Please note that the successful candidate for this post will be employed by Venture Trust and will be based in Edinburgh.

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1 1 Thank you for your interest in working with us on this exciting new project The Junction Partnership. I have enclosed an application form, job description and person specification along with some more information on the project and the partnership. Please note that the successful candidate for this post will be employed by Venture Trust and will be based in Edinburgh. Please ensure that you return the completed application to Sherien Ahmed, Venture Trust, 6D Bruntsfield Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 4EX by Friday the 8 th of January Alternatively you may submit your application by e mail to Sherien@venturetrust.org.uk Interviews will be held in the week beginning the 25 th of January. Job description below

2 2 JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: RESPONSIBLE TO: LOCATION: Positive Destination Advisor Venture Trust Line Manager Edinburgh INTRODUCTION TO THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE: The Junction Project is a partnership between Prince s Trust, Venture Trust, Venture Scotland and Fairbridge to work with young people who have disengaged from mainstream education or have a history of offending behaviour, and support them through outdoor development and education programmes to move on to further education, training or employment. Three referral hubs will operate in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. JOB PURPOSE: You will be responsible for working with young people who have been referred to the Junction from a variety of different agencies to participate in personal development programs based on outdoor education. The role will involve working with young people aged who have been involved in offending behaviour or identified as at risk of becoming involved in offending. You will assess which of the programs offered by the Hub s partner organisations is best suited to each young person s interests and abilities. The role involves obtaining referrals from a variety of agencies including those associated with Criminal Justice Services, Social Work and other voluntary and statutory agencies across Glasgow including the MCMC partnership. In particular, you will be heavily involved in the development of common methods and protocols that will enable the transfer and sharing of data between the partner organisations. There is also a need to contribute to the development of effective processes and best practice in working with this challenging client group. This is an exciting opportunity to play a role in the design and pilot of a high profile initiative supported by the Scottish Government. The post requires creativity, the ability to work on own initiative and also as part of a team and will provide the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and experience while helping disadvantaged young people. Key to the success of this role will be your ability work effectively with partner organizations, referral agencies, and support the progression of young people both through partner programmes and into positive destinations.

3 3 TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: a. To recruit sufficient young people to meet the allocated programme targets b. To undertake individual assessments with young people to identify which program is most suited to their interests and abilities. c. To liaise with Program Leaders to direct any relevant referrals to them, then allow them to comply with their own internal assessment and referral procedures d. Co ordinate the young person s journey through the Junction Partnerships programs. e. To identify appropriate follow on training/support for young people and to encourage them to take up such options; f. To liaise with external providers to identify and negotiate access to follow on training/support options not administered by the Junction Partnership; g. To develop and maintain effective working relationships with members of the SGI Partnership, initially: Venture Trust, Venture Scotland and Fairbridge. h. Liaise with a range of agencies including Criminal Justice (both statutory and voluntary) in order to develop procedures and mechanisms for the referral of young people aged to the Junction Project. i. To work with Junction Project partners to develop a common system to manage and assess referrals of young people across the 3 operational areas. j. To work with the PDC and other PDAs to develop a common tracking and evaluation system, and undertake agreed procedures and processes for recording, reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the service at a local and national level. k. To record the outcomes (progression, skills development and where relevant the incidence of reoffending) of young people who have participated in the project. l. To track and record young people s progress for a reasonable period after they have exited from the junction; m. To promote the SGI Junction partnership to other organisations and young people; n. To undertake other duties as required that are considered reasonable.

4 RESPONSIBILITY FOR STAFF: There is no direct line management responsibility for staff. However, you will be expected to manage the tasks allocated to staff and monitor the progress and quality of work performed by staff from other organisations. BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITY: You will be required to report regularly on participants attendance on partners programs to assist with internal invoicing procedures. HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY: All staff have a responsibility to adhere to their organisations Safety Policy, guidelines and risk assessments, referring issues that they are not able to resolve to their line manager and, wherever reasonably practicable, monitor to ensure that appropriate action is taken. Carry out all actions to ensure compliance with all requirements including Health and Safety management procedures. CONTEXT OF WORK: The Junction Partnership will operate in 3 cities across Scotland, and within each city a staff member of one of the partner organisations will be responsible for co ordinating the referral and assessment of young people to the specific programs that are on offer. The development of practical processes and sharing of best practice is particularly important in enabling The Partnership to continue to work with increasing effectiveness with the most challenged young people. This requires the ability to monitor the progress and results across each Hub. The postholder is expected to manage their workload effectively, overseeing the operation of the Glasgow Hub and developing referral partnerships within the local area of operation as directed by their Line Manager. WORKING CONTACTS: 4 Internal External Venture Trust staff PDA & PDC employed by Princes Trust and Fairbridge Young people Junction Project partner organisations and government bodies relevant to working with this project. Referral agencies including Criminal Justice Agencies, Social Work and a range of voluntary and statutory agencies MCMC partnership Progression providers e.g. FE sector, Raleigh etc Communication lines and working contacts should be maximised to assist the post holder and promote the work widely across the three operating areas.

