Morecambe - Engagement and Wellbeing Officer
Engagement and Wellbeing Officer, Nature Connections and Recovery Project, Morecambe.
Full time, Fixed term for 2 years
£27,609 pa
If you are passionate about the health and wellbeing of people and of the planet and have skills and experience in working with people and nature, this post might be for you!
Thanks to players of the National Lottery and the National Lotterys Climate Action Fund, the Nature Connections and Recovery Project will target communities across the UK which are worst affected by climate change and health inequalities.
The programme will connect people with nature to boost health and wellbeing, while equipping communities with the skills and confidence to take climate-positive action locally. We are looking for someone with experience of working with people and nature to develop nature based wellbeing groups and to run community nature recovery projects.
This post is a 2 year fixed term post in the first instance and continuation will be considered subject to funding. The role will work in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust and other local organisations and alongside our Nature and Wellbeing Officer.
Some of the benefits of working at the Eden Project include;
Job family definition
Roles within the Engagement, Learning and Entertainment job family focus upon the Eden experience, providing activities, learning programmes, encounters and events, which engage, inspire and entertain, thus enhancing individuals understanding, experience, skills and enjoyment.
About The Project
The UK is in the top 10% of nature depleted countries globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that mental illness will be the biggest health issue globally by 2030. Human health and the state of the planet are inextricably linked. Many people and communities are struggling with their mental and physical health, alongside escalating?climate change, unprecedented biodiversity loss and rising levels of pollution. These challenges are all symptoms of the same problem - we have broken our relationship with the natural world.
The UK-wide Nature: Connections and Recovery Project will respond to these challenges by reaching people and communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination and engaging them in co-producing local solutions and resources to support the skills needed to help mitigate the climate crisis. Building on Eden Projects Nature Connections programme and National Wildflower Centre, and our collaboration with Lancashire Wildlife Trusts The Bay Project, we will bring to bear our shared experience in community led change, social prescribing and nature recovery projects to demonstrate how nature connection can address climate change and the mental health crisis.
Working with local people, the programme will provide ideas and inspiration to enable people to take planet positive action where they live and contribute to the climate challenge. Collaborating with The Bay Project and local community and voluntary sector organisations, we will run a range of nature recovery, food growing and art-based projects to help engage local people in climate positive action, especially those who are facing mental health challenges.
The project will also include a national campaign and local activities to engage people with nature and raise awareness of actions people can take to mitigate the effects of climate change, demonstrating the connection between positive action for both people and planet. In doing so building a strong, connected and healthy community that benefits people and planet and improves individual health and well-being.
Participants will range in age from young people to adults and many will face multiple disadvantages, including mental ill-health. By engaging with our programme, they will have opportunities to increase their skills and confidence by playing an active part in natures recovery. People will have the opportunity to meet new people, learn new things, be active, give back to nature and their community, and to stop and take notice of their natural world. In doing so many people experience a positive effect for their mental health and wellbeing, whilst contributing to climate mitigation projects. Alongside this we will also support progression into further nature and climate positive skills development, volunteering, or employment where appropriate.
Referrals come from a variety of sources across our communities and networks, including but not limited to: the NHS, social prescribers, community partners, schools and colleges, and self-referrals. The ability to work to develop and maintain referral partnerships is an important element of the service provided as it enables us to ensure that those most in need of the Nature Connections and Recovery Project are able to access it and graduate on to community based nature recovery projects.
Taking an action research approach to project learning, the programme will be co-creating community based responses to climate change and inspiring people in local communities in Morecambe to inspire and encourage others to take nature and climate positive action where they live. Set in the heart of our communities, the programme is varied, rewarding and achieves important outcomes for both people and nature.
Delivery in Morecambe will form part of the first wave of activity for the Nature: Connections and Recovery Project. The areas which will benefit over the next three years include Dundee, Morecambe, Liverpool, Belfast, Newport in Wales and in Cornwall. Project delivery will start early this year in Cornwall, Morecambe and Liverpool, with activities in the other nations starting in the Autumn.
