Council takes on COVID Marshals and Ambassadors

Mansfield District Council Covid Marshals
Mansfield District Council Covid Marshals

Are you good at gentle persuasion? If so, Mansfield District Council could have just the job for you.

The council has taken on five COVID-19 Marshals and is also seeking two more people to work as temporary High Street COVID-19 Ambassadors.
 
The marshals have already been appointed and are working daytime hours every day of the week. The posts are being paid for out of the government's Surge Fund.
 
The ambassadors will work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, patrolling in high streets, neighbourhood shopping centres and other high footfall areas. 
 
They will be paid between £20,092 and £21,748. The cost of these roles is being partly covered by the European Union from its Regional Development Fund. 
 
Both the marshal and ambassador roles will last until 30 March or until COVID restrictions are lifted, whichever is sooner.
 
The chief function of both positions is to support, engage, explain and educate the public and businesses in ensuring compliance with national and local guidelines and laws regarding COVID-19 and public health, signposting people to relevant information.  
 
David Evans, Head of Communities and Wellbeing at the council, said: "The marshals have started work and we aim to appoint the ambassadors in the new year. They will need to be prepared to work out on foot for long periods each day in all weathers.
 
"The main personal requirement for both roles is to be an effective and persuasive communicator because the job entails engaging with people and encouraging them to stick to the coronavirus rules and guidance to help reduce and prevent a spike in cases. 
 
"They will be encouraging compliance on social distancing and the wearing of face masks and to make people feel safer as they go about everyday life." 
 
Marshals will also be responsible for visiting virus hotspots and helping to identify and investigate businesses and premises not following coronavirus rules across the district. They will not, however, have any enforcement powers which will remain the job of the police. 
 
The high street ambassadors will be focused on helping shops and businesses in the town centre and district shopping centres re-open in a COVID-secure way after 2 December and promoting customer safety. 
 
Working with the council and its partners, they will also highlight discrepancies or bad practice and investigate complaints in respect of failure to follow government guidelines.
 
Both marshals and ambassadors will wear a high-viz uniform and will need to use their own vehicle. They are also expected to wear body cams and carry radios to stay in contact with the council's Community Safety team. 
 
To apply for the ambassador posts, find out more on the council's jobs website. The closing date is 15 December and interviews will be held on 21 December.

Published: December 2nd 2020