TNR Learning and Well-being Officer (The 3W Project)

SUMMARY

This post will develop some of the activities originally initiated through TNR’s successful Green Lung project, with a social prescribing focus. This project is entitled “Water and Wildlife for Well-being” (The 3Ws project) and is funded through Gloucestershire Nature on Prescription 2023. The project involves partnership working with Caring for Communities and People, Age UK Gloucestershire and Priors Park Neighbourhood Project. The work will promote nature connectedness through activities for different groups, working with local communities and TNR’s volunteers.

The post holder will work with the TNR Board of Trustees, TNR Management Team (including the Reserve Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, Learning and Outreach Officer and Access Officer) to co-ordinate and deliver a programme of Learning and outreach. This will be focused on outdoor activities that link learning, nature connectedness and health and well-being on, and through, Tewkesbury Nature Reserve.

The post holder will co-ordinate and deliver nature connected activities as a new social prescribing programme on Tewkesbury Nature Reserve. They will organise activities for children and adults including older members of the community. This will include art-based nature-connected workshops and citizen science habitat monitoring, working with others. The post holder will be part of TNR’s funding group that works to secure further funds for Learning and outreach as part of TNR’s social prescribing programme. The normal base for working is Priors Park Neighbourhood Project and Tewkesbury Nature Reserve.

About TNR: 

Within Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury Nature Reserve (TNR), an independent environmental charity, combines concern for nature and community interests, with potential to be a living laboratory (44 ha) for outdoor learning. Urban floodplain nature reserves bring particular challenges with competing interests (nature, farming, recreation, infrastructure, floods), and diverse communities with different drivers, knowledge, skills and values. Acting as unique ‘green lungs’, they have potential to intertwine recovery for nature and humans. This project aims to step-change development and delivery of TNR’s Learning and Outreach Strategy.

TNR’s objectives are set out in its Strategic Plan 2017-2022. This post focuses on leading Objective 4: Education – Develop the reserve as a learning environment, offering a range of outdoor learning opportunities tailored to different ages, interests and needs.

TNR has moved from a major focus on implementing infrastructural changes for wildlife enhancement to engaging communities in using the reserve as a resource for varied learning activities linked to environmental awareness and knowledge, health and well-being and wider community resilience building.

Job purpose:

The job supports the development of nature connected Learning and outreach activities as part of a new social prescribing programme at Tewkesbury Nature Reserve. It will involve partnership working and engagement with diverse communities proximal to Tewkesbury Nature Reserve in Tewkesbury South and in wider Tewkesbury.

The role will suit an enthusiastic and inspiring leader of nature connected learning activities that support positive health and well-being. The successful applicant will have previous experience of working with children and other vulnerable groups including older people.

They will be a good communicator with a passion for working with people who need extra support, and for making a real difference to and through the environment. Ability to engage and communicate effectively with diverse communities is essential.

Initially offered as a 6-month fixed term 0.6 FTE contract, it is hoped that the position will be able to be extended in some form if further funding is secured. The work is building on work undertaken by a previous 7 month contract for the 3W project.

For full details please see the job description attached below.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please email a CV (two pages max.) and a covering letter (two pages max.) focussing on why we should employ you, including your relevant experience, how you meet the person specification and what you will bring to the post to recruitment@tewkesburynaturereserve.org.uk. Closing date: Sunday 14th July, 2023 (midnight). Interview date is likely to be Friday 26th July. (Please be available for interview on this date).