Job Title: Associate Organiser - Local Communities + Health Organising, South London 

Salary: £27,953 per annum + £3,150 per annum London Weighting 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (open to requests for flexible or part-time working - some unsociable hours required)  

Contract: 12M Fixed term (possible extension) 

Based: South London (3 roles across different parts of South London) 

Deadline: 12 June 2023 at 9am.

Interview Date: TBC

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK organises communities to act together for power, social justice and the common good. We are the home of broad-based community organising in the UK, with 12 diverse civil society alliances across England and Wales. We build powerful alliances that develop the leadership capacity of our members so they can hold politicians and other decision-makers to account on the issues that matter to them. Citizens UK also creates systemic change through projects such as the Living Wage Foundation, Parents and the Community Together (PACT), Sponsor Refugees and South London Listens. Please visit our website at: www.citizensuk.org   

South London Citizens is a thriving chapter with a growing team of organisers and project staff. We are building the power of communities in South London through seven borough alliances and the wider region by developing community leadership and supporting people in taking action on what matters most to them. Over the past two years, we have worked in partnership with mental health trust to deliver a pioneering organising project, South London Listens (SLL), to prevent mental ill-health, and find solutions to our most pressing challenges.  

Purpose 

We are looking for ​​three Associate Organisers to join a thriving and dynamic team in South London building the power of local communities. These roles will be embedded into one of the South London Citizens local alliances; Wandsworth, Croydon or Southwark. They will support local organising and have a specific focus on health organising. In this exciting and innovative role, you will be working on the South London Listens project, aimed at addressing health inequalities across South London. Your primary responsibilities will include developing teams of committed community leaders in various civic institutions, including schools, community groups, and faith groups, and leading campaigns to improve health services and tackle the social determinants of health inequality. With your passion, energy, and commitment to democracy, you will support communities to build the power they need to win justice and make a real and lasting impact.  Join us in the fight for a healthier and more equitable future for South London. 

A central focus of an Associate Organiser is their own development: learning the craft of Community Organising under the guidance of an experienced Community Organiser. An Associate Organiser is working towards becoming a competent practitioner of the craft of broad-based community organising methodology, and focuses on the building of relational power, the recruitment and retention of dues-paying institutions, the development of leaders, the strengthening of member institutions, leader-led public actions, and the winning of systemic change. Your learning and development will be paramount in the first few months and the responsibilities given to your experience and skills develop.  

Main Responsibilities 

Working as an Associate Organiser in South London for Citizens UK your main responsibilities will include: 

Build relational power to further the goals of CUK 

• Actively participate in the development of a comprehensive power analysis appropriate to the desired sphere of influence for each project/assignment 

• Establish working relationships with identified leaders and demonstrate ability to move them into action, including as part of the wider alliance; taking the initiative to establish new relationships as required 

• Conduct one-to-ones to develop relationships with leaders and understand their concerns. 

• Tell a wide range of Community Organising stories effectively to influence others and achieve CUK’s goals 

Grow and deliver on the priorities of South London Listens 

• Build and support new Be Well Hubs in a range of institutions in your allocated boroughs. Including identifying new institutions, delivering training, and supporting them once they are established.  

• Work with other organisers to deliver on the priorities identified by communities that are part of the South London Listens project 

• Ensure reporting and capturing of stories of the South London Listens project are captured and shared to celebrate and grow the project.  

Identify and develop relational leaders prepared to act with others for the common good 

• Identify and discern actual and potential leaders with the passion and ability to drive change in their borough alliance and through South London Listens.  

• Proactively create opportunities for leaders to develop, in particular tertiary or new leaders; nominate for training on the core taster curriculum and Be Well Hubs training.  

• Successfully deliver workshops in local institutions, South London Citizens community organising introductions and Be Well Hub training.  

Strengthen institutions and develop BBOs 

• Ensure good understanding of the basic interests and traditions of typical member institutions 

• Organise a small cluster of up to 5 standard member institutions or 1 strategic partner to work together for the achievement of common goals 

• Support pre-existing core teams and create/develop new core teams to provide leadership at local level and in South London Listens 

Support leaders through the Cycle of Action in order to create change 

• Support member institutions and Be Well Hubs in running listening campaigns 

• Organise neighbourhood actions; demonstrating increasing independence in working without the need for close supervision  

• Take the lead in supporting groups of leaders through the cycle of action on neighbourhood issues; aiming to achieve neighbourhood and health wins 

• Evaluate the effectiveness of actions; demonstrating ability to incorporate lessons learned into future actions 

Contribute to CUK’s financial viability through effective fundraising & financial management  

• Recruit new dues paying institutions; work together with a more senior Organiser to negotiate annual membership fees and letters of understanding 

• Contribute substantially to fundraising by securing the extension of existing South London Listens funding. Achieve approximately £20k raised pa as a mix of dues and fundraising.  

• Liaise with the Finance & Operations team to update the membership database and ensure timely invoicing and fee collection 

Contribute to effective teamwork 

• Be proactive concerning personal professional development and wellbeing; i.e. by reading widely, developing a healthy work-life balance and demonstrating ability to reflect on own organising craft & improve on self-identified weaknesses 

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively with colleagues and participate in a team 

• Produce all required reports and follow CUK’s procedures on time and to the required standards 

Participate in the development of the craft of Community Organising and play a role in the Guild of COs 

• Schedule an average of at least three 1-2-1 relational meetings into your daily schedule as a core part of your professional practice 

• Commit 10 working days pa (pro rata for part-time staff) to the preparation, delivery and evaluation of Citizens UK National Community Leadership Training or other local or regional trainings; 

• Participate in a Guild Team and help it develop as a Community of Practice that enables Organisers across the UK to develop their skills and experience. 

Person Specification 

REQUIREMENTS (E = ESSENTIAL, D = DESIRABLE)

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in any subject (D)

• Subject of relevance to community work or community organising is desirable (D)

EXPERIENCE 

• Previous campaign experience (D)

•  Evidence of having acted in a leadership role with peers or in local community activities (e.g., organising clubs or societies) (E)

• Experience of project management; evidence of having delivered work on time and to standard (E)

• Able to demonstrate previous experience of ‘learning by doing’ in a work or project environment; evidence of being open to feedback and comfortably coachable (E)

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

• Excellent interpersonal awareness – ability to listen well and appreciate a viewpoint or opinion that is different from one’s own (E)

• Excellent concern for impact – ability to adapt own behaviour to address the needs or concerns of someone else (E) 

• Good communication skills – able to speak with conviction and passion; and to make a logical argument (E) 

PERSONAL QUALITIES & VALUES 

• A self-starter with ability to take initiative and work independently (E)

• A passion for justice (E)

• A positive enthusiasm for working with faith congregations, trade unions, schools, and other community organisations (E)

• An interest in and experience of politics and public life (E)

• Able to work in a team (E)

• Willingness to work within accountable relationships (E)

• Self-motivated and adaptable (E)

The successful applicant will be required to undertake a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check. DBS checks are renewed on a 3-year cycle.