East London Waterworks Park is looking for facilitator volunteers to lead projects and groups in creating our community-owned park
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that won a 2024 New London Architecture award and has raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
We are looking for facilitators to participate in our community-led working groups who are enhancing community cohesion, growing support of the project and co-designing the park with the wider public.
There is opportunity to lead on projects exploring how architects, ecologists, community researchers, political campaigners, web developers, illustrators, fundraisers and communications professions come together to create community infrastructure.
There are nearly 200 of us across 6 different working groups. It's very flexible, self-directed and can be quite learner-led depending on how adventurous you're feeling.
Facilitators choose one of our working groups (circles) and come to online gatherings for their chosen circle. Ideally facilitators would help facilitate some of these gatherings and the public-facing community engagement processes.
The circles meet every 2 or 4 weeks in the evenings online. Design, comms, and governance all meet every 2 weeks and inclusivity, learning and fundraising meet every 4 weeks. Time outside of the meetings are spent completing agreed tasks remotely.
Strong Community Engagement & Facilitation Skills:
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with community members.
Collaborative & Supportive Spirit:
Willingness to share knowledge and expertise with other volunteers and community members.
Passion for Community & Environment:
Passion for environmental sustainability and creating inclusive and accessible public spaces.
Other Desirable Skills:
You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. By facilitating online gatherings, projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community. Your input will help us craft volunteer experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