5 5 Person Specification: Skills & Knowledge: Excellent planning andorganisationalskills; Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal and presentation communication skills, including the ability to work with a wide range of external and internal customers; Contribute positively as part of a team; Proactive, can work on own initiative and prioritise work; Effective time management and can work to deadlines; The ability to work flexibly; Highly motivated and committed to the aims of the Partnership; Able to support and enthuse others and maintains a professional image; An understanding of the challenges facing young people with whom the Partnership works; The ability to work effectively with young people from our target groups; A knowledge and understanding of the Criminal Justice System; Knowledge of confidentiality, child protection and equal opportunity issues; Knowledge of the local organisations working with the Partnership target groups; Experience: Three years training in youth work and/or relevant work experience, including minimum of one year working directly with young people in a voluntary or statutory youth organization; Proven experience of working with young people, recognizing the issues that affect them. Experience of working with young people who present offending behavior is desirable; Experience of dealing with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies (including presenting, attending meetings) at a commensurate level of seniority.

6 6 Using assessment and monitoring tools Developing and managing a referral process. Experience of using word processing and spreadsheet packages, accurately and with good attention to detail. Circumstances Successful disclosure check; Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends as required; Clean driving license and access to transport desirable.

7 7 The Junction Partnership DEVELOPING AN INTERVENTION PROJECT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEED OF MORE CHOICES AND MORE CHANCES Outline: Fairbridge, The Venture Trust, the Prince s Trust and Venture Scotland have joined forces to form The Junction Partnership which will utilise the extensive experience the four organisations have in working with young people, and supporting them on to positive destinations. Evidence of Need/The Issue: Although Scotland is leading the way in many areas of engaging young people in their own development, unacceptably high numbers are still at risk of falling between the gaps in provision. With many of them disengaged from formal education or statutory provision, it often falls to third sector organisations to try to engage these young people and offer them the skills and confidence necessary to take the next positive steps forward. Many of the organisations working with young people, in this situation, are recruiting people from the same pool of young people, sometimes with limited information flow between organisations. This can result in a pillar to post form of development where no one person or organisation is taking control of the individual development needs of that young person. This can easily result in their real needs being met by no one. Although the young person may be involved with statutory agencies and will very often have an action plan, it is not always clear, outside of statutory provision, where their individual development needs lie and this can result in inappropriate referrals to agencies who otherwise could be very well placed to offer specific, appropriate and timely interventions. The Potential There are many third sector agencies that specialise in the development of young people; helping them to reach their potential and diverting them from many of the problems that they might otherwise face. Some of these young people are at risk of involvement with drugs and alcohol, others might be on the cusp of involvement in antisocial; or criminal behaviour. All of them will have complex multiple needs that will not be addressed within the statutory sector and would benefit from agencies working in partnership to ensure that their development needs are met. It is entirely possible to ensure that as many of these excluded and at risk young people are picked up on by the most appropriate agency, to assist them with their own development and to build, for each one, their own personal development plan. Introducing a support plan that will ensure they are offered the best possible chance of steering clear of the many pitfalls that they might otherwise face. It is also possible to ensure that each young person receives appropriate support to complete and build on their development agenda for a period appropriate to their needs, from one or two months up to eighteen months, or in some cases longer.

