High Trees are recruiting a Trainee Community Development Officer who will receive full on the job training to allow them to practice in the community and support all aspects of the work of our Community Action Team. The work is varied, rewarding and challenging.
As a trainee role, no previous experience or familiarity with community development work is necessary (though you may have some!) but the principles of empowering individuals to act for themselves will appeal to you. You will instinctively understand the sensitivities of working in community settings. You will understand the value of meeting everyone as people of great potential – and helping them see that potential in themselves.
The role will involve being trained to carry out listening campaigns in the local area. This will include knocking on doors, one to one conversations with local residents about the issues that affect them. You will work with community members to provide training and mentoring, enabling them to carry out action or campaigns. You will also work across the range of projects the team are engaged with which may be supporting peer researchers, carrying out consultations or administrative and monitoring work that sits alongside all our projects.
Though we’re very open about who this role will suit, we’re more interested in the underlining aptitude and your passion for the role than your previous experience. You will have prior experience in a role where dealing with people has been a key feature and if this is not in a community setting we would like to understand why you are making this change.
Our Trainee Community Development Officers will work for 12 months on £23,000 and for those who complete this year successfully they will go on to our Community Action pay band of £24,000 – £28,000 with yearly increments (dependent on satisfactory performance).