Role purpose
Nature: Connection and Recovery Project - Engagement and Wellbeing Officer (Morecambe)
Working in partnership with Gwent, Ulster, Lancashire and Scottish Wildlife Trusts, and Intelligent Health, this new programme, funded by the National Lotterys Climate Action Fund, will target communities across the UK which are worst affected by climate change and health inequalities. The programme will connect people with nature to boost health and wellbeing, while equipping communities with the skills and confidence to take climate-positive action locally.
The main purpose of the role is to co-ordinate and deliver nature based activities for small groups of people with poor health and wellbeing, to connect with nature and to one another, whilst also playing an active role in natures recovery within identified local communities, supporting groups to improve spaces for nature. You will need to build and maintain strong partnerships with NHS services, (eg GP surgeries, primary care networks, social prescribers and community mental health care teams), local community and voluntary sector organisations and create bespoke 12 week programmes* of nature connection and recovery activities for groups of people that partner organisations identify and are working with. *Programmes will offer 6 weeks of nature connections activities that focus on wellbeing and social connection, followed by a 6 week nature recovery project in the community. You will also support peoples personal development and work within communities to encourage people to develop ways to sustain their connection to nature across their wider lives on a longer-term basis. In collaboration with team members, this will also include supporting participants to progress towards employment, education, or training, as appropriate and providing encouragement and mentoring to former participants and volunteers to this end.
This post is part of Eden Projects Nature Connections and Recovery Project and will work in close collaboration with Lancashire Wildlife Trusts Nature and Wellbeing Service, delivered through The Bay Project. As an Engagement and Wellbeing Officer you will work to develop community partnerships that ensure your activity reaches the heart of communities and individuals who are impacted by climate change and health inequalities, enabling people to improve their health and wellbeing and take part in projects which benefit nature and help to mitigate the effects of climate change where they live. This is a practical role establishing partnerships in the community and setting up and delivering events which enable people to contribute to nature and climate recovery and regular nature-based wellbeing and nature recovery groups, co-producing tools and resources with participants to inspire and enable others to take climate positive action in the community.
The post will include occasional evening and weekend work, for which time off in lieu can be taken.
The Eden Project Engagement and Wellbeing Officer (Morecambe) is an exciting new fixed term role for 2 years, (continuation is subject to funding), that has been created to deliver this project in Morecambe. The post holder will work in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and alongside our Nature and Wellbeing Officer.
Key Accountabilities
Education and Experience
Essential
While this post is fairly autonomous the post holder will have a dedicated contact within the Eden Project Team as well as report to their line manager on a monthly basis with updates on progress. In addition, they will work alongside colleagues from Lancashire Wildlife Trust. The post holder will work to short- and long-term objectives where the impact of decisions will be apparent as part of both project delivery and longer-term project development. They will also be required to support the quarterly reporting process (e.g. Steering Group and funding partners), to help the team achieve objectives. The post holder will also be expected to represent both The Nature: Connections and Recovery programme and Eden Project externally. They will also be responsible for identifying emerging trends in this sector and keep abreast of supportive research and innovation.
Resourcefulness
The post holder is responsible for leading on the design, creation and implementation of a series of activities across a number of themes and issues. This work will need the post holder to be highly resourceful and adapt new ideas and apply these practically. The work will be breaking new ground and the post holder will need to support the innovative thinking needed to ensure we meet our key objectives. The ideal candidate will take a pro-active and creative approach to solving problems and will work closely with internal and external team members to expand the scope and direction of the project. They will develop new models to support the expansion and replication of social pilot projects around Morecambe Bay and the wider region.
People and Asset Management
The post holder will be not be required to directly line manage but alongside other colleagues, will be required to help mentor and develop the programme Trainees, as well as oversee and manage teams of volunteers to help deliver aspects of the project. You will be responsible for supporting and delivering ongoing engagement with health and voluntary sector partners and the wider community in Morecambe.
