Revolution South Asian Community Engagement Officer
Location: Blackburn with Darwen
DBS Status: (DBS check will be required).
Hours – 15 hours per week
Salary – Ren Scale 8-13 £26,184.00 - £31,053.00 (Pro Rata, Depending on experience) Actual salary £10,473.60 - £12,421.20
Permanent – Funding secure until March 2028 – Extension likely
Benefits:
- Workplace Pension Scheme
- Simply Health Benefits Scheme (after successfully passing probationary period)
- 22 Days Sick Pay – Pro Rata
- 24 Days Paid Holiday + Bank Holidays pro rata (increasing to 29 days pro rata after 5 years successive employment)
- Additional Day Birthday Leave – Pro Rata
Role Purpose
The South Asian Community Engagement Officer will play a key role in engaging South Asian communities in Blackburn with Darwen to improve access to sexual health information, HIV prevention, testing, and support services.
The postholder will work in a culturally sensitive, non-judgemental, and community-led way, building trust, addressing stigma, and reducing barriers to engagement around sexual health and HIV.
Successful candidates will work remotely across all areas of Lancashire with an expectation to attend head office in Blackpool a minimum of twice a month.
Main Duties and Key Responsibilities
Community Engagement & Outreach
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with South Asian community members, leaders, faith groups, and local organisations in Blackburn with Darwen
- Deliver outreach activities in community settings to increase awareness of HIV, sexual health, and available services
- Act as a trusted point of contact for individuals who may face cultural, language, or stigma-related barriers
Health Promotion & Education
- Deliver culturally appropriate sexual health and HIV education sessions, both one-to-one and in group settings
- Support awareness-raising activities focused on prevention, testing, and early diagnosis
- Increase awareness and access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) within the South Asian and other underrepresented communities within Blackburn with Darwen.
- Support In situ Public Sex Environment Outreach, targeting predominantly Gay, Bisexual and other men that have sex with men, to deliver harm reduction and sexual health messaging.
- Work to reduce barriers and strengthen pathways to accessing clinical sexual health services delivered by the lead provider
- Challenge myths and misinformation around HIV and sexual health sensitively and respectfully
Testing & Service Access
- Promote and support access to HIV testing, including delivery of rapid HIV testing in community spaces.
- Signpost and refer individuals into Brook Clinical Sexual Health & Renaissance UK services and partner organisations
- Support individuals through the testing process, ensuring confidentiality and informed consent
Partnership Working
- Work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary sector partners, including public health, community organisations, and healthcare services
- Represent Renaissance UK at community forums and partnership meetings where appropriate
Monitoring & Reporting
- Accurately record engagement, outreach, and outcomes in line with service requirements
- Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for funders and commissioners
- Share learning and insight to help shape future service delivery
Safeguarding & Professional Practice
- Work in line with Renaissance UK policies, including safeguarding, confidentiality, equality and diversity
- Maintain professional boundaries and always uphold the charity’s values
- Participate in training, supervision, and team meetings
Service Improvement & Training
- Gather service-user feedback and lived-experience insights to support continual improvement.
- Identify barriers to engagement and support solutions to improve outcomes.
Person Specification
Physical Requirement/Qualifications
- Educated to a minimum of GCSE level with Maths and English grade 4/C or above
- Relevant qualification in health, social care, public health, or equivalent experience
- Safeguarding training (or willingness to complete)
- Current driving licence and access to own vehicle
- Lived or work experience in supporting vulnerable adults
- Evidence of eligibility to work in the UK
- Ability to work evenings and weekends
Experience
- Experience of working with South Asian communities, ideally within a health, wellbeing, or community setting
- Ability to discuss sensitive topics (e.g. sexual health, HIV) with empathy and discretion
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and anti-stigma practice
- Ability to work flexibly, including evenings or weekends when required
- Lived or work experience in supporting vulnerable adults.
- Experience working with marginalised or vulnerable groups
- Experience of community engagement or outreach work.
- Experience working within Blackburn with Darwen or similar localities
Knowledge
- Strong understanding of cultural, social, and faith contexts within South Asian communities
- Understanding of health inequalities affecting ethnic minority communities
- Understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and GDPR compliance.
Skills
- Community language skills (e.g. Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi)
- Excellent communication and engagement skills
- Ability to deliver behaviour-change conversations confidently and sensitively.
- Basic IT skills and ability to maintain accurate records
Desirable
- A relevant degree: Psychology, Health Science, Social Sciences, Health Promotion, Education
- A relevant higher qualification e.g. an MSC in Counselling, Health Education/ Promotion, Public Health, Social Care
- Relevant experience in the field of Sexual Health/Social Care.
- Experience and or knowledge of counselling skills
- Previous training or experience in a coaching role
- Good local knowledge
- An empathetic communicator who builds trust and rapport easily.
About Us
Renaissance UK is a North West based charity, currently operating across Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen. We specialise in community focused substance use and sexual health services.
Mission: Renaissance UK is a dynamic and innovative service offering quality, community focused sexual health and substance use services. We specialise in supporting individuals to reduce harm, we offer specialist support and we aim to move people forward in their lives by means of empowerment.
Vision: Renaissance UK; A world with empowered individuals, building stronger and healthier communities and reducing the risk of harm.
Values: All staff are expected to:
- Work in a non-judgemental, person-centred and trauma informed way
- Promote dignity, respect and inclusion
- Support harm reduction and empowerment principle
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Renaissance UK is committed to creating an inclusive environment and welcomes applications from people with lived experience and from underrepresented communities. Renaissance UK encourages applications from individuals with lived experience of substance use, recovery, or communities affected by health inequalities.
Pay: £26,184.00-£31,053.00 per year
Benefits:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Application question(s):
- Do you have the experience and qualifications noted in the person specification?
- Do you have excellent numeracy, IT and literacy skills?
- Do you have a can-do attitude that is solution orientated?
- Do you have a non-judgemental and compassionate attitude?
- Are you authorised to work in the United Kingdom?
- Are you agreeable to undertaking a DBS check?
- Do you value diversity in the workplace?
- Are you happy to work with clients who may present in distress or who may have a safeguarding issue?
- If English is not your first language how would you rate your English language skills - basic, intermediate, advanced, or fluent?
- Do you have strong community language skills (e.g. Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi)
- Do you have any language skills, cultural knowledge, community connections, or lived experience that would help you build trust and engagement with South Asian communities?
Education:
- GCSE or equivalent (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Blackburn with Darwen
