Network Development and Outreach Coordinator

Location: Anywhere in the UK, working from home with occasional meetings in London. 
Remuneration: £150 a day.
Contract basis: Freelance, initially on a 6 month term, 2 days per week.  
Closing date: 10th January, midday.

Application process: Please write a covering letter of no more than two A4 pages, which clearly outlines how you meet the essential requirements and any of the desirable criteria below.  Send this along with your CV to liz@mothers-can.org.  Interviews will be held on Zoom in late January.

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Who we are​

Mothers CAN (Mothers’ Climate Action Network) is a new and rapidly growing network of mothers. We support mums to come together in their communities, forming local groups and taking action on climate.  

 

Mothers CAN was founded by a group of mums who were increasingly worried about what climate change meant for them and their children, but also felt completely overwhelmed and not sure what to do.  As the network has grown, we’ve connected with many other mums across the country who feel the same.  That’s why we work to provide connection, training, and support, bringing mums together to create positive change in their local areas.  Our focus is very much on systemic change rather than the individual, so we support groups to build power and influence local decision making. 

 

As we’re growing, we’re starting to bring together groups of amazing mums around the country, with the ambition of fostering local action whilst also creating a national platform for mothers' voices to be heard on climate.

 

The success of Mothers CAN to date has largely been achieved by a group of committed volunteers. In February 2021, we started working with a freelance community organiser, who has enabled us to start growing the network, and is now working to support local groups in taking action.  We have also recently secured some support for our social media presence. 

 

The Role​

We’ve got ambitious plans to scale up our work in 2022, so we need someone who is able to quickly build new relationships with mums from all walks of life in a range of different communities, to help expand the network.  Our network is open to anyone, but we’re particularly interested in engaging mums who haven’t previously been involved in climate action - that includes those who might need some support and encouragement to take their first step.  The successful candidate will focus on developing ways of contacting mums, with the aim of identifying mums who will go on to set up new Mothers CAN groups.  

 

Our community organiser will focus on supporting the groups to take action, however, the two roles will work closely together.  As this is a new role we’re open to being flexible, adapting as we learn, so that we use the skills of the successful candidate in the best possible way. 

 

You don’t have to be a mum yourself to do this role, but you do have to be understanding and sympathetic to the needs of mums.  

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What you can expect​

As a freelance worker within a small team of mainly volunteers, you’ll need to be able to work independently and generate much of your own work.  You’ll be supported by our community organiser, and welcomed as part of the Mothers CAN team.  We work remotely, but strive to create a culture of support and belonging.  We all look out for each other, and try to make sure we have fun when we’re working together.  

 

Many of our events and meetings with local groups happen in the evenings (after children’s bedtime!). We’d expect most of your work to happen during the daytime, but there will be work in the evenings involved as well.  

 

Your key tasks will include:

• Identifying new mums, groups, and organisations to contact; testing and developing new ways of doing so

• Reaching out to mums, groups, and organisations across the UK.  

• Building relationships with interested mums through 1-1 conversations, inviting them to join the Mothers CAN network and start their own local group.

• Providing practical support for the groups’ initial meetings, such as setting up Zoom links and arranging facilitators. 

• Supporting the community organiser in working with the groups. 

• Working with the social media manager to promote the network and support the recruitment of new members

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You’ll need to be (essential requirements): 

• An excellent relationship builder, experienced in quickly building rapport with people from all different backgrounds.

• Confident enough to seek out and start new relationships from scratch.

• Someone who understands the importance of communities creating change and the importance of climate justice.

• Committed to the values and aims of Mothers CAN.

• Someone who is able to work collaboratively and accountably within a small team. 

• Proficient in IT use, including using shared documents, Zoom etc.  

• Proficient in social media and online communications. 

• Able to efficiently track and monitor contacts and progress made. 

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Ideally, you’ll also have some of these (desirable criteria): 

• Knowledge / experience of community organising and / or building and growing a network. 

• A strong understanding of climate change as a social justice issue and the structural barriers to participation for marginalised groups.

• An understanding of the opportunities for communities to influence decision making, and experience of doing so (ideally on climate-related issues). 

• Strong facilitation skills, particularly online.

• Existing contacts in diverse communities which you can draw on to support recruitment and outreach. 

• Experience using an online organising platform such as Action Network.

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The climate crisis is a crisis of humanity and equality. At Mothers CAN, we are committed to

providing equal opportunities to everyone regardless of their background. We are aware that

people of certain backgrounds are under-represented in the climate movement and we are

committed to helping to change that. We would particularly welcome applications from

individuals from currently under-represented groups.