8 8 The Possibilities: By the creation of a one stop development shop, (The Junction Partnership) which is available to statutory agencies who are concerned that an individuals development needs were not otherwise being met, a young person can work with specialists in the development field to build a personal development plan. That plan will concentrate on the areas of development that third sector agencies specialise in and would outline a development pathway for each young person to follow based on their individual needs. Each young person will carry with them a detailed assessment of their progress through this pathway and meet regularly with their Positive Destination Adviser (PDA) to review, evaluate and support their progress. This will ensure that each young person will access provision most appropriate to their specific needs. Work done with an individual will thus be built on, in a holistic way, providing continuity within each step of their development journey. Project detail: The Junction Partnership Fairbridge, The Venture Trust, the Prince s Trust and Venture Scotland have joined forces to create a one stop development shop with the formation of The Junction partnership which will utilise the extensive experience the four organisations have in working with young people, and supporting them onto positive destinations. This exciting new partnership will contribute to a significant number of the Scottish Government's National Outcomes, including ensuring our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens; improving the life chances for children, young people and families at risk; helping us live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger and helping us to build strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others. The Pilot project will be delivered over 3 years and will work within 3 cities in the first year (Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee), and roll out to a further rural area in the 2nd year (The Highlands). A toolkit will be developed during this period to enable the lessons learned from the project to be shared across the wider voluntary and statutory sectors. This work looks to reengage young people who have not been achieving in formal education via informal learning approaches. This would include work with the organisations involved in the Junction project and as such it is imperative links are made to ensure there is no duplication. This will be progressed via contacts with MCMC partnerships who are the lead statutory bodies for both the AA and Junction project Target Group The project will be available to young people aged between (last term of third year of Secondary School onwards) who are in need of More Choices, More Chances (MCMC), with a particular focus on those young people who are involved in, or at risk of being involved in offending behaviour. Under exceptional circumstances, which has the agreement of both the providers and MCMC representatives, young people below the age range can begin preparatory work to enable them to join the project. This allows for some local flexibility to ensure we do not artificially exclude those young people who, other than the age range, fall within the target group and could benefit

9 from participation in the project. The impact of the age range will be kept under review through both the Steering Group and the evaluation reporting. Young people can stay on the project beyond 17 if required, but they must begin prior to their 18 th birthday. Young people on the project who are 16+ may also be involved in the Activity Agreements project which is being piloted in Glasgow and the Highlands at the same time as the Junction project. 9 Staffing for the Junction Project This Junction project will be staffed by an Outreach and Development team made up of 3 staff. The 3 staff will consist of 2 Positive Destinations Advisors (PDA s), one recruited and managed by The Venture Trust and based in their Edinburgh office and the other recruited and managed by The Princes Trust and based in their Glasgow Office. The third post will be a more senior position, Positive Destinations Coordinator (PDC) and will be recruited and Managed by Fairbridge and based in their Dundee Office. It is expected that there will be fewer referrals received in Dundee due to a lower percentage of funding allocated to this area which will enable the PDC to hold a small caseload and establish, develop and co ordinate the project and project staff effectively. The PDC will also hold the training budget for all PDAs from the second year onwards to ensure consistency of training standards. Each PDA/PDC will ensure that appropriate links are established with agencies within their referral area and will be responsible for passing information back and forth between the partner organisations and MCMC partnership/lead officials. They will be responsible for ensuring that each individual is supported throughout their engagement with the Partnership and will work with each participant to ensure that an agreed Development Pathway and exit point is identified from the start of their engagement, with appropriate provision supplied by each of the partners at the appropriate time to ensure each individuals development needs are met. Referrals Referrals will be received from the lead official within the MCMC partnerships across the three cities. The PDA/PDC s will be responsible for working with the young person, to develop their Personal Development Plan with them. This Personal Development Plan will set out an individual Development Pathway for each young person, determining the most appropriate route through the provision offered by each of the partner organisations. Moreover, the PDA/PDC s will be responsible for offering further support and guidance to each young person, for as long as they continued to engage with the Junction project or any of the partner organisations. The Personal Development Plan will take full cognizance of the action plan that will already have been developed with the young persons MCMC Lead Professional, planning their pathway through statutory provision A crucial part of this process will be the adoption of a single reporting and evaluation process used by all delivery partners that will feed back an individual s progress to the PDA/PDC working with them. This will be used to ensure that each individual is moving forward confidently along their Development Pathway. The support offered by each partner organisation will be planned at the most appropriate time for each young person, to ensure that their needs were being met as appropriately as possible. This process will also ensure that each element of their personal development needs are

10 being built on by each of the partners in a joined up and holistic way. The PDA/PDC s will have common working practices relating to child protection, confidentiality, common assessment processes etc. The Partnership Steering group will take responsibility for ensuring the adoption of common processes and practices Steering Group A Steering Group has been formed to oversee the progress of the project, and resolve any issues that arise. A senior member of staff from each of the partners involved sits on the Steering Group (identified at Administration and Management section below). A representative from each of the MCMC partnerships will also sit on the Steering Group, as will 2 representatives from Scottish Government; one from the Community Safety Unit and one from the MCMC team. The Steering Group will initially meet on a monthly basis and receive updates from the PDC on how the project is progressing. A report from these meetings will be submitted to Scottish Ministers to appraise them of the overall progress of project. Administration and management The lead managers for the project from each organisation, who will also represent that organisation on the Project Steering Group are: Finlay Laverty Head of Commercial Development Prince s Trust Scotland George Graham Head of Development and Culture, The Venture Trust Margaret Murphy Manager, Fairbridge in Edinburgh Jane Bruce Director, Venture Scotland 10