Learning and Community Engagement Officer (Community BlueScapes Flood Resilience Project)

Barnes Common Limited (BCL)

Learning and Community Engagement Officer (Community BlueScapes Flood Resilience
Project)

Job Overview

BCL is looking to recruit a Learning and Community Engagement Officer to manage its role in the
Community BlueScapes Project (CBS).

This is an exciting opportunity to join a small but dedicated and dynamic management team,
working closely with the Board of Trustees, in an award-winning community organisation,
recognised for leadership in 3rd sector service provision.

BCL is a charitable company, limited by guarantee. It works closely with the community to
respond to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity and wellbeing through active nature
conservation and participation in programmes aimed at building resilience to climate change
within the community. BCL works in partnership or collaboration with many other organisations,
especially Richmond Council (LBRuT).

The Community BlueScapes Project (CBS) is one of 25 schemes nationwide forming part of Defra /
EA’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, in which BCL’s key partners are LBRuT
and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). The CBS programme was awarded a budget of £6m over six
years to March 2027, with the primary aim to promote innovative flood resilience relating to
surface water flooding in an urban environment and specifically within the Beverley Brook
catchment in and near to Richmond (from Richmond Park to North Barnes). Measures include nature
based solutions, natural flood management, sustainable drainage systems and a learning
programme.

This is a fixed term contract until 31/03/2027 for three days a week on the learning programme
(22.5 hours) and two days a week on community engagement (15 hours). The post will require some
work at weekends or evenings but working hours can be flexible.

A key output of this role will be the development, implementation and evaluation of a school
learning programme based around the principles of flood resilience. Initially, this will target
primary aged learners, but there is potential to expand this programme to reach secondary aged
learners too.

The Officer will also work to engage the adult community and families by facilitating a series
of public engagement activities and events.

The Officer will report to BCL’s Education Manager but will be working alongside BCL’s
Community Engagement Manager, CBS’s Learning Workstream coordinator and other learning
professionals from each of the partner organisations.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• To effectively implement the existing Learning Strategy and to develop further as and when
  required.
• To provide and promote Environmental Education for all age ranges. This may involve
  facilitating outdoor environmental learning experiences, as well as delivering outreach
  sessions to school learners and other groups.
• Resource development – as required, to develop, distribute and evaluate a range of learning
  resources based on the key messages and aims of the Community BlueScapes project. School
  learning resources should be clearly linked with the National Curriculum and also include
  opportunities for learners to experience the benefits of wellbeing by connecting with nature.
• Programme communication – to attract and involve local schools, developing and
  strengthening relationships with key individuals. This may involve visiting or providing talks
  at the school.
• Stakeholder engagement – engage with the community and other organisations in relation to
  flood resilience, climate adaptation and mitigation, flood risk, biodiversity and wellbeing.
• Community engagement – develop, facilitate and evaluate a series of engagement events
  across the project area. These may include walks, talks, workshops etc.
• Community support – to support networking, development and sharing of good practices
  throughout all forms of Environmental Education along with any other elements of the Community
  BlueScapes project. This may include facilitating CPD sessions at schools, conducting site
  audits or sharing skills with local community groups.
• Partnership working – working with each partner in the Community BlueScapes project to
  build effectively on existing relationships, learning programmes, networks of contacts and
  organisational expertise.
• Safeguarding and Health & Safety – to ensure all activities are suitable for
  participants’ ages and are safely and professionally delivered where the relevant Health and
  Safety Policy, Child Protection and Safeguarding policies, risk assessments and emergency
  procedures are fully understood and implemented.
• Legacy – to identify where opportunities may exist for income generation, feeding into the
  future sustainability of any learning programmes that have been developed and community
  resilience that has been built.
• Data management and recording – to develop and implement an effective recording and
  evaluation programme, in collaboration with the CBS Monitoring and Evaluation team

Job requirements:

• Wide experience of running Environmental Education activities including outdoor learning
  sessions.
• Experience of working with diverse communities and stakeholder partners providing
  presentations, facilitating walks, talks and workshops.
• Experience of managing varying groups of people for instance children, students or
  volunteers, particularly in an outdoor or educational setting.
• A good understanding of the current National Curriculum and key stage requirements along
  with experience of developing and delivering education programmes, particularly for families
  with young children.
• Experience of facilitating learning in schools as a classroom teacher or through outreach
  workshops or similar would be useful.
• A practical understanding of safeguarding children and at-risk adults along with associated
  welfare issues, Health & Safety legislation relevant to education and the environment, Data
  Protection Act and GDPR principles.
• Experience of recording, managing and evaluating feedback and data, possibly including
  project report writing would be useful.
• A knowledge and basic understanding of ecological principles and flood resilience measures
  would be useful.

Professional Requirements:

• IT literacy.
• Enhanced DBS certificate.
• Up to date first aid certificate, or the willingness to undertake a relevant first aid
  course.
• Two referees, including one who can comment on experience of working with children.

Personal Qualities:

• Ability to enthusiastically and effectively communicate with people at all levels including
  members of the public, volunteers and council officers but particularly school children,
  students, teachers and student teachers in a courteous, articulate and friendly manner.
• Good organisational and forward planning skills with ability to prioritise and delegate
  workloads.
• A team worker but able to work autonomously with a ‘can do’ attitude to work.
• Problem solving and adaptive thinking – being able to think on your feet.

Terms of Contract:

Contract: This is a fixed term contract terminating on 31st March 2027.

Salary: £27,000 – £30,000 per annum dependent on experience.

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week. Three days a week on the Learning Programme (22.5 hours)
and two days a week on Community Engagement (15 hours).

Reporting to: BCL’s Education Manager.

Probationary Period: There will be a probationary period of four months.

Notice Period: Four weeks for both employer and employee. 
Pension: A basic ‘defined contribution’ pension complying with the government ‘opt out’ pension
legislation. BCL operates a policy of postponement for the first three months.

Holiday: 28 days holiday per annum – this will be pro-rated according to start date.

Place of Work: The post will be based at the Vine Road Recreation Ground, Barnes, London
Borough of Richmond, SW13 0NE.

BCL is an equal opportunities employer and committed to supporting personal development and
training.

Application:

CV’s and a short covering note should be sent to [email protected] as can any initial
queries about the position. Deadline for applications is 5pm Friday 14th June with first
interviews expected to commence from 18th June and second interviews following shortly
afterwards in anticipation of a likely start date around early July.

Receipt of applications will be acknowledged but any further communications will only be with
those who are called for interview.