Community and Placements Programmes Lead

Community and Placements Programmes Lead

We’re looking for someone to lead on the management of two core areas of our work: our Community and Placement Programmes. They will hold accountability for building a thriving wellbeing community hub and offering mutually beneficial placement opportunities

We want to run a hub that is focused on tackling inequalities and being there for people who might not always have the support, network or resources they need. You’ll be helping to provide a place where people can find belonging and get support navigating life, as we continue to develop our offer from its roots as a mental health day centre into an accessible, thriving community wellbeing hub.

We want to continue to host an experiential learning programme for placement students that truly supports our Community and one-to- one services, embodying what radically human and person-centred support looks like.

The Role

You will lead a team of three as you supervise and support our Community Programme Coordinator and Placements Coordinator. You will hold accountability for the strategic development and management of two programmes. As is the case for all roles at Likewise, you will be in a hands-on role, present and active with community members and placement students.

Responsibilities will include: 

• Developing and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including partner charities, partner universities, Camden and Islington NHS Trust, Camden Council, and Community Members
• Strategic oversight of the curation, planning and delivery of community projects, activities and events at the Likewise Wellbeing Hub
• Oversight of the recruitment, onboarding and training of placement students
• Oversight of the Likewise Creative Therapies service
• Developing engagement strategies to build relationships with the local community
• Researching, developing and curating an ongoing rich and diverse programme of activities and events from our Likewise Hub

More details can be found in the information pack.

About Us

Likewise is an innovative social care and mental health charity working at the heart of the Camden community to support individuals experiencing isolation and social exclusion.

At Likewise our culture is all about being human together. More human organisations do more human work. We put a lot into having authentic relationships, work hard to support each other’s sense of belonging and love learning together through the work we do.

Our three strands of work are: 

• Community - building spaces where people feel safe to be themselves, and feel a sense of belonging, connectedness and acceptance
• 1-to-1 Support - flexible, person-centred support to meet the complexity a person experiences in their day-to-day life, whether at home or out in the community
• Shared Learning - providing experiential learning and formal training opportunities that support personal wellbeing and skills development, primarily through our volunteer and placement student programmes

About our Community Hub and Placement Opportunities 

The Likewise Community Hub and Garden offers a safe space for people to explore a range of wellbeing activities and events, whilst creating opportunity for connection, relationship, belonging and support. It is open to all with a particular focus on people who may feel lonely or socially isolated through mental ill health. It’s a place to access therapies, groups and activities supporting belonging and wellbeing. The hub is both a place to meaningfully contribute, and to feel supported, upholding the principle that we all have needs and we all have something to offer.

We feel strongly about what good care and support looks like, so our placement opportunities are designed to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills, values and emotional intelligence needed to make an immediate impact in their careers. Our placements see people given hands-on, front-line experience within our 1-1 and community offers. Students embark on a learning journey full of opportunity to serve our community members and clients, whilst nourishing their personal growth and professional development.

About You 

You will need to be a leaner and a leader 

We need someone who is committed to their own learning, growth and development - someone who can sit with the discomfort of learning and unlearning, is willing to step outside their comfort zone and is ready to  engage in the diverse experiences of our work.

As a leader we need someone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in themselves and others, and who has the courage, commitment and care to develop that potential through relationships, processes and shared experiences. We need a leader who can, on a macro level, see the potential our programme has for creating change in our communities and, on a micro level, sit with a colleague or community member and facilitate their personal growth and development. And we need someone who will inspire and support others to lead too.

You will also need to be someone who: 

• Can analyse, understand, see opportunities, hold a vision and build a strategy
• Can take positive risks
• Can lead a team, drawing on collective intelligence, valuing all voices and listening deeply
• Loves being amongst people, is curious about what goes on beneath the surface, and can build relationship even when things feel difficult
• Can navigate complexity, ambiguity and “not-knowing”

You'll need know-how and experience in: 

• Building and developing community with people at the heart
• Building, developing and working in partnerships with people and organizations
• Outreach, engagement and communications
• Planning, delivering and supporting projects
• Therapeutic, mental health, community work or social care services (desirable)

More Information and how to apply 

More information about Likewise, the community hub, and a detailed breakdown of the key areas of responsibility can be found in the information pack on our website. 

To apply, please follow the link to the application form in the information pack and ensure you answer the questions outlined in the pack within your supporting statement. Applications close at 9am on 11th March 2024.