OUTREACH OFFICER

4 months freelance contract (January – April 2019)

Salary £24,000 pro rata + monthly travel card

ABOUT NORTH LONDON CARES

North London Cares is a community network of young professionals and older neighbours
hanging out and helping one another in our rapidly changing city.

Our objectives are to tackle the growing plight of isolation and loneliness not just amongst
older people but also amongst younger Londoners; to help improve the confidence, skills,
resilience, connection and power of all participants so that older and younger neighbours alike
can better navigate our changing world; and to bring people together to bridge social,
generational, digital, cultural and attitudinal divides.

We do this because while London is one of the most amazing cities in the world, it can
sometimes also feel anonymous, lonely and isolating. Globalisation, gentrification, digitisation,
urban transience and rapid community change have made the boroughs in which we work
(Camden and Islington) places of social extremes – in which some of the best-connected people
in Britain live directly alongside some of the most isolated, with particular challenges to do with
ageing, loneliness and disconnection.

The result is that many older people (over 65) have deep roots in their communities, but few
connections, while many young professionals (aged 21-35) can have hundreds of
connections across the world but fewer roots in their communities. This disconnect wastes
human potential, perpetuates social division, entrenches isolation and is ultimately corrosive for
our society.

In a dynamic, ever-changing city like ours, these two groups, who often live side-by-side
but seldom interact, have so much to gain from one another in shared time, laughter, new
experiences and, especially, friendship. North London Cares therefore seeks to mobilise
young professionals and older neighbours to build relationships and share experiences in a
variety of authentic ways. We speak the language of younger and older people alike – and
make interaction on a personal level mutually accessible, sociable, enjoyable and fun.

OUTREACH AT NORTH LONDON CARES

North London Cares has four core programmes: Social Clubs, Love Your Neighbour,
Community Fundraising and Outreach. Our unique Outreach work enables us to identify older
people at risk of isolation pro-actively through community-facing engagement. This work is
intensified during our annual Winter Wellbeing project, which supports older neighbours to stay
warm, active, healthy and connected during what is often the most isolating time of year.

Supported by Camden and Islington Councils, we work with local supermarkets, betting shops,
chemists, GP surgeries and other groups at the heart of communities to reach older neighbours
all across our boroughs. Through a combination of door-knocking, interactions, interventions,
direct referrals and deep friendships, we ensure older people in our patch receive the support,
signposting and connections that improve their lives day-to-day, not just during the winter but
year-round too.
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ABOUT THIS ROLE

Reporting to North London Cares’ Head of Programmes and working closely with our Volunteer
and Outreach Coordinator and the wider team, your people and organisational skills will be
crucial in reaching, connecting and supporting hundreds of older people across our boroughs.
Working primarily on our Winter Wellbeing project, your role will be vital in ensuring people over
65 are neither left alone nor left behind during the coldest and most isolating months. It’s a
challenging role but one which, over your six-months with us, will help you to hone your project
management and outreach skills. And you will make a big contribution to North London Cares
and to our older neighbours in Camden and Islington.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Reaching out to older people using pro-active outreach methods, including door-
knocking and other methods according to North London Cares’ Winter Wellbeing plan;
• Regularly communicating with older people – on the phone, through letters and via email
– identified through Winter Wellbeing as needing specific support;
• Receiving and fielding calls to the Winter Wellbeing phone line during working hours;
• Sourcing, ordering and organising delivery of appropriate warm items for distribution;
• Liaising with social services and local partner organisations to create the best referrals;
• Liaising with North London Cares’ Love Your Neighbour and Social Clubs Coordinators
to direct people into our year-round programmes appropriately;
• Processing interventions including referrals to Councils, and keeping records up to date.

ADDITIONAL AD HOC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contacting potential partners to set up Outreach events, visits and talks;
• Helping to organise and manage Winter Wellbeing volunteer days;
• Attending events to promote the Winter Wellbeing project on an ad hoc basis;
• Designing effective and inclusive outreach posters and flyers along with our team;
• Administrative and communications support across our core programmes.

REQUIRED QUALITIES
• You are warm, approachable, empathetic and resilient;
• You are a confident and effective communicator, able to build trust and relationships with
people from all backgrounds;
• You have high quality written and administrative skills, and are meticulous and efficient in
organisation and record-keeping;
• You are professionally agile and able to adapt to the needs of a fast-moving project;
• You are able to obtain a clear DBS certification (provided).

If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

LOGISTICS

For more information or to apply please send your CV and a covering letter to
tess.young@northlondoncares.org.uk, demonstrating why you want to be part of our team
and our Winter Wellbeing project, why you are right for this role and what you will bring to
it.

• Applications should be received no later than 5pm on Sunday 18th November 2018.

• First round interviews will take place over the phone on Wednesday 21st November with
second interviews in person on Monday 26th November and a start date as soon as
possible thereafter.