Www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Information sheet
Freelance Wellbeing Facilitator
About Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a non-government funded charity striving for nature’s recovery to address the ecological and climate crises in a way that benefits the people living, working and visiting the Cheshire region.
Formed in 1962 by volunteers, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is one of 46 independent charities, which together form the UK wide Wildlife Trust movement. The Trust benefits from the support of over 15,500 members and 500 volunteers and is governed by a Board of Trustees. Cheshire Wildlife Trust currently employs 54 staff and is growing. We are passionate about securing a future for local wildlife on land and sea and also work as part of the Wildlife Trust movement to influence decision making for nature at the highest level nationally.
Our work is funded mainly through individual giving, delivery of services and grants. As a charity, our strength lies in the support of our members, donors and volunteers. By supporting Cheshire Wildlife Trust, you can do your bit for conservation in the knowledge that you are helping conserve wildlife locally, on your doorstep. Our membership not only provides financial support but also the mandate to lobby for policy change. We continually strive to grow our membership and volunteer base so that we can deliver more for nature.
Cheshire is an area of great ecological and demographic diversity, no longer recognised as a single administrative area. Our patch stretches from the Dee and Mersey Estuaries of the Wirral, across the Meres and Mosses landscape of the Cheshire plain to the Pennine fringes and large urban conurbations of South Manchester, Warrington and Halton.
We want an environment where wildlife can move freely through the landscape; where wild places are valued, protected and well managed; where a healthy environment provides services to society; and where the next generation can enjoy a rich diversity of plants, animals and habitats near where they live. We cannot achieve this alone but by working with partner organisations, land managers, businesses and communities we can ensure nature’s recovery.
We make space for local wildlife by managing our own nature reserves and influencing land management and decision making by others. We work with communities and particularly young people to create a connection with wildlife that ensures the value of nature to all our lives is not overlooked by the next generation. Our Living Landscape and Living Seas programmes drive our ambition to work in partnership with those who work our land and sea along with policy makers to create ecological networks for people and wildlife.
Taking a local approach sets us apart from many other conservation charities and you can be sure that by supporting Cheshire Wildlife Trust that you are directly supporting wildlife conservation in your local area- wherever you live in the Cheshire region, you are no more than 8 miles from a Cheshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve.
We are striving for nature’s recovery within a generation and our 2030 strategy sets out our current approach: . We know that nature is in trouble and in order to bring wildlife back, we need everyone to be passionate about reversing this fortune. We have already achieved great success; influencing the protection, management and creation of over 8,000 ha of land annually and engaging, inspiring and empowering over 50,000 people a year to take action. Our strategy focuses our actions on the outcomes we believe will make a real and lasting difference to local wildlife.
Our vision is for a wilder Cheshire by 2030
Our purpose is to bring wildlife back-for everyone, everywhere.
Our three strategic goals are focused around three crises we must address:
Wildlife is in crisis- Let’s fight for wildlife’s recovery.
At least 30% of the land and sea in the UK needs to be managed for nature so that missing wildlife will return. We want to see more and better connected wild spaces and the pressures on the environment reduced.
Climate is in crisis- Let’s make nature part of the solution.
Resilient nature will help combat climate change. We need more carbon to be locked up in our plants and soils and to restore broken ecosystems.
We are in crisis- Let’s have more people on nature’s side.
Our wellbeing and economy relies on a healthy, natural environment. We need everyone to be passionate about wildlife and at least 1 in 4 people to be taking action for nature’s recovery.
The Wildlife Trusts
We are part of a partnership of 46 local Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus the Isle of Man and Alderney - the largest voluntary organisation in the UK solely dedicated to protecting wildlife. There are nearly 850,000 members and 2,256 nature reserves across the UK. The Trust's junior membership Wildlife Watch is also a part of this UK network. The Wildlife Trusts lobby for better protection of the UK's natural heritage and are dedicated to protecting wildlife for the future.
You can find out more about the work of the Wildlife Trusts here:
Funding
Our annual turnover is approximately £2.8m, of which about one-third comes from our membership. Grants and income from services contribute the remainder.
For more information, please visit:
.uk- to view our strategy and latest news
to view The Wildlife Trusts ‘A Living Landscape’ report
The Trust culture and working environment
The Trust is a small and friendly organisation employing around 54 staff and is supported by a large number of volunteers, trainees and interns. The Trust staff includes a Nature Recovery team, Fundraising and Engagement team and a Business and Finance team. The people who work for the Trust are passionate about the natural environment and local wildlife conservation. We have a highly motivated and committed team who are driven to succeed and we believe that our staff thrive best in a culture of creative freedom within a strategic framework.
About the role
The natural environment brings tangible benefits to peoples’ health and our Wellbeing with Nature Team is connecting people who will benefit most from our services. With demand for our services increasing, we need to build our capacity to reach more people. Creating a network of Freelance Wellbeing Facilitators will help us to do this.
