Post : Senior Youth Worker 1 (Board Wide Specialism) South Eastern Trust Area based in Ards Arena. Candidate Information Pack

Transcription

1 Post : Senior Youth Worker 1 (Board Wide Specialism) South Eastern Trust Area based in Ards Arena Candidate Information Pack

2 Background and Context The Education Authority (EA) wants every child to have an outstanding education. The EA was established under the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 and became operational on 1 April It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy. The EA is responsible for ensuring that high quality primary and secondary education services are available to meet the needs of children and young people, and for support for the provision of efficient and effective youth services. These services were previously delivered by five Education and Library Boards (ELBs). The organisation employs over 39,000 people across Northern Ireland in a wide variety of roles including teachers in controlled schools, school-based support staff and staff in administrative headquarters. The work we do impacts the lives of tens of thousands of children, young people and their families every day. The services we provide are essential in supporting, encouraging and facilitating learning within our communities to develop generations of young people who are equipped to succeed in life and work in the modern world. As a public sector organisation, we must continue to deliver these vital services in a challenging environment of increasing financial pressure and under intense public scrutiny. Future Challenges and Opportunities Recent focus has been on transition from the former ELBs to a single authority. Looking forward, this focus moves from transition to transformation. Emerging from the five ELBs our aim is to build a new organisation which is focused on meeting the needs of all our young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential. Work is underway to develop a strategic plan for the period This will provide a framework for the authority s activities and will guide the organisation through its transformation journey. The EA in all its activities will endeavour to support the Programme for Government to improve educational outcomes; reduce educational inequality; improve the quality of education and the skills profile of the population. The EA also recognises the fundamental role it has in other NI Executive priorities such as the economy and the wider success of Northern Ireland. These are exciting and challenging times for EA as we continue the process of transformation and seek fundamentally to transform education administration for the benefit of future generations of children and young people.

3 FLARE Service (Facilitating Life and Resilience Education) The Education Authority Youth Service (EA YS) has developed, in partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), an innovative support service for young people (Year 8-25 years old) experiencing poor mental health. Extensive health service research and evidence has established the need for such a service to improve young people s mental health and wellbeing. Poor mental health is proven to affect young people s educational attainment, ability to form positive relationships thus increasing isolation, sense of happiness, and threat to their future opportunities and meaningful role in the community and economy. The aim is to use youth work interventions with these young people to raise their awareness of positive mental health, how to find support, and develop their confidence, resilience and coping strategies. The service is focused in areas, identified by local EA YS staff and PHA partners, as being in highest need and are flexible to respond as the need dictates. Successful applicants will provide the service across the designated Trust area and, when required, development and delivery of training to youth workers and dissemination of good practice in other locations across NI.

4 EDUCATION AUTHORITY JOB DESCRIPTION POST TITLE Senior Youth Worker I (Region-wide Specialism) SALARY JNC Professional Range Pts LOCATION RESPONSIBLE TO RESPONSIBLE FOR Board-wide Designated Youth Officer 3 FTE or more JOB PURPOSE The Senior Youth Worker will have responsibility for the development of a significant specialist area of the youth work curriculum across the board, developing a range of services and programmes, in conjunction with youth groups and partner organisations, in line with regional policies. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Managing & Developing a Range of Services across the Region 1.1 To work directly with young people by assessing their needs and providing an agreed programme of activities designed to meet those needs, in line with the Youth Service Curriculum for Northern Ireland. 1.2 To develop an Annual Action Plan to take forward the specified specialist area of work and actively contribute to the overall Strategic Plan for the Youth Service. 1.3 Ensure the active participation of young people in agreed youth work programmes. 1.4 In consultation with the line manager ensure that objectives are achieved through implementation, monitoring and self evaluation of agreed work programmes. 1.5 Establish contact with, listen to, befriend, advise, support and act as an advocate for young people. 1.6 Encourage and participate in the residential and outdoor education elements of the programme.

5 1.7 Promote and develop inter-community activities. 1.8 Be responsible to the line manager for all management, administration and financial matters related to the development of the specified area of work. 1.9 To engage in appropriate fund raising related directly to the approved programme To provide substantial support to youth groups and youth workers and relevant organisations across the area to develop the specified specialist area of work. 2. Developing Staff and Facilities across the Region 2.1 Work with staff and volunteers to develop, implement, manage and evaluate programmes of activities, services and facilities in line with the agreed priorities. 2.2 Ensure the induction, motivation, development, training, deployment and discipline of appropriate youth work staff as required. 3. Working with Agencies to Develop Services on a Region-wide basis 3.1 Work with relevant agencies to develop links and partnerships to assist the development of the specified specialist area of work throughout the area. 4. Leading Project Development and Implementation on a Region-wide basis 4.1 In line with agreed priorities design and implement specific curriculum related projects throughout the area. 5. Management Responsibility for Staff on a Region-wide basis 5.1 Supervise appropriate staff, including the management and allocation of duties, as related to the development of the specified specialist area of work.

