For a co-ordinator to manage the evening project at St Mary’s Church Penzance providing a warm indoor environment, free café, crafts, listening and space for prayer and contemplation to all feeling lost or wanting companionship
12 hours per week at £15 per hour.
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SAFEGUARDING – EVERYONE MATTERS- EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
St Mary’s strives to be trauma informed and is committed to developing safer policies, cultures and practices. An Enhanced DBS is required.
This post has a genuine occupational requirement to be filled by a Christian.
Applications by CV and letter to stmaryswarden@penleecluster.org.uk or by post to St Mary’s Church, Chapel Street, Penzance, TR18 4AP
Closing date 21st March,
interviews 28th March.
ST MARY’S NIGHTCHURCH CO-ORDINATOR JOB PROFILE
Vision
Our vision for Nightchurch Penzance is deeply Christian, with Jesus’ promise of ‘life in all its fullness’ at its heart, seeking the common good of the whole community, enabling healing, opening horizons, guiding people into ways of fulfilling them, and enabling people to flourish.
Our core value is respect for the value and preciousness of each person, treating each person as a unique individual of inherent worth, without expectation, persuasion or judgement.
NightChurch PZ has been running at St Mary’s Church, Penzance for 1 year. It is an integral part of the life of the church. Its objective is to provide a holy place of sanctuary and welcome to:
- Those who feel lost, lonely or isolated
- Those who are on the fringes of society for reasons of insecure or no accommodation, poverty or mental ill-health
- Those who feel unable to access church in its day to day activities
- Those wanting to explore spirituality and faith in a low-key, informal way
The co-ordinator will be the face of the church, running the NC sessions in the church, with the help of volunteers, liaising with our Family Workers, keeping our congregations informed and networking with other organisations.
The sessions are currently every Wednesday evening from 6pm until 8pm and the second and fourth Saturday evening from 7pm until 11pm.
Main Responsibilities
VOLUNTEERS
Recruit, train, induct and develop volunteers. Ensure our policies on DBS, confidentiality of personal data, wellbeing, staff conduct and boundaries are followed.
Adhere to the church’s Safeguarding policy and procedures as well as any other related laws and do all that is reasonable to promote care and safety for all who may be vulnerable. This includes a responsibility to remain up to date with your own safeguarding training at the level at which you will be advised. Work with the church and Diocesan safeguarding teams to stay up to date with safeguarding issues as they affect own area of work.
Establish volunteer roles eg. Listening, prayer, cooking and serving food, crafts, welcoming and involvement at church events. Manage rotas and ensure sufficient numbers of volunteers.
Hold regular debriefs with the volunteers.
SESSIONS
Provide a welcoming and inviting environment. Arrange the chapel as a space for prayer and quiet reflection. Purchase and provide food and drink and session materials to an agreed budget.
Risk assessment – ensure safe operating procedures. Adhere to the church’s Health and Safety policy and procedure as well as any other related laws and to do all that is reasonable to promote care and safety in the fulfilment of the role.
Provide and set up and take down activities, craft and prayer spaces. Attend all NightChurch sessions unless on leave or ill. Conduct 1:1 sessions with vulnerable people if needed and signpost individuals to helping agencies. Ensure the security of the church on leaving.
NETWORKING
Promote and market NightChurch activities through talks, social media, radio, posters etc. Talk regularly to members of church congregations.
Liaise with other agencies, the Antisocial Behaviour Officers, Resettlement Officers, Tri-Service Safety Officers, police, businesses, homeless, addiction and food charities and churches for the benefit of the service and help for individuals. Make referrals as appropriate to Adult or Children’s Social Services. Help rough sleepers gain access to services.
Partner organisations include CTIPA, the Foodbank, Street Food Project and Growing Links, Breadline, We are With You, Salvation Army.
MANAGEMENT
The co-ordinator will be line managed by the incumbent of St Mary’s Church or trustees of the Church in the absence of an incumbent. The contract which includes pay, pension and leave will be administered by St Mary’s PCC. Funding for the post comes primarily from the St Paul’s Trust and donations.
Reports, verbal or written, will be required by St Paul’s Trust, the PCC, the staff meetings and the church newsletter. Regular review sessions will be held with the line manager and steering group.
Timesheets to be submitted monthly. Claims for expenses to be submitted weekly.
A dedicated mobile telephone and email address will be provided. Hours are 12 per week (0.32 fte). Payment for additional major events is to be agreed in advance. Pay is £15.00 per hour paid by cheque or BACS at the end of each month. This equates to £28,860 pro-rata.
A time off in lieu system is operated. The annual leave is 25 days plus bank holidays pro-rata. The contract is initially for 1 year. It is hoped further grants would be forthcoming to enable the project to continue.
The location for the sessions is St Mary’s Church, Penzance. The non-session time may be undertaken at home or in the church office.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
1. There is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the post holder to be a Christian. You will be able to encourage people in their spiritual journey.
2. You will be able to defuse conflict and to cope with a variety of people and behaviours.
3. You can cope with people who challenge you on social, moral or religious grounds.
4. You are non-judgemental, respectful, patient and tolerant with those at NightChurch.
5. You listen actively.
6. You are a team player, able to guide and support the volunteers, in a spirit of open-ness and accountability.
7. You have organisational skills.
8. You have an enhanced DBS certificate and will have done or be willing to do the required safeguarding training.
Desirable
1. You have previous experience of working with people who are vulnerable, mentally ill, who have addictions or are homeless.
2. You have a First Aid qualification.
3. You have creative abilities.
Applications are to be made by CV, details of two references and a covering letter setting out how you think you meet the criteria and how you are sustained by your faith, to be emailed to stmaryswarden@penleecluster.org.uk or sent by post to St Mary’s Church, Chapel Street, Penzance TR18 4AP
March 2025
This job profile is a summary of the key areas of responsibility in the job.
It is not intended as a definitive statement of job content. This job profile
will be reviewed periodically and may be subject to amendment.