You will advise and assist colleagues in the wider team delivering the social prescribing activities for Morecambe Bay and surrounding areas. This will include on-going conversation and engagement with external partners and operational teams. As well as sign off for financial payments up to £1K, this role will also require oversight of external spending by contractors and supervision and guidance of project resources.
Communications
The post holder will require an extensive range of communication and interpersonal skills. Working closely with a range external partners and internal stakeholders to share ideas and develop project plans, whilst also handling members of the community and project participants sensitively. Good IT skills as a range of communication methods and channels will be used and you should be comfortable providing content for social media.
Operational Environment
You will have due regard for health, safety and welfare of participants, volunteers and colleagues and work within appropriate health and safety guidelines and organizational risk management protocols. Working flexibility from an office base or partially remotely, from home will be expected. Your working hours will be normal office hours, with some evening and weekend work required to deliver events, work to a deadline or to attend out-of-hours meeting. Time off in lieu can be taken for irregular working hours.
Additional Features
A positive and mature outlook with the ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and integrity. The ability to inspire others and generate support, action and empowerment.
The willingness to work outdoors on a range of sites in all weathers.
A full, clean driving license is essential, with access to a vehicle with insurance for business use.
A DBS check will be required, the cost will be met by Eden.
In order for the organisation to work effectively, you may be required to assist with other areas of work and therefore, you should be prepared to undertake other duties appropriate to the post, as delegated by your line manager.
LNKD1_UKTJ
Full time, Fixed term for 2 years
£27,609 pa
If you are passionate about the health and wellbeing of people and of the planet and have skills and experience in working with people and nature, this post might be for you!
Thanks to players of the National Lottery and the National Lotterys Climate Action Fund, the Nature Connections and Recovery Project will target communities across the UK which are worst affected by climate change and health inequalities.
The programme will connect people with nature to boost health and wellbeing, while equipping communities with the skills and confidence to take climate-positive action locally. We are looking for someone with experience of working with people and nature to develop nature based wellbeing groups and to run community nature recovery projects.
This post is a 2 year fixed term post in the first instance and continuation will be considered subject to funding. The role will work in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust and other local organisations and alongside our Nature and Wellbeing Officer.
Some of the benefits of working at the Eden Project include;
- 30 days holiday plus an extra day for your birthday (up to 35 days after 5 years service)
- Access to UNUM for wellbeing support
- Financial wellbeing support access to 121 sessions with an independent financial advisor
- Cycle to work scheme
- Training and development
- Enhanced pension scheme (above auto-enrolment rates)
- Death in service policy (4 x annual salary)
Job family definition
Roles within the Engagement, Learning and Entertainment job family focus upon the Eden experience, providing activities, learning programmes, encounters and events, which engage, inspire and entertain, thus enhancing individuals understanding, experience, skills and enjoyment.
About The Project
The UK is in the top 10% of nature depleted countries globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that mental illness will be the biggest health issue globally by 2030. Human health and the state of the planet are inextricably linked. Many people and communities are struggling with their mental and physical health, alongside escalating?climate change, unprecedented biodiversity loss and rising levels of pollution. These challenges are all symptoms of the same problem - we have broken our relationship with the natural world.
The UK-wide Nature: Connections and Recovery Project will respond to these challenges by reaching people and communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination and engaging them in co-producing local solutions and resources to support the skills needed to help mitigate the climate crisis. Building on Eden Projects Nature Connections programme and National Wildflower Centre, and our collaboration with Lancashire Wildlife Trusts The Bay Project, we will bring to bear our shared experience in community led change, social prescribing and nature recovery projects to demonstrate how nature connection can address climate change and the mental health crisis.
Working with local people, the programme will provide ideas and inspiration to enable people to take planet positive action where they live and contribute to the climate challenge. Collaborating with The Bay Project and local community and voluntary sector organisations, we will run a range of nature recovery, food growing and art-based projects to help engage local people in climate positive action, especially those who are facing mental health challenges.
