Post : Youth Support Worker-in-Charge. Whitehead Youth Centre. Candidate Information Pack

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1 Post : Youth Support Worker-in-Charge Whitehead Youth Centre 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. Page 2 of 5

3 EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD/VOLUNTARY UNIT Job Description: Youth Support Worker-in-Charge (Centre-based) Responsible to: ELB Nominated Person/Management Committee Responsible for: The development and delivery of the agreed unit programme, the management of appropriate staff/volunteers and the implementation of ELB/organisational policies. Job purpose: To work directly with young people to develop their social education by providing programmes of activities. This post is for workers that have operational responsibility for a local youth club/project. The post holder will be line managed by a nominated ELB officer/worker or voluntary management committee, providing strategic leadership and operational guidance. Main duties and responsibilities 1. To identify, prioritise and deliver a programme of youth work activities based on need in the designated area, related to the Model for Effective Practice. 2. To provide leadership and support for a team of part-time workers and volunteers within the club/project. 3. Ensure that young people play an active role in the club/project and work towards a model of youth participation. 4. Develop and maintain relationships with the wider community and external agencies. 5. Provide information and support to young people to assist them to express and realise their goals and to work effectively in groups. 6. Challenge oppressive behaviour in young people. 7. Encourage young people to broaden their horizons and be active citizens. 8. Monitor and evaluate the quality of youth work activities, supporting young people in the evaluation of the activities and the impact of youth work on their development. 9. Support young people in their understanding of risk and challenge and in taking action to address key issues in their lives. 10. Implement the ELB/Management Committee s Child Protection Policy and work with young people to safeguard their welfare and the welfare of others. Page 3 of 5

4 11. Be responsible for administration within the unit/project, including financial matters, effective record keeping and ensuring that the administrative requirements of the ELB are met. 12. As appropriate be involved in the recruitment, selection and induction of paid staff and volunteers. Other duties 1. To carry out such duties, as may be assigned by the Line Manager, within the level of the post. General Hours per day to be agreed with the Line Manager If it is necessary, the Youth Worker-in-Charge will be required to undertake inservice training to ensure he/she attains the desired level of qualification. Details of other Terms and Conditions (sickness, leave etc) will be issued separately. Page 4 of 5

5 PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION POST SCHOOL ESSENTIAL CRITERIA DESIRABLE CRITERIA Relevant Experience Qualifications Experience of managing staff Experience of delivering generalist youth work in a youth club setting Experience of designing and delivery a generalist youth work programme EA YSWQ, or OCN Level 2 Youth Work and OCN Level 3 Practice Delivery Or equivalent Special Skills/Aptitudes Excellent Communication Skills Excellent timekeeping skills Use of ICT for administration proposes Personality/Disposition Friendly, Outgoing, Reliable, Dynamic Disposition Page 5 of 5

6 NORTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD PART-TIME YOUTH WORKER Conditions of Service Administrative, Executive, Clerical, Professional and Technical Staff 1 The Conditions of Service will be as determined by the Joint Negotiating Council for the Northern Ireland Education and Library Service. 2 The current wage is per hour 3 The hours of work will be as advertised. 4 The annual leave is from 1 April to 31 March in the following year. Your entitlement for a full year is six weeks paid holiday (thirty working days or sixty sessions) in addition to public and extra statutory holidays. Your leave entitlement will be calculated pro-rata based on the full-time entitlement i.e. 30 days and after 5 years service 35 days, in addition to statutory holidays. 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. 5 Sickness pay will be in accordance with the above agreement and there may be an entitlement to maternity leave and pay. 6 Membership of the NI 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 Officers will be entitled to receive 1 week s notice if they have over 4 weeks but less than 2 years continuous service and thereafter 1 week s notice for each year of continuous employment up to a maximum of 12 weeks notice. 8 Officers will normally be required to retire from the Board s service at 65 years of age. Officers have the right to request permission to work beyond this date and the Board has a legal obligation to consider such a request. In the absence of permission to work beyond the normal retirement date, you will be required to retire at the end of the month in which your sixty-fifth birthday falls. 9 All appointments will be subject to a satisfactory medical report and to the completion of a period of probationary service of at least 6 months. September 2010