About Befriend

Since its launch twelve years ago, Befriend has grown to become a powerful change agent in the space of relationships and inclusion. Our grassroots community development initiatives have sparked 12,000+ West Australians to take action to nurture community connection, and our work in partnership with citizens, community organisations, researchers and government is changing the conversation around loneliness, isolation and social exclusion. We’re continuing to develop our capability to contribute towards systemic change.

About the Team

We are a small but mighty team, working in a fairly flat organisational structure, trusting and supporting each other to work autonomously and make informed, impactful decisions. We are avid learners, experimenters, collaborators, listeners, and do-ers, who work interdependently. We see the work environment as a small, meaningful microcosm of community life that values the contributions of all, and acts with intention to create spaces for self-direction and discovery, connection, growth and fun!

Position Purpose

We’re growing Swan’s Community Building team to further catalyse local people in the Northern Growth Corridor (specifically the newly developed areas Caversham, Bennett Springs, Dayton and Brabham) to nurture human connection in ways that are personally meaningful, fun and sustainable!

Working as a collaborative team of two, this role will join forces with Community Builder Carmel, who has worked as Swan’s Community Builder for the last 6 months. Taking a strengths and gifts based approach, together you’ll work alongside local residents and organisations to ignite their curiosity and confidence to bring their community enrichment ideas to life—from social events that bring people together in diverse and creative ways, to facilitating workshops that help people discover what’s important to them, to supporting existing grassroots initiatives to grow in their viability and aspirations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for change and action in our communities. While the communities in which we live and work are dynamic, alive and ever-changing, we’ve witnessed a strong yearning for diverse experiences of connection. Subsequently, we’re undertaking intentional service-design supporting intergenerational connection, neighbourly relationships, capacity-building for community leaders, and the valuing of people with diverse abilities. This position offers us all an exciting opportunity to further our learnings and experiment in a new context.

The key responsibilities for this role:

Local engagement and capacity building - Engaging with and supporting diverse local residents to develop their confidence and capabilities to contribute to community life in ways that are meaningful to them. Eg. running grassroots social/community groups, activities and neighbourhood initiatives.

Facilitating points of connection - Learning from residents and community organisations in Swan to better understand the diverse experiences, resources and events with which they’re seeking to engage, to grow sustainable community connections and networks specific to the local context.

Collaborative community development - Working with Carmel on joint projects relevant to the broader context of the City of Swan.

We expect this will involve:

• Engaging developmentally with local residents in discovery conversations that lead them to imagine the possibilities for their contributions, gifts and strengths
• Providing support to residents to develop their confidence & capabilities to take local action to connect with people in their local area
• Collaborating with community organisations, local government and residents in Swan to to help bring community enrichment ideas to life
• Nurturing the development of new partnerships between local residents and other community organisations in Swan
• Supporting community members to reach their wider community in creative and inclusive ways
• Sharing insights with the broader Befriend Staff Team to grow our understanding and knowledge of local community building strategies

The Community is looking for:

• Someone who loves to support other people’s thinking in how they can bring their creative community ideas to life
• A curious listener
• Someone who takes great joy in seeing people grow in their sense of agency
• A passionate includer
• Someone who believes in the inherent potential of all people to shape community life
• A naturally creative facilitator for thoughtful 1:1 conversations and group sessions
• A big-picture thinker who always sees the possibilities, connections and opportunities emerging
• Someone who puts relationships at the heart of their work and life

We’re looking to hear from applicants who see this role as a natural extension of who they are as a person. So, if many of these statements resonate with who you are, and who you might hope to develop yourself to be, we want to hear from you.

Position details:

• Part-time position (0.45 FTE), immediate start fixed-term contract to June 2024 with high likelihood of extension in accordance with project continuation
• Salary $64,295 pro rata plus superannuation
• Generous salary packaging benefits
• Bonus Christmas leave period on top of your annual leave entitlements
• A team of 13 change-makers, thinkers, do-ers and builders to support you in your development. Read more about our team and work culture here.
• Work where you want, when you want, how you want. You do you.