Project Assistant and Trainee

Going Wild in Bishop s Castle Project Assistant and Trainee 22.5 hours per week, fixed term contract from 1st July 2024 to 31st January 2027 Salary Scale: £22,308 per annum pro rata (£10,038.60 for 2024/25). This salary will increase by 5% at the start of each financial year. Reporting: The post-holder is responsible to the Going Wild in Bishop s Castle Project Co-ordinator. What is Going Wild in Bishop s Castle (Going Wild)? Going Wild is a part of Lightfoot (see below) and was formed by members of the Bishop s Castle community as a response to the climate and biodiversity crisis which we face. Going Wild is committed to improving the Shropshire town of Bishop s Castle and its immediate environs for biodiversity and to bringing wildlife into the lives of those living in Bishop s Castle and visiting the town. Going Wild aims to enhance public green space, private gardens and nearby farmland, working closely with the Town Council, schools, local businesses, landowners to make all of these spaces richer in biodiversity. Going Wild aims to engage local people of all demographics in this endeavour and to increase the skills within the community to record and manage species and habitats. Main Purpose of the post Working directly for the Going Wild Project Co-ordinator, help to provide simple management plans for public spaces within Bishop s Castle. Help to engage the community of Bishop s Castle with nature through a series of events, articles and talks, using face-to-face and digital methods to reach as many people as possible. Help to run regular activities for volunteers which will include taster sessions, work parties, a children s/young people s wildlife club and a series of winter talks in the town hall. The post holder will help to plan, organise, manage and deliver this programme of activities and public facing events with a specific focus on nature-based volunteer involvement and participation. Principal duties and responsibilities The following duties are not our exhaustive list but are an indication of the responsibilities of the post-holder: • Help to recruit, manage and train new groups of volunteers to undertake regular conservation tasks in and around Bishop s Castle. Plan and deliver monthly conservation tasks, suitable for volunteers with a range of training and ability. • Help to implement a system of training opportunities to ensure high quality work and valuable learning opportunities exist for volunteers. Budgets exist to pay for specialist input. • Help to work with owners and managers of land to create simple management plans for minimum 20 of the previously identified 33 green spaces including a map, a monthly work plan and a three-year work plan. • Help to recruit children and young people to join a Going Wild club and run regular activities, liaising with existing local clubs such as the scouting groups. Work closely with both schools to improve their grounds and engage pupils. • Help to care for the project resources (protective clothing, tools and stocks of materials) and for ensuring they are maintained and replaced as appropriate. • Help at community events in the area to promote the project and to recruit new volunteers. These will include events such as the Carnival and Michaelmas Fair and on occasion, town council meetings. • Help to organise and deliver taster events to engage. Assist in the running of a series of winter talks in the town hall to be followed by summer activities outdoors. • Help to plan and deliver a rolling programme of publicity and promotion across a range of media to encourage involvement with the project and to galvanise people to action in their own homes and gardens. • Help to produce a Toolkit to enable other communities to undertake similar work, whilst this will be of interest to individuals and groups it will be particularly aimed at Town and Parish Councils needing to respond to the climate and biodiversity crises. • Support work in partnership with other groups and organisations engaged in nature conservation and in increasing public wellness. • Assisting with day to day project operations, gathering evaluation information, reporting to funders and preparing claims. • With guidance from the Project Co-ordinator, ensure that all practical work is carried out adhering to Health & Safety procedures and be aware of responsibilities under the Lightfoot policy statements. • Ensure volunteers and learners receive valuable experience and training plus enjoyment and a sense of achievement General • Keep records of work undertaken and log time using the GWinBC timesheet. • Carry out any other reasonable duties to perform job role. • Assist with activities involving staff in general such as AGM and open days. Core Skills (essential and desirable) Experience Basic administration skills - Essential Involvement with voluntary activities - Essential Familiarity with social media - Essential Fulfilling health and safety requirements - Essential Experience of practical conservation tasks - Desirable Working collaboratively in partnership with outside organisations - Desirable Record keeping - Desirable Report writing - Desirable Website skills - Desirable Experience of working with or engaging young people (DBS checks will be required) - Desirable Educated to A-level or equivalent - Desirable Skills Excellent oral and written communication skills - Essential Good organisational, planning, time management and prioritising skills - Essential Ability to involve and engage and work with a wide range of people and groups within the community from all backgrounds and interests, points of view - Essential IT literate - Essential Ability to publicise and promote the project - Desirable First Aid at Work certificate or Emergency First Aid - Desirable Full clean UK driving licence - Desirable Personal Qualities Enthusiastic to learn and develop new skills - Essential Passionate about the environment and want to share this with others - Essential Flexibility and adaptable - Essential Professional and responsible outlook - Essential Determination to succeed - Essential Good listener and patient - Essential Training and Development Going Wild and Lightfoot are committed to a strategy for the training and development of its staff. The responsibility for training and development is shared between individual members of staff and the organisation. Each member will receive induction training to provide basic knowledge of his or her job and the organisation. Continuing training will also be offered in the form of in-house training or attendance at external courses for skills and personal development as individual needs are identified. Training for the successful applicant will include: Practical conservation skills such as scything and other tool use and care. Species and habitat identification and habitat management. Ecological planning and running conservation tasks. First aid, risk assessment and running events for children and young people. Working conditions etc Hours: 22.5 hours per week. This does not include lunchtime and other breaks during the day. This may involve some weekend and evening duties for which time off in lieu will be given. Location: There is office space within Enterprise House, located at 22 Station Street, Bishop s Castle, SY9 5AQ. A combination of office and home working is possible, to be agreed with your line manager. Notice period: There will be an initial probationary period of 3 months following which an appraisal will be made. If successful, a notice period of one month from either side will be required. Annual leave: 25 days plus Bank Holidays pro rata. Expenses: Car users will be reimbursed at 45p per miles and all out of pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the project will be reimbursed subject to satisfactory accounting. Pension: Lightfoot offers a work-based pension to employees; you can choose to opt out of this. Line Management: The Project Co-ordinator will provide the line management responsibilities with support from Enterprise House and the steering group. Recruitment Process: Application deadline: 10am Monday 20th May Please send a covering letter outlining why you are a good fit for the job and accompanying CV (including two referees). Please include where you saw the job advertised. F.A.O. Daniel Hodgkiss, Project Co-ordinator, Going Wild in Bishop s Castle, Enterprise House, Station Street, Bishop s Castle, Shropshire, SY9 5AQ or email to goingwild(at)lightfootenterprises.org. Interviews will take place in Bishop s Castle on Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th June 2024 and if short-listed you will hear from us by 24th May. If you require any further information, please contact goingwild(at)lightfootenterprises.org.

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