Hackney Council is set to appoint a dedicated Volunteering Officer to enhance community engagement and diversity within its parks and green spaces.
The move is a key commitment within the Hackney Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2021-2031, and is anticipated to be established this year as part of a wider service restructure. This restructure also includes the creation of roles for a fundraising officer and more apprentice roles.
The strategy emphasizes working with communities, and the appointment of this officer is expected to oversee a comprehensive volunteering programme. The new Volunteering Officer will be responsible for establishing, publicising, and overseeing this programme across Hackney's parks and green spaces. A key objective is to ensure this programme better represents Hackney's diverse communities.
The Volunteering Officer will actively work to ensure volunteers are more reflective of Hackney's communities, programming a wider range of activities and making it easier and more appealing for people to get actively involved in their local green space. While specific metrics for success are not detailed, the aim is to increase representation from diverse communities within the volunteering program.
Volunteers currently support a wide range of activities including habitat creation, litter picking, planting, mulching, weeding, pathway maintenance, fence and railing painting, tree and hedge care, vegetation management, and biodiversity improvements. The new officer will build upon these existing efforts.
The Hackney Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2021-2031 can be found in the Public reports pack.
