Community Engagement Coordinator

About Doorstep Library:

Do you remember a character from a childhood book as fondly as an old friend?

If you do, you’ll know the magic of being able to slip into another world as and when you need to, or how books can make your world a bigger, brighter place.

For bookworms especially, it’s hard to believe that anyone could see reading as anything other than empowering, or even just a pleasure. For the third of children from disadvantaged areas who leave primary school without being able to read well, often it’s nothing but a chore.

That’s why we like to turn up on the doorstep, with backpacks of books, two little stools, and a pair of volunteers who know that words take you places.

About you

Here at Doorstep Library we have ambitious plans in place to expand our projects to three more boroughs over the next three years. That’s a big ask. We currently visit 400 children every week, by 2020 we aim to be reaching 2000. We’re looking for a born people person, who is truly passionate about the work that we do on the ground, to help us mobilise people to get involved in their local Doorstep Library project, through volunteering, fundraising or individual giving. That could mean telling the story of a family we’ve worked with to a room full of prospective volunteers, having one to one conversations at a local literary event, or coordinating a local fundraising campaign in a new borough. This is a brand new role for the organisation so, working closely with the Marketing and Communications Manager, you’ll need both the ideas and the initiative to shape it and really make it your own.

First and foremost, you’ll be a natural storyteller, whether you’re giving a primary school assembly to a sea of children dressed as Where’s Wally (for a fundraising purposes, of course), or researching and applying for local funding opportunities. You’ll also need outstanding interpersonal skills to forge new relationships as we seek to establish ourselves in new boroughs. Community oriented and passionate about encouraging others to get involved their own communities, you’ll thrive off coordinating events and encouraging and supporting volunteers to spread the word about Doorstep Library. Over the course of the academic year alone, your role will be essential in spreading the word about our work as we launch another project in Hammersmith and Fulham, two more projects in Westminster and a brand new hub in Lambeth.

Logistics:

• 35 hours per week based at our Victoria office and different sites around London to attend events.
• You will deliver an Information Session, with a volunteer Ambassador, to prospective volunteers every month. We run sessions in the morning (11-12.30pm) and the evening (6-7.30pm). For evening sessions, you will be given TOIL.
• Flexibility to attend community events on occasional weekends and/or evenings. As much advance notice as possible will be given and you’ll be given TOIL.
• As part of your staff induction, you’ll go out on several of our projects to see what Doorstep Library is really like on the ground. 

Salary - £25,000 per annum (with travel expenses to events reimbursed), plus 25 days holiday and 6% pension contribution.

Interviews will take place on

First round - Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th February, Second round w/c 19th Februrary here at our office in Victoria.

For exceptional applicants we may interview as CV’s are received, so please apply immediately to avoid missing out.

1. Please note, if you applied for our Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator post, as advertised in late 2017, your CV will have been considered for this revised position. If you do not hear from us, please do not reapply.