Community Connector

Role Purpose

To support participants across the REACH programme area to access community activities, services and peer support that improve health, wellbeing, self-care and social connection. Working from participant needs and action plans agreed with Social Prescribing Officers, the post holder will translate agreed goals into practical community connections and support. REACH is a project supported by PEACEPLUS; a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The role focuses on community navigation and engagement: developing and maintaining a comprehensive map and electronic menu of community resources, brokering relationships with voluntary, community, statutory and public sector partners, and reducing practical, social and confidence-related barriers to participation.

The post holder will work across NI and ROI jurisdictions as required, supporting cross-border peer support groups and community engagement, maintaining accurate participant records on the Management Information System, and providing appropriate follow-up and onward signposting in line with agreed action plans, data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Support participants to access appropriate community activities, groups and services in line with needs and action plans agreed with Social Prescribing Officers.
• Develop, maintain and regularly update a comprehensive map of community resources across the REACH programme area as a core programme deliverable.
• Create, maintain and quality-check an electronic community resource menu to support consistent signposting, referrals and onward pathways across REACH.
• Connect participants with activities, groups and services that support improved health, wellbeing, self-care, confidence and social connection.
• Manage an allocated caseload, with caseload volume, contact frequency and review arrangements agreed through supervision according to participant need, complexity, programme capacity and targets.
• Implement the community support elements of participant action plans agreed with Social Prescribing Officers, feeding back progress, barriers and changes in need.
• Encourage and empower participants to make informed choices, build confidence and take positive steps towards agreed goals.
• Reduce practical, social and confidence-related barriers to participation, including appropriate support to help participants attend initial activities.
• Provide planned follow-up and contribute to participant reviews, identifying whether community connections are useful, sustained or require adjustment.
• Set up, facilitate and maintain a network of cross-border peer support groups, with activity developed in response to emerging participant needs and interests and recorded as a core REACH output.
• Facilitate a range of in-person and online engagement opportunities with participants.
• Arrange community meetings and networking opportunities to strengthen local connections, referral pathways and sustained peer support.
• Work closely with delivery partners and Community Connectors across the programme to coordinate participant and community activity, avoid duplication and share learning.
• Broker and develop partnerships with public, statutory, community and voluntary sector agencies to improve participant access to services and support.
• Maintain strong knowledge of local community services, activities and support pathways to ensure effective referrals and signposting.
• Promote REACH positively to participants, the public, partner organisations, external agencies and relevant statutory bodies.
• Maintain accurate, timely participant records on the Management Information System to support monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit requirements.
• Ensure participants receive appropriate aftercare and follow-up, including onward signposting to other services where required.
• Identify gaps, trends and emerging needs in local community provision, feeding these back to the Social Prescribing Coordinator to inform service development.
• Support the recruitment, induction and ongoing support of volunteers and peer facilitators to extend the reach, capacity and sustainability of community and peer support activity, in line with Clanrye Group policies and procedures.
• Contribute to the delivery of agreed REACH objectives and KPIs, including participant engagement and follow-up, community connections and referrals, sustained participation where measurable, community resource mapping, peer support activity, partnership development and accurate MIS records.

Operational Duties

• Plan and organise participant appointments, community visits, group activity and follow-up in line with agreed caseload priorities and programme requirements.
• Complete administration, participant records, consent and supporting evidence accurately and within agreed timescales.
• Use Microsoft 365, the Management Information System and other approved project tools effectively, maintaining data quality, confidentiality and secure information handling.
• Apply relevant risk assessment, lone-working, venue safety and travel procedures across community, outreach and cross-border settings.
• Report operational risks, incidents, safeguarding concerns, barriers to delivery or system issues promptly to the Social Prescribing Coordinator.

Communication and Teamwork

• Work collaboratively with Social Prescribing Officers, REACH colleagues, delivery partners and community organisations to provide a joined-up participant experience.
• Communicate courteously, professionally and in a person-centred way with participants, colleagues, partners, service providers and members of the public.
• Share relevant information and raise concerns in a timely manner, observing confidentiality, data protection and appropriate professional boundaries.

Compliance and Standards

• Follow Clanrye Group policies, procedures and the Code of Conduct at all times.
• Maintain appropriate standards of professional conduct, boundaries, confidentiality, information governance and health and safety.
• Deliver REACH activity in line with relevant PEACEPLUS/SEUPB funder requirements and conditions, maintaining the records, evidence and audit trail required for monitoring, verification and reporting.

Supervision and Autonomy

The post holder works with a significant degree of autonomy within an allocated caseload, exercising judgement in community signposting, group facilitation, partnership engagement and participant follow-up within agreed procedures. Caseload volume, priorities, contact frequency and review arrangements are agreed through regular supervision with the Social Prescribing Coordinator. Complex, safeguarding or non-routine matters are referred for guidance.

Decision-Making

Makes professional judgements within a defined framework, including selecting appropriate community resources, supporting participant engagement, coordinating peer support activity and identifying when onward signposting, further assessment or escalation is required. Assessment and action-plan changes are referred back to the Social Prescribing Officer/Coordinator as appropriate.

People Management

No line management or formal supervisory responsibility. The post holder will coordinate participant, peer-support and partnership activity as required but does not hold formal staff management responsibility.