6 EDUCATION AUTHORITY BALLYMENA OFFICE - PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION POST: Senior Youth Worker I DEPARTMENT: Youth QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE (will be assessed from the application form) ESSENTIAL CRITERIA Be qualified youth workers according to current JNC (Youth and Community Worker) regulations Be able to demonstrate 2 years post qualifying experience of professional youth work delivery in a youth centre or youth project Have at least 2 years experience line managing part time youth workers and volunteers as a professional youth worker Experience in the design and delivery of training courses Have experience of leading youth work project projects across a range of settings DESIRABLE CRITERIA (will be assessed from the application form) (in order of priority) Experience of delivery of mental health awareness programmes with young people Trained in mental health programmes: e.g. ASIST, Mental Health 1 st Aid, BOUNCE, Take 5, Mindwise, Mindfulness. KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS (will be assessed at interview) Knowledge of the Youth Work Curriculum and can link to outcomes based practice Working knowledge of all the key policies impacting the youth service and how they impact youth work practice Demonstrate experience of project planning to develop successful projects across a range of units in a designated area to meet identified need and enable positive outcomes for young people Confidence and interpersonal skills in order to develop projects Able to articulate and demonstrate the key skills in developing formal and informal programmes Excellent interpersonal skills PERSONAL QUALITIES (will be assessed at interview) Demonstrate initiative and ability to plan and develop own work

7 EDUCATION AUTHORITY CONDITIONS OF SERVICE YOUTH WORKERS 1 The Conditions of Service will be as determined by the Administrative, Executive, Professional, Technical and Clerical Staffs Functional Council for the Education Authority. 2 The salary scale for this post is per annum. 3 The officer will not normally be expected to be on duty more than ten sessions a week (including Saturday and Sunday), totalling 36 hours, a session comprising a morning, an afternoon or an evening. Not more than eight sessions per fortnight will be evening sessions. 4 The leave year operates from 1 April in one year to 31 March in the following year. The officer will be entitled to six weeks paid holiday (thirty working days or sixty sessions). Entitlement in the period commencing with the date of start and terminating on the following 31 March will be pro rata, for completed months service, to the full entitlement. Officers who have completed more than 5 annual leave years of continuous service in local Government or other employment recognised by the Authority, by 1 April in any leave year, will be entitled to an additional 5 days holiday. At least two-thirds of annual leave must be taken during the period 1 June 30 September. All leave must be taken before the end of the leave year. Only in exceptional circumstances will an officer be allowed to carry forward leave to the next year. In addition to the above there will be an entitlement to a minimum of 12 public and extra-statutory holidays. The Authority will determine the dates on which these holidays are to be taken, following consultation with staff. 5 Sickness pay will be in accordance with the above agreement and after 12 months service there may an entitlement to maternity leave and pay. 6 Membership of the Northern Ireland Local Government Pension Scheme is available if you are aged over 16 and under age 65. You will automatically become a member of the scheme, unless you choose, in writing not to. You will be required to join on commencement with an option to opt out of the scheme. 7 The officer will be required to give two calendar months notice of his/her intention to resign from the Authority s service.

8 8 Officers will be entitled to receive two months notice if they have less than nine years continuous service, increasing by one week for each year of continuous service up to twelve years. 9 If you contribute to the Local Government Pension Scheme, you can retire and receive your benefits in full once you have reached age 65. You must advise the Authority in writing at least 4 months prior to your intended date of retirement in order to meet NILGOSC deadlines for pension release. Further information is available from the Athority s Pension Officer. 10 All appointments will be subject to a satisfactory medical report and to the completion of a period of probationary service of at least one year. The appointment will also be subject to the Department of Education approving the officer as a qualified Youth Worker. 11 References will be taken from the named referees and applicants should ensure that they have, in specific terms, obtained the prior consent of the persons named to act as referees. The Athority will also, where it is felt appropriate obtain references from former employers (not the applicant s present employer). Testimonials or references are not to be submitted. 12 The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people as regulated activity. Accordingly, the Authority considers the work involved in this post to be regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for any individual on any barred list or who is the subject of a disqualification order from the courts; to apply for, offer to do, accept or do any work in a post involving regulated activity, paid or unpaid. Appointment to this post is subject to a satisfactory outcome of the vetting procedure including receipt of a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure Certificate from AccessNI. August 2016