Become a community connector!

News - 12 December 2019

The Community Connectors is one of two programmes in Project Smith, an NHS funded community development programme. It is for Lambeth residents who are active in their community or would like to be active in their community.
Two ladies chatting

About the Community Connector programme

Community Connectors are local people who link others in their local community with activities and organisations that can help improve their quality of life.  Lots of people in Lambeth do this naturally on a daily basis in unpaid capacities with no training or formal support, while others do it as part of a structured volunteering role in local community organisations.

Project Smith offers the Community Connector training and support to give these people the skills needed to be better able to talk to other people about wellbeing, the things that they can do for themselves, and places to go to access help and support doing this.  After the training we go on ‘Safari’ and visit a different community, health or wellbeing organisation in Lambeth to help you learn about what there is in the area in order to help you signpost people to them.

The program offers excellent accredited training for people who want to support their community. It also opens your eyes to what is really going on in the community, and enables you to understand why people find themselves in dire circumstances and feel lost in terms of where to go for support.

I think it's important because all of us are part of a community, and for that community to be healthy, we need to mantain it by actively supporting the community in any way we can.
Whether it's problems with universal credit, legal issues, housing, food or health needs.

We certainly can signpost people in the right direction, and give them all the details they need to get back on their feet.

FS, a community connector

Who we are looking for 

Anyone who has an interested in the wellbeing of others has the potential to be a Community Connector.  The following are things you need to for the role:

  • Good communications skills. This includes being able to listen to people and talk to people on a one-to-one basis and to groups of people
  • The ability to get on with people from all backgrounds
  • Be respectful and value all people and in all situations
  • Be able to respect confidentiality
  • Have the ability to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team
  • Have the ability to use own initiative to prepare for and attend events
  • Basic ability to use a smart phone, tablet or computer

Find out more about Project Smith and how to become a community connector 

Click here

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