Financial Responsibility

No budget responsibility. May handle small amounts of cash or petty cash in line with procedures (e.g., bus fares, vending), where applicable.

Safeguarding Responsibility

All Clanrye Group staff have a duty to recognise and report safeguarding concerns relating to children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

The post holder must:

• Complete basic safeguarding awareness training during induction.
• Remain alert to signs of harm, abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
• Report any safeguarding concerns immediately to line manager or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Organisational Responsibilities

All employees of Clanrye Group are required to:

• Work in accordance with organisational policies, procedures, and the Code of Conduct.
• Comply with data protection, confidentiality, equality, and health and safety requirements.
• Participate in supervision, appraisal, and training activities as required.
• Work collaboratively to support effective communication and continuous improvement.

Flexibility Clause

The duties outlined above represent the core functions of this role but are not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature and level of responsibility as may reasonably be required to meet the changing needs of the organisation.

Any significant changes will be discussed in advance where possible. Reasonable adjustments will be considered where changes may disadvantage disabled employees.

Person Specification

(E = Essential, D = Desirable)

Qualifications and Training

• Relevant qualification in community development, health and social care, youth and community work, wellbeing, advice and guidance or a related field (D)
• Willingness to undertake role-specific training, including trauma-informed practice, professional boundaries, safeguarding, data protection and use of project systems (E)

Experience

• Experience of supporting individuals to access community activities, services or support, particularly where people may be experiencing social isolation, poor health, low confidence or other barriers to participation (E)
• Experience of working with vulnerable adults, families or people with complex social, emotional, health or wellbeing needs in a community, voluntary, health, social care, advice, wellbeing or employability setting, or demonstrable transferable experience (D)
• Experience of delivering or facilitating community-based, group or peer support activities, either in person or online (E)
• Experience of partnership working with community, voluntary, statutory or public sector organisations to improve access to services and support, or demonstrable transferable experience (E)
• Experience of maintaining accurate case or participant records, using databases or Management Information Systems, and contributing to monitoring and evaluation information (E)
• Experience of developing community resource directories, service maps, referral pathways or signposting information (D)
• Experience of outreach, community engagement or promoting services to external agencies and members of the public (D)
• Experience of cross-border or cross-jurisdictional partnership working (D)

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to build trusting, person-centred relationships with participants and support them to make informed choices (E)
• Ability to work in a strengths-based and trauma-informed way, recognising barriers to engagement while promoting independence, dignity and choice (E)
• Strong knowledge of, or ability to develop knowledge of, local community services, activities and support pathways across the REACH programme area (E)
• Ability to connect participants to appropriate community resources and reduce practical, social or confidence-related barriers to engagement (E)
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while supporting participants in community settings (E)
• Ability to identify when a participant may require additional support, safeguarding escalation, onward referral or follow-up action (E)
• Ability to facilitate in-person and online groups, peer support activities, meetings and community engagement opportunities (E)
• Strong interpersonal, communication and networking skills, with the confidence to engage appropriately with participants, partners and external agencies (E)
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage a caseload, plan activities, prioritise work and follow up actions within agreed timescales (E)
• Good IT skills, including use of Microsoft 365, databases or Management Information Systems for record keeping, monitoring and reporting (E)
• Understanding of confidentiality, data protection and appropriate handling of sensitive personal and health-related information (E)
• Understanding of, or ability to quickly develop awareness of, both HSC and HSE health, social care and community support structures (D)

Personal Qualities

• Person-centred, compassionate and respectful approach, with a strong commitment to empowering participants rather than creating dependency (E)
• Respectful and courteous in dealings with colleagues, participants, partners, visitors and members of the public (E)
• Positive, flexible and proactive attitude, with the confidence to work in varied community settings (E)
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently, using initiative while knowing when to seek advice or escalate concerns (E)
• Reliable, well organised and able to maintain accurate records and follow through on agreed actions (E)
• Commitment to equality, inclusion, dignity and anti-discriminatory practice (E)
• Resilient, calm and solution-focused when supporting people who may be experiencing disadvantage, isolation or challenging life circumstances (E)

Safeguarding and Vetting

• Willingness to complete safeguarding awareness training (E)
• Willingness and eligibility to undertake an Enhanced check, or Barred List check where the role involves regulated activity (E) nidirect.gov.uk/articles/regulated-activity-vulnerable-groups

Other Requirements

• Ability to work at assigned location(s) and travel across the REACH programme area, including the Southern Trust Area, South Eastern Trust Area, Monaghan, Cavan and Louth, and to community, partner and cross-border locations where required; reasonable adjustments will be considered (E)
• Willingness to work flexibly within agreed working hours, which may include early mornings, evenings or weekends depending on participant, group or community engagement needs (E)
• Access to a form of transport that enables the post holder to fulfil the requirements of the role, with reasonable adjustments considered where appropriate (E)

Employee Benefits

• Annual leave: 20 days rising to 25 after 2 years’ service, plus 12 statutory days
• Length of service holiday awards (up to 5 additional days)
• Flexible working arrangements in line with policy
• Workplace pension (auto‑enrolment)
• Occupational sick pay and Personal Health Insurance (subject to scheme rules)
• Enhanced family‑friendly rights
• Wellbeing hour (one paid hour pro rata per week, subject to agreement)
• Continuous Professional Development opportunities
• Birthday leave