Following an internal promotion, we are recruiting a Community Investment and Grants Officer. Join our small but amazing team and help us make Southwark a great place for everyone. It’s great job – you will be building relationships, working with a range of local groups, and helping to change lives through providing grants and support to local groups.
Here are a few words from Morgan Tume, who has been promoted to the Appleby Centre Manager:
“Whilst being a community investment officer, I have had to have a bird’s eye view of everything that is happening within the voluntary and community sector, from understanding needs and demands of different communities across Southwark, knowing what’s happening internally for large and small organisations, attending networking meetings and consultations to see if there is any support our teams can give, and reaching out to build stronger relationships with the organisations in South of the borough since we changed our grant-giving parameters. United St Saviour’s is very reflective in its work and continuously pivoting to make things work for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).
I have been managing the small grant programme, which is very enjoyable as you get to resource those with big hearts, community spirits and fun ideas. It can be so inspirational to see the organisations you have supported thriving and growing or you get to spend the day with an entire estate out enjoying themselves at a community fun day. You get to see a difference in the community each day, but on some occasions, you have to have difficult or tactful conversations with those who are unsuccessful and remain present in those communities even when organisations are unsuccessful.
The most pleasurable experience about working at United St Saviours is working alongside a very dynamic team who are visionary and action orientated. Instantly this changes the culture of the working environment to a ‘can do’ attitude and risk-taking environment, rather than sitting in hesitation and red tape. It has allowed us to be responsive to local issues; for example, I enjoyed working in partnership to design a fund that supported ‘warm spaces’ so that through the winter, older people have somewhere warm to go and grab food because everyone’s bills and the price of food increased.
My skills and capabilities have always been acknowledged as an employee, so much so that I have been promoted to Appleby Centre Manager. My entire career has led to this moment, and I will help to pioneer a community space in Bermondsey with older people at heart. I am nearly finished with my Master’s in Psychology, and I intend to make health care more available in community settings like Appleby Blue. I have been exploring ‘the social cure’ theory has demonstrated community interventions can improve health and well-being because they can provide emotional and social support, give a sense of purpose and improve quality of life. I am working on my research dissertation, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of community-based lunch clubs for older adults’ well-being by understanding attendees’ and community volunteers’ perspectives of the group and how these interventions allow them to receive or give social support. My study will be invaluable to Appleby Blue’s community kitchen, understanding practical ways to motivate isolated residents or those resistant to joining community-based activities because of stigma. It is really exciting that I can implement my learning from my research in the new role!”
If you want an informal chat, contact Morgan (Mtume@ustsc.org.uk) or Sarah at (Sthurman@ustsc.org.uk) and they will get back to you. The application deadline is 31st May and the interviews will be on 8th or 9th June.
For more information about please down the Community Investment Officer Recruitment Pack 2023
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