At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead community projects and facilitate engaging discussions for a new biodiverse park.
- Company: Join a passionate environmental charity transforming East London Waterworks Park.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience, build your network, and contribute to a sustainable community project.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while developing your facilitation and leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a passion for community engagement and environmental sustainability.
- Other info: Flexible, self-directed role with opportunities for personal growth and collaboration.
East London Waterworks Park is looking for facilitator volunteers to lead projects and groups in creating our community-owned park.
What difference will you make?
You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. By facilitating online gatherings, projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community. Your input will help us craft volunteer experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
What are we looking for?
- Strong Community Engagement & Facilitation Skills
- Proven experience in leading and facilitating group discussions, workshops, and other participatory activities.
- Ability to create and facilitate inclusive and engaging group experiences that encourage diverse perspectives and participation.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with community members.
- Collaborative & Supportive Spirit
- Ability to work effectively with volunteers, community participants and wider public to achieve shared goals.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills to effectively communicate project progress and outcomes to the wider community.
- Willingness to share knowledge and expertise with other volunteers and community members.
- Passion for Community & Environment
- Genuine interest in community-led projects and a desire to contribute to the creation of a positive social impact within the East London Waterworks Park.
- Understanding of the importance of community ownership and engagement in park development and management.
- Passion for environmental sustainability and creating inclusive and accessible public spaces.
- Other Desirable Skills
- Experience with participatory decision-making processes.
- Knowledge of community development principles and best practices.
- Experience working with volunteers and managing volunteer programmes.
- Basic skills in note-taking, observation, and summarizing key discussion points.
What will you be doing?
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that won a 2024 New London Architecture award and has raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
We are looking for facilitators to participate in our community-led working groups who are enhancing community cohesion, growing support of the project and co-designing the park with the wider public. There is opportunity to lead on projects exploring how architects, ecologists, community researchers, political campaigners, web developers, illustrators, fundraisers and communications professions come together to create community infrastructure.
There are nearly 200 of us across 6 different working groups. It's very flexible, self-directed and can be quite learner-led depending on how adventurous you're feeling. Facilitators choose one of our working groups (circles) and come to online gatherings for their chosen circle. Ideally facilitators would help facilitate some of these gatherings and the public-facing community engagement processes.
The circles meet every 2 or 4 weeks in the evenings online. Design, comms, and governance all meet every 2 weeks and inclusivity, learning and fundraising meet every 4 weeks. Time outside of the meetings are spent completing agreed tasks remotely.
Facilitators for environmental charity - Volunteer in London employer: East London Waterworks Park
Contact Detail:
East London Waterworks Park Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Facilitators for environmental charity - Volunteer in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get involved in community events! Attend local meet-ups or workshops related to environmental projects. This is a great way to network and show your passion for community engagement, plus you might meet potential collaborators or mentors.
✨Tip Number 2
Leverage social media to showcase your skills! Share your experiences in facilitating discussions or leading projects. Tag relevant organisations and use hashtags to get noticed by those looking for passionate volunteers like us.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t hesitate to reach out directly! If you see a project that excites you, drop them a message expressing your interest. Personal connections can make a huge difference in landing a volunteer role.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for enthusiastic facilitators. Make sure to highlight your community engagement skills and passion for the environment in your application.
We think you need these skills to ace Facilitators for environmental charity - Volunteer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for community-led projects and environmental sustainability shine through in your application. We want to see how much you care about making a positive impact in the East London Waterworks Park!
Highlight Your Skills: Make sure to showcase your community engagement and facilitation skills. We’re looking for folks who can lead discussions and create inclusive experiences, so share any relevant experiences that demonstrate these abilities.
Be Personal and Authentic: Don’t be afraid to let your personality come through in your writing. We’re all about collaboration and support, so being genuine will help us get to know the real you and how you’d fit into our team.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently, plus you’ll find all the info you need about the role there!
How to prepare for a job interview at East London Waterworks Park
✨Know Your Community
Before the interview, dive deep into the East London Waterworks Park and its mission. Understand the community it serves and the importance of biodiversity in park development. This knowledge will help you connect your passion for community-led projects with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Facilitation Skills
Be ready to share specific examples of your experience in leading group discussions or workshops. Highlight how you've created inclusive environments that encourage diverse perspectives. This will demonstrate your ability to engage effectively with community members.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Good communication is key in this role, so consider how you can convey complex ideas simply. You might even want to prepare a few questions to ask about their current projects to show your interest.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Discuss your collaborative spirit and how you’ve worked with volunteers or community groups in the past. Share stories that illustrate your ability to build rapport and trust, as these are essential skills for a facilitator in a community-driven project.