Your Park Bristol & Bath is a young charity responsible for increasing access to and engagement with Bristol and Bath parks and green spaces. Addressing inequalities and supporting disadvantaged groups is key to our strategy. However, to truly address the deep-rooted inequities and understand if our green spaces are welcoming to all, we need the time and space to undertake a thorough review of our early work and approach, consult strategically and build on our existing partnerships with community organisations.

 

 Our early pilot projects have demonstrated there is desire for underrepresented communities to access their park if supported to do so. This is reflected in Groundwork's May 2021 report 'Out of Bounds' which found 'a clear appetite for inclusion and nature connection among groups that currently experience barriers to spending time in urban, green, and blue spaces.' These groups need support to overcome barriers experienced due to religion, race, age, disability, gender and LGBTQI+ identity.

 

 Funded by Quartet Community Foundation’s Resilience Fund, your review and consultations with stakeholders and others will help us take stock and will inform our future direction. You will help us define how we will reach a more diverse range of communities to support them to realise the associated benefits of regular access to green spaces and nature, close to home.

 

What you will deliver

You will deliver on the ground research to identify and understand our target communities and prepare a report and plan that has specific recommendations on strategy, partnerships, representation, deliverables and resources.

 

This plan will be used to ensure we provide equal opportunities and effectively engage with groups that are underrepresented in green spaces across all of our work, helping us become one of the leaders in improving access to green space. It will shape our projects over the next 3 years and will be used to evidence the need for our work when applying for future funding.

 

You will:

• Review the latest research on inequities in parks and green spaces

• Review and evaluate our projects and approach

• Hold conversations with local, national and international (Canada & USA) projects to find best practice

• Consult with existing park volunteers and users

• Build on existing partnerships and develop new strategic partners with key local organisations

• Identify and work with 4 partners supporting our target audiences to understand local barriers, issues and motivations.

• Work with the Councils to make recommendations that ensure social equity is at the forefront of policy and practice and embedded in community consultation.

• Identify specific steps we can take with our target communities to enable us to act on what the research tells us.

• Develop a recommendations report supported by an activity and resource plan for the next 3-years

• Develop an impact reporting framework

• Report to our funders, Quartet Community Foundation, at the end of the project

 

Role Profile

Reports to: Director

Line management responsibility: None

Contract: freelance rate of £250/day including expenses for 2 days/week for 4 months.

Internal Contacts: Trustees, Staff team (Director, Head of Fundraising, Communications Officer, Project Officer).

External Contacts: Bristol City Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council Officers and Councillors, local community and volunteer groups, volunteers, local community organisations, other charities, partnerships and stakeholders. 

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Needed

• Good understanding of good practice in working with disadvantaged communities and community engagement, ideally using an Asset Based Community Development approach.

• Good understanding of models and techniques to support community and stakeholder engagement, partnership working and participatory approaches.

• Commitment to the Your Park Bristol & Bath cause, with genuine interest and knowledge of our work.

• Good understanding of the social landscape of Bristol and Bath.

• Have lived experience of barriers to inclusion or access to green space.

• Strong demonstrable consulting skills of listening, building trust and acting to deliver a high-quality service.

• Good partnership working skills. Ability to work collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

• Good communication and presentation skills.

• Creative thinker and problem solver.

• Project management and change management skills.

• Working collaboratively with and alongside different groups and stakeholders to explore new approaches.

• Resource planning- helping to develop appropriate team structures and the required investment to deliver plans.

• Successful development of new approaches to delivering inclusive activities.

Application process

Please submit your CV and a written proposal outlining:

• Your approach to meet the brief including key deliverables/outputs, anticipated timescales, as well as any further thoughts and recommendations.

• How your past experience makes you suitable for the role including at least three relevant examples of similar work you have completed and the results.

• Where you could bring added value.

Please submit your application by midnight on 22nd September 2021 to charlee@yourpark.org.uk. If you have any questions about the brief, please contact Charlee (Director) via the above email.

Interviews will be conducted on Wednesday 29th September, and we would like the successful candidate to start ASAP.