Main Purpose of Job
Local peer-led bereavement support is a core part of what we do here at Sands. This is primarily delivered by Support Groups and Sands United run by dedicated volunteers right across the UK, most of whom are bereaved themselves. There are 92 groups and 35 Sands United team across the UK who provide safe and welcoming spaces to be there for each other.
That’s not all, in the community there are volunteers who liaise with hospitals and maternity teams, fundraise as part of their Team or Group, knit and crochet for Sands and much more.
As a Sands Community Development Officer, you'll make sure that anyone affected by baby loss or the death of a baby has the chance to access Sands peer led activities promoting sport and activities for health, wellbeing and support services and groups, ensuring that all sections of the community are aware of available activities and where they can go to be part of the community. We are looking for successful, demonstrable experience of working with minoritised communities and a good working understanding of the barriers people experience accessing bereavement support and care in statutory, health and community settings.
The link between good mental health and physical activity is well known and Sands’ peer to peer activities have shown how beneficial connection with other bereaved parents in a shared endeavour can be. SUFC football teams are currently the primary Sands’ sporting activity, and we are looking to grow these teams, as well as develop new activity across all communities, such as running clubs, crafting groups, walking groups, choirs. This link stretches into other Sands activity such as that delivered by the income teams, so cross team collaboration is a key component of this job.

In this role you'll be the connector for current and future volunteers, sharing information, organising activity-related programmes, as well as family-engagement and peer support activities in your region. You’ll be the person enabling volunteers to make peer to peer support and activity-based support happen in, with and for communities by raising awareness of everything Sands can provide.
The central aim is to increase access to and participation in Sands Community activities through enabling and supporting volunteers.
Responsibilities
As a Community Development Officer, you'll need to:
Be an opportunity-spotter and connector:
• Proactively work with the wider Community and Volunteering Team to identify opportunities for new recruitment of volunteers, expansion of community and the creation of new volunteer roles to support activity in your region.
• Use your experience of working with marginalised and under-represented communities to reach those not currently supported by Sands and develop community activities and support accordingly.
• Focussing on enabling volunteers to deliver activity across all Sands teams - connecting with the relevant Sands’ teams for their resources, guidance and support.
• Proactively identify opportunities to grow the local bereavement support offer through support groups, sport and wellbeing activities and support the delivery and implementation of UK wide plans in your area
• Proactively develop a range of partnerships with organisations, hospitals and initiatives focused on Sands’ work and connecting with the right staff team at Sands for delivery. E.g. Bereavement in the Workplace training, Sands’ Healthcare professionals training, Campaigning and signposting to Sands’ bereavement support
• Coordinate, deliver and promote relevant activities and Sands events in your defined geographical area, often within a specific community, demographic or to targeted groups of people seldom reached with support following baby loss.
• Seek opportunities for local awareness raising, including through enabling volunteers and those who are part of Sands to use their voices, so that anyone affected by baby loss is more aware of the local support opportunities available to them.
• Working collaboratively with Income Teams to ensure that all income generating activity is directed to and stewarded by them, that all money raised supports all Sands activities and is consistent with strategic growth.
• Use your networks to promote Sands’ fundraising challenges across the region as a powerful tool to support parents in creating a legacy for their babies
• Working closely with Sands’ Partnerships and Philanthropy team, and Development Leads, you will ensure any potential community partnership meets Sands’ ethical standards and any financial partnership leads are handed over.

Deliver on peer support and activity development:
• In partnership with the wider Community and Volunteering Team, and the Programme Leads, embed evolving structures for peer-to-peer support activity to support volunteers.
• In partnership with the BSS team, develop strong referral routes and signposting to ensure volunteers and supporters have access to Sands’ accredited and trauma-informed services
• Support volunteers, Groups and Teams, to transform ideas into action (within remit of our programmes and in line with Sands aims)
• Work with Programme Leads, volunteers and the extended community to ensure volunteers are creating physically and psychologically safe places for support, including elements of health & safety standards and trauma-informed practice.
• Liaise with and escalate to Development and Programme Leads to support the handling of issues such as safeguarding, good practice in involvement and learning opportunities for volunteers
Support good practice in community and volunteer development:
• Enable volunteers to deliver activities through good volunteer management practice, pro-actively navigating challenges, and providing support and guidance.
• Provide initial guidance and point of contact for Support Group and Sands United funding opportunities and storytelling, liaising when needed with the Philanthropy and Partnerships Team, Communications and Engagement Team and Senior Volunteering Manager.
• Practice and support excellent standards in all aspects of inclusion and diversity, particularly in reaching marginalised groups and enabling volunteers to provide inclusive support spaces.
• Maintaining accurate records, following Community and Volunteering Team practice for communication tracking and process delivery

Community in Central England
• Ensure volunteers in Central England are working in line with national volunteering practice and ways of working
• Keep track of and refer to relevant teams any regional policy developments and hospital care issues. Work in collaboration to ensure a consistent response where appropriate.
• Promote and signpost fundraisers and potential financial partners to the correct team and deliver excellent storytelling to support national fundraising
• Work in collaboration to identify and signpost opportunities to become involved with Sands' campaigning, hospital liaison, community parent speaker roles and to join our Insights Voices work, to enable volunteers and bereaved parents to grow and evolve their support of and from Sands.