The project will also include a national campaign and local activities to engage people with nature and raise awareness of actions people can take to mitigate the effects of climate change, demonstrating the connection between positive action for both people and planet. In doing so building a strong, connected and healthy community that benefits people and planet and improves individual health and well-being.
Participants will range in age from young people to adults and many will face multiple disadvantages, including mental ill-health. By engaging with our programme, they will have opportunities to increase their skills and confidence by playing an active part in natures recovery. People will have the opportunity to meet new people, learn new things, be active, give back to nature and their community, and to stop and take notice of their natural world. In doing so many people experience a positive effect for their mental health and wellbeing, whilst contributing to climate mitigation projects. Alongside this we will also support progression into further nature and climate positive skills development, volunteering, or employment where appropriate.
Referrals come from a variety of sources across our communities and networks, including but not limited to: the NHS, social prescribers, community partners, schools and colleges, and self-referrals. The ability to work to develop and maintain referral partnerships is an important element of the service provided as it enables us to ensure that those most in need of the Nature Connections and Recovery Project are able to access it and graduate on to community based nature recovery projects.
Taking an action research approach to project learning, the programme will be co-creating community based responses to climate change and inspiring people in local communities in Morecambe to inspire and encourage others to take nature and climate positive action where they live. Set in the heart of our communities, the programme is varied, rewarding and achieves important outcomes for both people and nature.
Delivery in Morecambe will form part of the first wave of activity for the Nature: Connections and Recovery Project. The areas which will benefit over the next three years include Dundee, Morecambe, Liverpool, Belfast, Newport in Wales and in Cornwall. Project delivery will start early this year in Cornwall, Morecambe and Liverpool, with activities in the other nations starting in the Autumn.
Role purpose
Nature: Connection and Recovery Project - Engagement and Wellbeing Officer (Morecambe)
Working in partnership with Gwent, Ulster, Lancashire and Scottish Wildlife Trusts, and Intelligent Health, this new programme, funded by the National Lotterys Climate Action Fund, will target communities across the UK which are worst affected by climate change and health inequalities. The programme will connect people with nature to boost health and wellbeing, while equipping communities with the skills and confidence to take climate-positive action locally.
The main purpose of the role is to co-ordinate and deliver nature based activities for small groups of people with poor health and wellbeing, to connect with nature and to one another, whilst also playing an active role in natures recovery within identified local communities, supporting groups to improve spaces for nature. You will need to build and maintain strong partnerships with NHS services, (eg GP surgeries, primary care networks, social prescribers and community mental health care teams), local community and voluntary sector organisations and create bespoke 12 week programmes* of nature connection and recovery activities for groups of people that partner organisations identify and are working with. *Programmes will offer 6 weeks of nature connections activities that focus on wellbeing and social connection, followed by a 6 week nature recovery project in the community. You will also support peoples personal development and work within communities to encourage people to develop ways to sustain their connection to nature across their wider lives on a longer-term basis. In collaboration with team members, this will also include supporting participants to progress towards employment, education, or training, as appropriate and providing encouragement and mentoring to former participants and volunteers to this end.
This post is part of Eden Projects Nature Connections and Recovery Project and will work in close collaboration with Lancashire Wildlife Trusts Nature and Wellbeing Service, delivered through The Bay Project. As an Engagement and Wellbeing Officer you will work to develop community partnerships that ensure your activity reaches the heart of communities and individuals who are impacted by climate change and health inequalities, enabling people to improve their health and wellbeing and take part in projects which benefit nature and help to mitigate the effects of climate change where they live. This is a practical role establishing partnerships in the community and setting up and delivering events which enable people to contribute to nature and climate recovery and regular nature-based wellbeing and nature recovery groups, co-producing tools and resources with participants to inspire and enable others to take climate positive action in the community.
