Activities Coordinator / Community Link

Look Ahead Care and Support; Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 17,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave up to 30 days

Pension contributions up to 8%

Life assurance

Discounts and Blue Light Card

Free DBS

Induction & training

ILM courses

Cycle to work

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing resources

Staff awards

Job summary

Look Ahead Care and Support is recruiting an Activities Coordinator/Community Link for our Forensic Mental Health service in Kingston. The role supports a structured rehabilitation programme to help customers rebuild routines, interests and social connections as part of progression and move-on.

The position involves co-producing inclusive activities, developing partnerships across Kingston and SW London, and guiding participants from initial attendance to volunteering or peer leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience designing or delivering meaningful activities for people with mental health or complex needs.
• Ability to understand and respond to what people genuinely care about.
• Experience building partnerships with community organisations across Kingston and SW London.
• Ability to plan inclusive activities within safeguarding frameworks.
• Comfortable working in community settings and in the service.

Responsibilities

• Co-produce an inclusive weekly programme of activities aligned to customers' goals.
• Develop partnerships with sports, arts, cultural, educational, volunteering, faith and community organisations across Kingston and SW London.
• Support graded participation from first attendance to independent involvement or volunteering.
• Ensure activities reflect customers' cultures, interests, strengths, health needs and risk plans.
• Complete proportionate activity plans and risk assessments with customers and colleagues.
• Track participation, barriers and outcomes to adapt the programme.

Skills

Engagement skills

Community partnerships

Planning activities

Relationship building

Organised

Safeguarding know-how

Community outreach

Creativity

Flexible / adaptable

Job description

Activities Coordinator / Community Link

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Activities Coordinator/ Community Link to join our Forensic Mental Health service located in Kingston.

£15,400.00 per annum, working 20 hours per week.

Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service

• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)

• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card

• Fully paid induction programme and further training

• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes

• Cycle to work scheme

• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support

• Online wellbeing resources

• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

• Free DBS

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The activities coordinator will co-produce a structured, purposeful rehabilitation programme that supports customers to rebuild routines, interests, confidence, social connection and community participation as part of progression and move-on.

What you'll do:

• Co-produce an inclusive weekly programme of individual, group and community-based activity linked to customers' goals.
• Develop partnerships with sports, arts, cultural, educational, volunteering, faith and community organisations across Kingston and South West London.
• Support graded participation, from first accompanied attendance through to independent involvement, volunteering or peer leadership.
• Make sure activities reflect customers' cultures, interests, strengths, physical health, communication needs and individual risk plans.
• Complete proportionate activity plans and risk assessments with customers, colleagues and FOS where appropriate.
• Track participation, barriers, outcomes and distance travelled, using what you learn to adapt the programme.
• Support customers to contribute to house meetings, celebrations, peer activity and service improvement.
• Work closely with the Community Integration Lead, keeping the service-wide programme distinct from but connected to individual keywork and progression plans.
• Bring energy and creativity to the service while avoiding activities that feel tokenistic, infantilising or disconnected from adult life.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• Experience designing or delivering meaningful activities for people with mental health, social care or other complex needs.
• Strong engagement skills and the ability to find out what people genuinely care about rather than assuming what they should enjoy.
• Confidence building relationships with community organisations and creating opportunities from scratch.
• A "yes-can-do" attitude.
• Ability to plan inclusive activities within agreed risk and safeguarding frameworks.
• Organised, resourceful and willing to be out in the community as well as working within the service.
• Comfortable evaluating whether an activity is actually helping with confidence, skills, connection or independence.

Desirable:

• Forensic mental health, relational security and positive risk-taking.
• The secure-to-community rehabilitation pathway and how activity supports progression.
• Local forensic statutory arrangements and how they may shape community access.
• Detailed mapping of Kingston and South West London opportunities and partnerships.

The service is anticipated to open on 4 January 2027, subject to contract finalisation, successful mobilisation and confirmation of operational readiness.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.

• We are Caring and Compassionate.

• We are Inclusive and Trusted.

• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.