Foreword from the Trust
Thank you for considering the post of Chief Executive Officer at St Andrew’s Community Network. As our first CEO, Kev Peacock, continues in an executive role, now for a charity on the Wirral, we are keen to find in his successor – a person equally committed to improving the lives of people in Clubmoor and the surrounding neighbourhoods of Liverpool.
When the Network was established, our vision was to transform the community and to change lives through tackling food insecurity, providing good money management and facilitating community development.
Through the provision of a range of services we have developed a greater understanding of our key imperative: helping address complex and multi-faceted needs for many families and individuals in crisis. We help other organisations asking for support, particularly over debt advice and food support. This work continues to grow and will feature strongly for the new CEO.
Our links with St Andrew’s church and other churches are essential to us. Our responsibility to actively stand up for those without a voice is paramount; helping the least, the last and the lost of our society forms the basis of a compelling call to stand against social injustice. Clearly, you will champion that call through the vision, values and strategic planning of the Network.
If you are successful in your application it will be because you have a heart for those in need. You will be excellent in developing relationships with all key stakeholders namely, staff, volunteers, trustees, Church and Civic leaders, sponsors and funding agencies and, above all, those members of society who come to us for help.
You will be outward focused and able to influence and shape policy and practice in the city and its surrounds. Finally, you will be able to manage an organisation which is growing in both its resources, capacity to deliver and in its reach and influence. You should be excited!
We look forward to meeting you and hope, if possible, that you are able to visit the Network as part of your considerations.
Andy Pollard
Chair
All About St Andrew’s Community Network
Established in 2002 by the local church St Andrew’s Community Network aims to improve the lives of people in Clubmoor and the surrounding neighbourhoods of Liverpool, that are amongst the most deprived areas in the UK. We support some of the most vulnerable in the community, helping them to move from crisis towards stability and fulfilment.
Our range of services allows us to support people holistically, and we work with a wide range of partners: those who refer people to our services; specialist organisations that we refer people to for insolvency, addiction recovery, housing and mental health support; and other strategic stakeholders. As our work has grown so has our profile. Over the last five years we have adopted a satellite model, supporting other churches and community organisations to deliver debt advice or foodbank services in their own local area. We also contribute to local and national policy development, recognising that some issues can only be addressed by systemic change.
We started as a small, local charity supporting families, whose needs included debt advice and then later Foodbank. Over time other organisations asked for help delivering money and food support for their own communities, which we’ve done using a satellite model – local organisations provide the leadership, facilities and volunteers, whilst we provide infrastructure, training, and core activities e.g. logistics. In total last year we supported 12,625 people.
Our 3 year plan
The majority of our trustees are local people and we have strong relationships with local churches, businesses, schools and other community groups which inform our decision making. Our trustees and leadership team have given significant thought and time recently to reviewing and planning how to ensure we continue to do both well, which has led to an organisational restructure and 3 year plan.
Good Money Management
Good Money Management
Our debt and money team helped people manage over £6m debt in the financial year 2021/22 and write off £806,000. Our partnership with Community Money Advice lends a national picture to the work we do, and ensures our advice is of the highest quality and enables us to meet our FCA requirements.
Tackling Food Insecurity
Tackling Food Insecurity
In addition to 11 foodbank satellites tackling food crisis, we are growing a network of Local Pantries to tackle chronic food insecurity which can also encompass low food budget, lack of access to good food and cookery / nutritional skills. We now have 11 pantries with 1,300 contributing members who saved an estimated £347,313 in the financial year 2021/22 Our Food Team leader will drive this development whilst working strategically with both the money team lead, and other key local agencies tacking food insecurity. Our food work is now nationally recognised, and we have significant partnerships with Trussell Trust, Church Action on Poverty and Feeding Britain as we work towards a world without the need for foodbanks.
Championing Policy Change
Championing Policy Change
We use our expertise and community access to inform and influence change at a strategic level; We hold a place on the City Council’s Poverty Action and Food Action groups, and we worked closely with Liverpool Council on providing food throughout the pandemic. In 2021 we helped lead Liverpool’s ‘Good Food Plan’ creating a network which will address food insecurity in the immediate moment, and build a framework to create systemic change in the long term.
Community Development
Community Development
We will re-focus on local issues by employing a Community Development Worker to meet and build relationships with people, groups, and key partners in our community, listen to their challenges and aspirations, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid Pandemic, and then empower and facilitate community activism, building on the skills, will and networks of local people.Providing Good Mental Health and Wellbeing
Providing Good Mental Health and Wellbeing
We use person-centred volunteer development, peer coaching and support groups. In the past twelve months we have 25 active volunteers at our centre in Clubmoor, and over 300 volunteers across the Network. We have just held a long-awaited Volunteer Celebration which was attended by over 250 of these volunteers.
Partnerships
Partnerships
We hold excellent relationships with a number of both local and national organisations. These include those listed above, but also Fans Supporting Foodbanks who we partner with to engage with football fans, and both Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs. We will develop these partnerships to widen our impact on our local communities.