please apply by 5pm on 10 May 2024 by emailing your answers to the following questions to fiona@wearecowshed.co.uk. A CV is not required.
Q1. Please tell us why you are applying for this role.
Q2. Please outline your experience against the core skills, including relevant examples where possible. If you don’t have the exact experience, please tell us about the skills you think are transferable.
Q3. Please tell us about a cause you are passionate about and how you think community engagement could help tackle the issue.
Please keep written responses to below 500 words per question and video or audio applications to under two minutes.
THE DAY TO DAY
- Assist the team in the planning and delivery of community engagement, including holding engagement sessions and focus groups, hosting events, completing 1:1 interviews, and facilitating public engagement events.
- Reporting and communicating your findings. Analysing data and helping to produce written insights and evaluations for different audiences.
- Identify and develop relationships with community support organisations and leaders, especially in under-represented communities across Wales.
- Collect relevant data from community groups and communicate the findings.
- Develop a database of groups and individuals who can participate in focus groups and research.
- Be a key facilitator in the sourcing and set up of focus groups.
- You will work flexibly on certain projects as some events may take place outside of a normal 9-5 setting. Delivery will take place across Wales.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop innovative ways to engage with communities.
- Develop lasting relationships with community organisations and leaders.
- Plan research and engagement projects to collect data from community groups.
- Deliver and host research and engagement sessions, where you will listen without judgement.
- Analyse and communicate the findings from research and engagement sessions.
- Recruit participants for research and engagement activities.
- Co-ordinate and facilitate the setting up of engagement activities (booking rooms and co-ordinating calendars, setting up rooms for workshops, facilitating the cultural needs of participants).
CORE SKILLS
All applicants who demonstrate the core skills listed below will be invited for an interview:
- You are confident and comfortable talking to a wide and diverse range of people.
- You have links with communities and previous experience of community engagement activities.
- You will be able to develop meaningful and sustainable engagement within multi-ethnic communities.
- Good written, verbal and presentation skills and the ability to communicate sometimes complex data clearly and for a range of audiences.
- You have excellent interpersonal skills and you’ll be able to talk empathetically to a wide range of people.
- Very good organisational skills.
- You have worked with under-represented communities.
- Ability to manage multiple projects at once.
- Have the ability to travel and ideally (but not necessarily) you hold a clean driver’s license.
- Ability to speak more than one language would be desirable, but not essential.
PERSONAL ATTITUDE
We are looking for people who share in our purpose to work with meaning:
- You will care about creating a positive impact on society
- You will be self-motivated, dedicated, and curious
- You’ll take responsibility for getting the job done for your clients
- You’ll contribute to our inclusive work culture
- You’ll regularly contribute to meetings
- You’ll enjoy creative problem solving to generate ideas for your clients and cowshed
- You’ll be honest and expected to be treated professionally and with respect, treating others in the same way