The post will include occasional evening and weekend work, for which time off in lieu can be taken.
The Eden Project Engagement and Wellbeing Officer (Morecambe) is an exciting new fixed term role for 2 years, (continuation is subject to funding), that has been created to deliver this project in Morecambe. The post holder will work in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and alongside our Nature and Wellbeing Officer.
Key Accountabilities
- Develop partnerships with health services and community and voluntary sector organisations in Morecambe to promote and disseminate the project to reach and inspire those who will most benefit from the project, ie people who might face barriers to participation such as disadvantage, poverty, discrimination or ill-health.
- Organise and deliver a programme of inspiring and inclusive nature based environmental activities and events to connect people to nature to improve their health and wellbeing and regenerate local natural spaces to help reduce the impact of climate change.
- Manage and support trainees and volunteers who may assist with activities and take the lead in running activities on behalf of the Project. Run and train volunteers to carry out citizen science surveys that will help to collect vital data on nature recovery.
- Organise and help programme colleagues to deliver corporate working parties, community events, and wellbeing days.
- Maintain good relationships and communicate regularly with other colleagues who work on the Nature: Connections and Recovery Project and The Bay Project, and local community partner organisations.
- Co-produce resources with participants to inspire and enable others to take climate positive action where they live.
- Give talks and presentations in order to promote the work and aims of the Project.
- Complete all programme reporting specific to your role as required and in a timely fashion.
- To develop and maintain referral partnerships to ensure that those most in need of the Nature Connections and Recovery project are most able to access it.
- To design and deliver a full, inspiring and inclusive nature-led, coastal activity programme, engaging with people from all communities and ages.
- Co-ordinate and deliver weekly sessions and plan activities that are engaging, inspiring, and support personal development, and actively contribute to natures recovery. Including supporting groups to increase spaces for nature, and positively impact biodiversity and climate.
- Identify local stakeholders and organise locality events to ensure project activity meets the needs of the local community.
- Be responsible for the development and undertaking of innovative participant led projects and activities, including personal development opportunities and accreditation.
- To develop partnerships and opportunities across communities that support participants to move on and benefit from a long term connection to nature after participation. This might involve formal or informal volunteering opportunities.
- Develop and supervise volunteers as required to support delivery
- To organise and be responsible for the delivery and performance of your work, ensuring effective prioritisation in liaison with the wider Nature: Connections and Recovery Project team, The Bay Projects Nature and Wellbeing service and relevant teams within Eden Project and LWT.
- To maintain systems allowing successful reporting against KPIs and safe working practices.
- Contribute to income generation through varied sources; identifying and following up opportunities from funding applications, to contracts, to corporate events or wellbeing days
- Raising awareness of the Programme, Eden Project and LWT and the value of nature for wellbeing and the need to look after nature, by contributing content for social media and communications.
- Attend Project Delivery Group meetings, gather participant data and maintain project progress reports to feed back to the project Steering Group and funder.
- Attend appropriate team meetings.
- Follow and comply with all policies and procedures of your host organisation which includes health and safety procedures in the workplace, ensuring personal safety and the safeguarding of the interests and safety of all staff, trainees and visitors.
- To uphold Eden Projects and Lancashire Wildlife Trusts values and the expectations of the project.
- To carry out other duties relevant to your post as reasonably required by your line-manager.
Education and Experience
Essential
- A degree in a relevant environmental or health and social care related discipline or equivalent practical experience in one of these sectors is essential, with demonstrable experience working within a recognised conservation or health body in a professional capacity.
- Experience of organising, coordinating and delivering activity programmes to a wide range of audiences.
- Experience in working with people from varied backgrounds who may be affected by poor health and wellbeing on environmental projects and supporting personal development.
- Knowledge of mental health, therapies to address mental health conditions and services available for people who suffer with mental health conditions
- Experience of working with communities, designing and developing spaces for wildlife and addressing community issues / opportunities and of empowering others to take action for nature.
