Local Trust was established in 2012 to deliver Big Local, a Big Lottery-funded programme which committed £1m to 150 local areas in England.
Big Local was designed to be radically different from the outset. Built around a vision of empowered, resilient, dynamic, asset-rich, resident-led communities, rather than conventional top down, time-limited, project-led funding, the £1m awarded to each Big Local area can be spent over 10-15 years by local residents on the basis of their own plans and priorities.
In terms of scale, timescale and ethos, nothing like Big Local has ever existed. Its ambition extends well beyond simply providing grant money to enable activity to take place on the ground. We want Big Local to leave a wider legacy:
- networks of resilient and confident local people capable of leading change in their communities
- an active public debate on communities and place – both nationally and locally – informed by the incredible learning and inspiration generated by Big Local areas, both individually and collectively
- great partnerships, connections and collaboration, both nationally and locally, that multiply the impact of Big Local, achieving influence and impact well beyond the money committed.
In its first five years, Local Trust has supported residents to form partnerships, develop and consult on plans and priorities and work with local organisations to deliver these plans. Increasingly, now, we are releasing funds to local communities to support delivery of an incredible range of locally-led initiative and ambition.
We are entering the final third and last 5 years of Big Local. Things continue to move at pace and we are eager to ensure that we have the senior level capacity required to give both Local Trust and Big Local the best possible change of success and a strong finish.
In this role you will be expected to contribute to our senior level capacity to drive the delivery of Big Local, ensuring that we provide the best possible service to areas, with a particular focus on supporting those places that are struggling the most, bringing creativity and inventiveness to the role.
You will be joining a team of enthusiastic and supportive professionals, who care about their work. It’s a great atmosphere as there is a genuine buzz and momentum about what we are doing. You will get to see the impact that Local Trust is making. You will be visiting Big Local areas to hear first-hand from people about the extraordinary changes they are making with their communities. We are confident that these stories will inspire. So whichever role you are interested in, it promises to be exciting, varied and rewarding.