Health and Community Engagement Worker

Job Opportunity: Health and Community Engagement Worker

Organisation: CREST South Tyneside
Location: South Tyneside (community-based and office-based)
Hours: 30 hours per week

**Salary**: Competitive, dependent on experience
Closing Date: 01/09/20225

About CREST:
CREST is a well-established community organisation based in South Tyneside. We support individuals and families from diverse backgrounds, including refugees, asylum seekers, and people experiencing hardship. Our work is rooted in inclusion, wellbeing, and empowerment helping people build brighter futures through access to support, services, and opportunities.

About the Role:
We are looking for a dynamic and compassionate Health and Community Engagement (Development) Worker to join our team. This is a key frontline role that blends mental wellbeing support with grassroots community development.

You will work directly with individuals and groups to improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, and strengthen connections between people and local services. You will also help design and grow community-led activities that respond to local needs.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include:
Wellbeing and Early Mental Health Support
- Offer a non-clinical listening ear to individuals experiencing low-level mental health challenges such as loneliness, anxiety, or stress.
- Provide supportive, trauma-informed conversations and make appropriate referrals to services such as Life Cycle, GP social prescribing teams, Talking Therapies, or housing/benefits support.
- Help individuals build confidence and develop their own coping strategies and support networks.

Community Engagement and Development
- Build trusted relationships with residents, especially those who are isolated or marginalised.
- Encourage participation in existing activities and co-create new groups based on identified need.
- Support individuals and communities to organise and lead their own initiatives where possible.
- Engage in outreach work — including at community centres, GP surgeries, libraries, mosques, churches, schools, and local events.
- Build links with local organisations and partners to widen opportunities for the people we support.
- Help gather community insights and feed into project planning, ensuring services reflect community voice.

Monitoring and Development
- Keep clear records of referrals, outcomes, and community engagement activities.
- Contribute to case studies, feedback forms, and project evaluation reports.
- Work closely with the wider CREST team and partners to continually improve our support offer.

About You:
You are:

- Passionate about community-led change and mental wellbeing.
- A great listener and communicator, with strong people skills.
- Proactive, culturally sensitive, and able to adapt your approach to different situations.
- Experienced in working with individuals or groups in a support, community, or development setting.
- Able to work independently and as part of a supportive team.
- Organised and able to manage multiple tasks and priorities.

Essential Skills

Communication & Interpersonal Skills
- Active listening and empathetic communication
- Ability to build trust with individuals from diverse backgrounds
- Clear and professional verbal and written communication

Community Engagement
- Experience in outreach and engagement within local communities
- Ability to co-create and support community-led initiatives
- Confidence in working in varied settings (e.g., schools, faith centres, GP surgeries)

Mental Health Awareness
- Understanding of low-level mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, loneliness)
- Trauma-informed approach to support
- Ability to provide non-clinical emotional support and make referrals

Cultural Sensitivity
- Awareness of challenges faced by refugees, asylum seekers, and disadvantaged groups
- Ability to adapt support to different cultural and social contexts

Organisational Skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities independently
- Accurate record-keeping and reporting
- Contribution to evaluations and feedback processes

Teamwork & Collaboration
- Ability to work effectively within a team and with external partners
- Willingness to share insights and contribute to service development

Desirable Skills & Qualifications
- Mental Health First Aid or Safeguarding training
- Experience in peer support, co-production, or community organising
- Knowledge of local support services (e.g., social prescribing, housing, benefits)
- Knowledge of the challenges facing refugees, asylum seekers, and disadvantaged communities.
- Experience of co-production, peer support, or community organising.
- Mental health first aid, safeguarding, or related qualifications.

What We Offer:

- A welcoming and inclusive workplace.
- The opportunity to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
- Ongoing training and support, including mental health and community development tools.
- A flexible, values-driven organisation that puts people first.

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