Post : Area Youth Worker (I) - Temporary Coleraine Area Youth Office Candidate Information Pack
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 2015. 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 2017 2027. 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.
NORTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION POST: Area Youth Worker ESSENTIAL CRITERIA DESIRABLE CRITERIA Relevant Experience Some experience of delivering youth work with young people in a school setting. Working with unattached young people in a variety of settings Experience of working on an Inter Agency basis Qualifications Be Youth Work qualified in accordance with JNC regulations Special Skills/Aptitudes Good Communication Skills Group work skills Personality/Disposition Ability to adapt to work with different staff and agencies in a variety of settings.
NORTH EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARDS JOB DESCRIPTION POST TITLE Area Youth Worker I SALARY JNC Professional Range Pts 18-21 LOCATION RESPONSIBLE TO RESPONSIBLE FOR Senior Youth Worker or Designated Youth Officer Occasional/shared responsibility for part-time /project staff JOB PURPOSE The Area Youth Worker will have responsibility for the management of youth work programmes across the designated area, in line with board policies. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Managing & Developing a Range of Services within the Designated Area. 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 individual Annual Action Plan and actively contribute to the Area Plan and the overall strategic plan for the Youth Service. 1.3 Ensure the active participation of young people in the youth work programmes and in the management of the area project. 1.4 In consultation with the Advisory Committee and 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. 1.7 Promote and develop inter-community activities. 1.8 Be responsible to the line manager for all management, administration and financial matters relevant to the Area Project. 1.9 To engage in appropriate fund raising related directly to the approved programme.
NORTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD 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 Northern Ireland Education and Library Service. 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 Board, 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 Board 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 Superannuation: Officers may wish to contribute to the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers Superannuation Scheme and contributions will be at the rate of approximately 6%. 7 The officer will be required to give two calendar months notice of his/her intention to resign from the Board s service.
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 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. 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 Board 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 Further details may be obtained from the Human Resources Officer and are contained in the Staff Handbook that is issued to all Board employees. April 2010
1.10 To provide support to youth groups and relevant organisations within the designated area. 1.11 To engage where appropriate in outreach or detached youth work programmes within the designated area. 2. Developing Staff and Facilities within the Designated Area. 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 for the area. 2.2 Ensure the induction, motivation, development, training, deployment and discipline of part-time/project staff and volunteers within the area project. 3. Working with agencies to develop services across the community. 3.1 Work with relevant agencies to develop services within the designated area. 4. Leading Project Development and Implementation within the Designated Area. 4.1 In line with agreed priorities design and implement specific curriculum related projects within the designated area. 5. Management Responsibility for Staff within the Designated Area 5.1 Supervise appropriate staff, including the management and allocation of duties.