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Job description

Summary

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Inclusive Cycling Ride Leader is a 12-month seasonal, 30-hours-per-week Band 5 role based in Lymington, delivering off-road inclusive cycling sessions in the New Forest National Park for children, young people, and adults with additional needs. The post leads sessions, adapts support to individuals, manages outdoor health and safety through risk assessments, and handles emergencies including first aid. Duties include supervising and training volunteers and assistants, maintaining and repairing specialist cycles, driving a 3.5t Luton van to transport equipment, managing bookings and enquiries, and promoting the project via the website, social media, and outreach events. Work is largely outdoors in varying weather, may involve lone working in remote locations, weekend and occasional evening work, and regular heavy lifting. Essential requirements include relevant experience, strong communication, understanding of disabilities, basic cycle repair skills, and a valid driving licence.

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Job Description

1 Job details

Job title: Inclusive Cycling Ride Leader (12-month seasonal contract)
Directorate: Recreation Management and Learning
Team: Access and Learning
Post number: P02059
Hours per week: 30
Grade: Band 5
Base: Lymington Town Hall
Accountable to: Inclusive Cycling Project Manager
Responsible for: n/a
Budget Responsible Officer (BRO): No
Car user: Casual
Politically restricted: No
Does this post involve working with children and/or vulnerable people? Yes
Membership of professional body required: No
Key liaisons:
  • Minstead Trust
  • Tiptoe Primary School
  • Scarf New Forest (Supporting children with additional needs, relatives and friends)
  • New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) staff

2 Role summary

2.1 This role will:

  • Lead on the delivery of high-quality inclusive cycling sessions on the off-road cycle network in the New Forest National Park.
  • Supervise and train volunteers, Pedall Ride Assistants and work experience students so that they are actively involved in helping support the delivery of sessions and the success of the project.
  • Promote the project through social media and public events.

3 Main duties and responsibilities

3.1 Deliver high quality inclusive cycling sessions so that individuals and families with additional needs can cycle regularly. Adapt sessions to suit the needs of the individual. (PEDALL target is 450 sessions, 4,000 riding slots per year).

3.2 Manage the health and safety of the project in an outdoor environment with a range of hazards such as water, free roaming animals and inexperienced cyclists by preparing and implementing risk assessments and operational guidelines.

3.3 Supervise and train volunteers so that they can assist with inclusive cycling sessions. Help develop a training plan for volunteers to ensure they are appropriately qualified and knowledgeable.

3.4 Organise with the other Ride Leader and volunteers, the maintenance and repair of the specialised cycle fleet. Undertake simple repairs such as punctures and replace parts such as tyres, chains and cables.

3.5 Drive a 3.5t Luton van, loading and unloading the specialist cycle fleet.

3.6 Help maintain/update PEDALL website and social media pages.

3.7 Organise community outreach events to showcase the project, supporting fundraising activities and recruiting new participants, schools and other organisations.

3.8 Respond to general enquiries, provide advice on suitability of equipment to meet individuals needs and take bookings.

4 Problem solving

4.1 Deal effectively with any emergencies that arise whilst in remote locations administering first aid and liaising with emergency services if needed.

4.2 Use own initiative to manage group with varying physical abilities, possible behavioural issues and differing ability to follow instructions.

4.3 Work with the other Ride Leader and volunteers to maintain fleet who have competing demands on their limited resources, especially during busy periods.

5 Decision making

5.1 Line Manager sets targets and objectives.

5.2 Act on own initiative and take day to day decisions relating to the area of responsibility. For example:

  • distance of ride to suit individuals’ abilities
  • when to cancel a session due to weather conditions
  • when to stop a participant from taking part in a session due to lack of control of cycle

5.3 Decisions outside of own knowledge area can be referred to the line manager.

6 Operational responsibility

6.1 Train and supervise volunteers, Pedall Ride Assistants and work experience students, ensuring they are involved in the delivery of the project.

6.2 Ensure the safety and wellbeing of participants, supporting staff and volunteers checking that equipment is safe to use and set up correctly.

6.3 Work with vulnerable young people and adults with a range of disabilities and / or special needs.

7 Communication

7.1 This is primarily an external facing role in direct contact with members of the public and will require the following:

  • Oral presentation skills: Ability to explain instructions to people with additional needs, family members, carers and school staff. Liaise with volunteers assisting in the running of sessions and represent the project at public meetings and events.
  • Written skills: Use plain English in email correspondence to answer general enquiries and take bookings for sessions - set out information clearly, concisely and logically.
  • Inter-personal skills: Work with a wide range of people from different backgrounds and those who may have different social boundaries or concept of personal space.

8 Working conditions

8.1 The office base is in Lymington but the majority of time will be spent working outdoors in the New Forest National Park in varying weather conditions (hot, cold, wet, dry) and from the PEDALL base in Ashurst or Burley.

8.2 The post requires lone working in relatively remote locations (woodlands and heathland) with vulnerable young people and adults and will require appropriate pre-employment checks.

8.3 Regular lifting and moving of heavy equipment i.e. adaptive cycles.

8.4 There is a requirement to work frequent weekends and occasional evenings. A uniform and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided.

9 General

9.1 The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to NPA policy and procedures.

9.2 All staff have a responsibility to participate in the NPA’s Appraisal Scheme and to contribute to their own development.

10 Job description agreement

10.1 The above Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive, the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the service.

Job holder’s signature: Date

Manager’s signature: Date

Person Specification

Inclusive Cycling Ride Leader

Criteria Essential Desirable Assessed by
Education / qualifications
Good general education or comparable in terms of experience Y A
Nationally recognised cycling qualification Y A
Have, or be prepared to obtain a first aid certificate Y A / I
Valid driving license Y A
Experience
Experience of managing groups in the outdoors Y A / I / T
Experience of working with diverse audiences, including disabled people/those with a special educational need Y A / I
Experience in preparing risk assessments and operational policies Y A / I
Experience of supervising and training volunteers or staff Y A / I
Experience of managing and delivering events Y A / I
Knowledge
Knowledge of disabilities and special educational needs and, in particular, an understanding of the challenges that people with additional needs face accessing the outdoors Y A / I
Knowledge and awareness of existing UK inclusive cycling initiatives Y A / I
Knowledge of social media and website platforms Y A / I
Skills
Excellent communication and inter-personal skills; ability to communicate in a way which is easily understood Y I / T
Able to work independently, good organisational skills with experience of managing own workload. Y A / I
Demonstrate skills to effectively manage possible behavioural issues Y A / I
Ability to undertake simple cycle repairs such as fixing punctures, changing a tyre, replacing brake cables etc. Y A / I / T
Impact and attributes
Confident and outgoing with a professional outlook; has the ability to develop constructive working relationships Y A / I / T
Ability to understand the need to treat sensitive information confidentially Y A
A passion for getting people active in national parks/outdoors, able to motivate and enthuse others about their special qualities Y A / I
Able to meet the physical demands of the role Y A / I

Evidence assessed by key: A = Application form
I = Interview
T = Test / Assessment / Presentation