Social Inclusion Worker in Barnsley

Contract: 5 weeks annual leave (pro rata) Up to 4 weeks paid annual leave for carers (pro rata) Access to an employer-funded benefits scheme via SAGE, including discounted shopping, GP services, and health and well-being support. This post is offered on fixed term contract until March 2028.

Overview of the Post

To develop the Connect Together: Health & Happiness Hubs targeting local residents in the North East area of Barnsley who are most affected by social isolation. The main aims are to reduce social isolation, improve mental wellbeing, rebuild confidence to reconnect with the community, and support people in practical ways, including cost of living support, improving physical health, signposting to relevant services, learning new skills, providing communal eating opportunities, and promoting independence.

Key Responsibilities

• Community Engagement and Development
  • Identify and establish community-based connection hubs, working co-productively with local residents and stakeholders.
  • Use a community development approach to engage local residents and groups, supporting them to develop and participate in activities that reduce social isolation and improve social and physical wellbeing.
  • Identify potential community volunteers to support the hubs and ensure they receive appropriate training and ongoing support.
  • Deliver agreed service outputs and outcomes.
  • Work in ways that promote the ethos of DIAL, reduce inequalities, develop partnerships and encourage community participation.
• Operational Responsibilities
  • Undertake effective outreach work to promote hub activities and encourage participation.
  • Identify common needs and interests of hub participants.
  • Ensure the accessibility of hub activities by identifying barriers and arranging appropriate support.
  • Coordinate the day-to-day delivery of hub activities.
  • Work with hub members to plan programmes of activity that support intended outcomes.
  • Ensure the safe and effective delivery of all hub activities.
  • Support and work alongside volunteers.
  • Encourage and enable local people to develop skills and confidence.
  • Produce regular written reports as required.
  • Support the recruitment, induction, and ongoing involvement of volunteers within the Connect Together: Health & Happiness Hubs.
  • Identify, encourage and support volunteers from the local community, including hub participants, using inclusive and flexible approaches such as microvolunteering.
  • Provide day-to-day guidance and support to volunteers during hub activities, ensuring they feel confident, valued and clear about their roles and boundaries.
  • Ensure volunteers work in line with safeguarding requirements, confidentiality and DIAL policies, escalating any concerns as appropriate.
  • Contribute to a positive volunteer culture by recognising contributions, supporting skill development and gathering feedback on volunteer experience and impact.
  • Support people using the service to complete measurement tools to evidence outcomes and longer‑term benefits of participation.
  • Complete and maintain full records of participation for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
  • Manage and maintain a database of all referrals and activity, ensuring client data is accurately entered and reports are produced as required.
  • Adhere to GDPR and data sharing protocols.
  • Actively gather case studies that demonstrate impact.
  • Actively contribute to the performance management, monitoring and evaluation to ensure the service is on target to meet agreed outputs and outcomes and satisfy the requirements of stakeholders.
  • Attend and contribute to service meetings as required.
• Stakeholder Relationships
  • Develop constructive working relationships with colleagues from groups, agencies and services across the borough to promote the service, support appropriate referrals and maximise reach.
  • Work collaboratively with partner organisations to co-design and co-deliver activities that enhance hub sessions and respond to local needs and interests.
  • Establish and maintain effective referral processes.
  • Build strong working relationships with colleagues within DIAL to support effective team and cross‑organisational working.
• Other Duties
  • Act as an ambassador for DIAL.
  • Work within DIAL’s aims, objectives, values, anti‑discriminatory and equal opportunities policies, maintaining strict confidentiality at all times.
  • Participate in training and professional development as required.
  • Attend mandatory staff supervision sessions.
  • Work as part of the wider DIAL staff team, attending staff meetings and training opportunities relevant to the role.
  • Carry out any other duties, in consultation with the line manager, consistent with the responsibilities and nature of the post.
  • Post may require some out of hours working to travel and attend activities/meetings across the borough.

Location Barnsley

Type of Contract Contract

Hours 28 hours per week

Benefits 8% employer pension contribution. Flexible working. 5 weeks annual leave (pro rata). Up to 4 weeks paid annual leave for carers (pro rata). Access to an employer-funded benefits scheme via SAGE, including discounted shopping, GP services, and health and well-being support.

Closing Date 02-03-2026

How to Apply To apply, please download the job pack and return the completed application form and equal opportunities monitoring form to nicola.walker@dialbarnsley.org.uk. To download the job pack: Download Job Pack.