Social Prescribing Sport

**About Aspire Oxford**

Aspire is an award-winning, Oxford based employment and housing charity and social enterprise, founded in 2001. We support individuals to overcome barriers to employment and housing, through a trauma informed and strengths based approach. Aspire works to create accessible, meaningful and supported work placement, training and employment opportunities for individuals across Oxfordshire, facing complex barriers to work. Aspire harnesses the tenacity and determination that has enabled its volunteers, to overcome often traumatic life experiences such as homelessness, substance misuse, criminality, and social exclusion; and show, through a culture of change and possibility, that personal and professional success is available and achievable.

Aspire’s Social Prescribing project offers supported sport and physical activity sessions, to people looking to improve their wellbeing and engage in their recovery. We offer a wide range of activities including boxercise, football, canoeing, climbing and fishing; all designed to help improve physical fitness, build motivation, develop confidence and also build new positive relationships whilst having fun and getting fitter. Social Prescribing also encourages people to progress on through sport and activity and gain qualifications, aimed at getting back into meaningful employment.

Aspire is delivering the ‘Get Connected’ project in partnership with Turning Point’s drugs & alcohol service throughout Oxfordshire in Oxford (City), Didcot, Witney and Banbury. The Social Prescribing project will work alongside the ‘Get Connected’ team to engage clients throughout the hubs in various sport and activity sessions.

**Overall Purpose of Job**

Reporting to the Aspire’s Social Prescribing Lead, the jobholder will be working alongside the Social Prescribing coaches to coordinate and run engaging, fun and at times, life changing sessions. These include, the gym club, boxercise, football, canoeing, wall climbing, yoga and many more exciting sessions for people looking to improve their wellbeing and reach new individual goals. In addition the role will be supporting Aspire’s ‘Get Connected’ project in partnership with Turning Point to engage and motivate people engaging in drug and alcohol recovery.

As a GROW role, this post is a developmental role for individuals who are looking for an exciting new challenge. Working within a highly motivated team delivering an exciting project in and around Oxfordshire, the post will provide opportunities to learn and develop new skills for future employment in a supportive and positive, professional environment. Applicants with ‘lived experience’ of a barrier to employment, such as homelessness and/or drug or alcohol addiction, are strongly encouraged to apply.

**Key tasks and accountabilities**

Key tasks and accountabilities are intended to be a guide to the range and level of work expected of the post holder. This is not an exhaustive list of all tasks that may fall to the post holder and employees will be expected to carry out such other reasonable duties which may be required from time to time.

**Key tasks**
- Coordinating, attending and participating in Social Prescribing sessions and working alongside the instructors to make the sessions as fun as possible by being a supportive motivator to all attendees.
- Completing basic enrolment forms as well as other relevant paperwork to ensure we are in line with Aspire / Social Prescribing / Get Connected policies.
- To help attendees with any holistic needs that may be preventing them from moving forward in their personal development. This will include supporting attendees to access wider support across Aspire’s teams.
- To attend presentations in and around Oxfordshire, informing partner agencies of Social Prescribing and its benefits. This in turn will generate more participants as well as keeping partners up to date with the exciting project.
- To attend relevant training that will help the applicant to learn new skills and techniques to enhance their performance.
- To complete a dynamic risk assessment before each activity to assess factors such as whether attendees are under the influence and could pose a risk to their self or others.
- To work with the Social Prescribing Lead to liaise with external providers and help broker new and exciting fitness related opportunities and activities.
- To adhere at all times with health and safety requirements set down in legislation and to also adhere to safe working practices, health and safety policies and other procedures.
- To perform other routine tasks necessary to ensure the efficient and effective day to day operation of Aspire / Social Prescribing / Get Connected Project.

**Essential Skills/Qualities**
- A motivated and non-judgemental individual who is passionate about helping people to overcome barriers to get back into employment. Also, believes in sport and activities as a vital tool to help