- Up to date knowledge of practical conservation techniques, particularly in urban settings.
- Experience of working with community groups and partners.
- Experience of developing, delivering, monitoring and evaluating activities
- Experience of working with the media, social media and input into promotion and campaigns
- Experience of managing volunteers
- A track record of identifying, applying for, and securing external grants.
- Experience of varied approaches to income generation within the charitable sector.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- The ability to motivate, inspire and engage people from the most challenging backgrounds
- You will be skilled to deliver teaching and learning techniques to engage a range of audiences and have a good understanding of public health and safety issues (including risk assessments.)
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work independently to achieve the required evidence and administrative functions relevant to your delivery that support funders requirements.
- The ability to develop, publicise and deliver innovative and exciting environmental nature based activities, events and resources.
- Good IT skills with the ability to communicate and promote activities and key messages, as well as preparing concise and effective reports and documents.
- A full driving licence, access to the use of a vehicle with full business insurance cover
- Ability to set, prioritise and achieve targets on time.
While this post is fairly autonomous the post holder will have a dedicated contact within the Eden Project Team as well as report to their line manager on a monthly basis with updates on progress. In addition, they will work alongside colleagues from Lancashire Wildlife Trust. The post holder will work to short- and long-term objectives where the impact of decisions will be apparent as part of both project delivery and longer-term project development. They will also be required to support the quarterly reporting process (e.g. Steering Group and funding partners), to help the team achieve objectives. The post holder will also be expected to represent both The Nature: Connections and Recovery programme and Eden Project externally. They will also be responsible for identifying emerging trends in this sector and keep abreast of supportive research and innovation.
Resourcefulness
The post holder is responsible for leading on the design, creation and implementation of a series of activities across a number of themes and issues. This work will need the post holder to be highly resourceful and adapt new ideas and apply these practically. The work will be breaking new ground and the post holder will need to support the innovative thinking needed to ensure we meet our key objectives. The ideal candidate will take a pro-active and creative approach to solving problems and will work closely with internal and external team members to expand the scope and direction of the project. They will develop new models to support the expansion and replication of social pilot projects around Morecambe Bay and the wider region.
People and Asset Management
The post holder will be not be required to directly line manage but alongside other colleagues, will be required to help mentor and develop the programme Trainees, as well as oversee and manage teams of volunteers to help deliver aspects of the project. You will be responsible for supporting and delivering ongoing engagement with health and voluntary sector partners and the wider community in Morecambe.
You will advise and assist colleagues in the wider team delivering the social prescribing activities for Morecambe Bay and surrounding areas. This will include on-going conversation and engagement with external partners and operational teams. As well as sign off for financial payments up to £1K, this role will also require oversight of external spending by contractors and supervision and guidance of project resources.
Communications
The post holder will require an extensive range of communication and interpersonal skills. Working closely with a range external partners and internal stakeholders to share ideas and develop project plans, whilst also handling members of the community and project participants sensitively. Good IT skills as a range of communication methods and channels will be used and you should be comfortable providing content for social media.
Operational Environment
You will have due regard for health, safety and welfare of participants, volunteers and colleagues and work within appropriate health and safety guidelines and organizational risk management protocols. Working flexibility from an office base or partially remotely, from home will be expected. Your working hours will be normal office hours, with some evening and weekend work required to deliver events, work to a deadline or to attend out-of-hours meeting. Time off in lieu can be taken for irregular working hours.
Additional Features
A positive and mature outlook with the ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and integrity. The ability to inspire others and generate support, action and empowerment.
The willingness to work outdoors on a range of sites in all weathers.
A full, clean driving license is essential, with access to a vehicle with insurance for business use.
A DBS check will be required, the cost will be met by Eden.
In order for the organisation to work effectively, you may be required to assist with other areas of work and therefore, you should be prepared to undertake other duties appropriate to the post, as delegated by your line manager.
LNKD1_UKTJ