Town of Social Action Engagement Lead

Town of Social Action Engagement Lead (Fixed Term Contract to December 2025)
Job Ref: V532
Hours per week: 35 hours per week – (Flexible days/hours)
Salary: £25,000 plus attractive employee benefits package
Start date: ASAP
Location: Home based and Hybrid– access to good WIFI required. Regular in-person activity in Ipswich required – approx. 3 days per week
Closing date: Wednesday 8th January 2025 – 5pm
Interview date and Location: TBC W/C 13th /20th January 2025

About Volunteering Matters

At Volunteering Matters we believe everyone in the UK should have the opportunity to thrive. So we bring people together to overcome some of society’s most complex issues through the power of volunteering and social action.
Volunteering Matters has supported the #iwill Movement since 2013. A founder signatory to the #iwill charter, Volunteering Matters delivers many award-winning youth social action programs across the UK, has two current young volunteers that are #iwill Ambassadors and supports all #iwill Movement communications through events such as #iwill week.

About UK Youth

UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. We work with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened, supported, and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed and delivers high-quality outcomes.

UK Youth plays a unique role in addressing; the lack of investment in the youth sector, the lack of cross-sector understanding in how youth work makes a difference and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions. These factors lead to mass inequality of access to youth services for young people.

Working through networks of youth organisations and supporters, we galvanise a movement of people to support our shared vision. The UK Youth Movement is open to all and currently stands at over 7,000 youth organisations and nation partners, collectively reaching 4.1 million young people. Our mission is to work as a nationwide movement deliver innovative youth services, grow effective practice and campaign to increase support for youth work. To find out more, visit the UK Youth website.

About the role

We’re looking for an individual with experience in youth and community development, facilitation, partnerships and communications. This role will have a specific focus in Ipswich, working with young people and partners to create activity that leads to place-based change.

Hosted by Volunteering Matters, the Town of Social Action Engagement Lead works as part of the wider #iWill team from Volunteering Matters and UK Youth. The post will liaise with the Volunteering Matters Delivery Leader in Ipswich to ensure local activity is coordinated, and will report to the Head of Partnerships and Impact at the #iWill Movement. This is a 12-month role with the opportunity for it to be extended subject to project funding.

In Ipswich, you will be responsible for capitalising on the energy and momentum which has seen it declared as a ‘Town of Social Action’. You will continue to deliver engagement approaches to support and embed #iWill as a trusted brand for organisations and young people in driving social change in Ipswich. You’ll be responsible for delivering a Community of Practice Network for the 30 plus Power of Youth Charter signatory organisations in the town to understand emerging practice, build connections and develop the connectivity between organisations and youth voice. You will play a key role in ensuring the programme of youth-led Hacks across Ipswich are created and delivered with young people, partner stakeholders and anchor institutions.

To apply for this role
1) Prepare an up-to-date CV
2) Prepare a supporting statement. Your supporting statement should NOT be a simple cover letter. Instead, it should be a detailed description of why you are a suitable candidate. You should consider the job role, and the skills and experience that we are looking for. A minimum of 1 A4 page is recommended.
4) Send CV and Supporting Statement by email to us - for more information please visit our website