You will join a passionate Wellbeing with Nature Team and deliver in a small team of two facilitators, comprising an assistant and lead. You will work with audiences that need support to access nature and will be provided with programme referrals from health practitioners, employment support organisations or support service.
Our Wellbeing with Nature programme is a structured 6-week development programme, based around mindfulness, the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection.
The Freelance Wellbeing Facilitator will work in the Wellbeing with Nature Team leading on the delivery of funded wellbeing programmes. If appointed, you will be expected to undergo a DBS check.
Lead facilitators will lead on adapting the session plans to meet the audience needs, be responsible for facilitating sessions, offering personalised support to participants and will be expected to have:
• A first aid qualification
• Mental health qualification
• Safeguarding qualification / experience
• Facilitation skills
If one or more of these are missing, but you still provide relevant experience and skills, you will be eligible for the assistant role. Assistants will be there to support participants, guide the activities, and provide oversight of the group and assist participants that may need additional support.
Duties
1. Delivering/leading Wellbeing with Nature sessions to adults referred into the programme.
2. Ensuring all work is undertaken to CWT's policies (e.g. safeguarding, environmental and health and safety policies and SOP’s).
3. Organising and collecting monitoring evaluation data including completion of a brief programme write up.
4. Ensuring outdoor learning resources are maintained and kept in a safe and usable condition. To create additional activity resources subject to demand and in discussion with the Wellbeing with Nature Team. This includes monitoring equipment, reporting damages and ensuring safe storage.
5. Undertaking light maintenance duties on our sites before use. This could include ensuring path edges are free from encroaching vegetation, litter picking, setting up the delivery site and any other reasonable tasks depending on the site and situation.
6. Setting up the site and preparing materials ready for the session and/or ensuring you have all the correct equipment by liaising with the Wellbeing with Nature Team prior to the session
7. Meeting programme participants at pre-designated places and making sure all attendees are accounted for before setting off.
8. Delivering the sessions within the guidelines and session structures provided to you. This includes adhering to any risk assessments and safe operating procedures
9. Understanding participants’ needs and delivering in a person centred approach to support them to build a connection to nature.
10. Delivering mindfulness groundings and meditations. Facilitating session feedback to cement understanding.
11. Cleaning any materials, tools or equipment, and returning them to the storage space, as well as making the site safe before leaving at the end of the day.
12. Leaving site as found after use.
13. You might also be asked to transport materials, equipment and tools in your own vehicle.
14. Reporting any accidents or near misses in a timely fashion.
15. Liaising with the Wellbeing with Nature Team to keep your work allocation up to date and to invoice for your time on a regular basis to be agreed.
The person who would be suitable for this work will need to demonstrate that they have the following knowledge, experience and skills and you should do this through your CV and covering letter. See note above in reference to responsibilities and qualifications of lead and assistant facilitators.
Qualification
• A relevant degree, teaching qualification or prior delivery experience
• A Forest School level 3 qualification, preferred but not essential
• First Aid certificate
• Mental Health qualification
Knowledge
• A good general knowledge of British wildlife and conservation issues
• An understanding of the Health & Safety requirements and welfare issues of working with vulnerable adults and young people
• An understanding of the nature connection
• Knowledge of creative ways to emotionally engage audiences
Experience
Experience of the following is desirable but training will be given in delivering Wellbeing with Nature.
• Working with people and utilising and empathetic person-centred approach
• Delivering a wellbeing intervention
• Working with adults in an outdoor setting or delivering environmental engagement work
• Delivering practical conservation opportunities or volunteer for nature tasks
• Working with volunteers
• Engaging audiences with mental health concerns
Skills
• Be driven by a genuine interest in nature and wellbeing
• Must be driven by a genuine interest in nature and wellbeing
• Be empathetic and have strong people skills
• Be organised and able to adapt to changing circumstance
• Ability to work independently and adopt a flexible approach
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal, with a range of adult audiences
• Creative approach to environmental wellbeing activities
• Computer based admin skills
• Have a solid understanding of mindfulness and be experienced at practising mindfulness
You will need a clean driving licence and own vehicle available and insured for business use.
You may be asked to work occasional weekends.
Remuneration:
This is a self-employed role. You will need a Unique Tax reference. Training hours will be paid for. A £5 daily contribution to travel with be offered for sessions and training where in person presence is expected.
Lead
Lead facilitators will be expected to undertake at least 13 hours of training. Programmes are delivered in blocks of 6 sessions totalling 43 hrs, with 5 hours of engagement per session. You will be paid £15/hour including VAT if applicable.
Assistant
Assistants will be expected to undertake at least 7 hours of training. Programmes are delivered in blocks of 6 sessions totalling 37 hrs, with 5 hours of engagement per session. You will be paid £12/hour including VAT if applicable.
As and when needed, with the post possibly involving some evening or weekend working depending on your availability and the workload. Hours will be agreed in advance and will be dependent on the needs of the group.
Place of work:
The role will initially be focused within green spaces in and around Knutsford as required.
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