We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative person with relevant experience to work with vulnerable children and young people in Loughton. The Young Carers Club Lead will run an respite club for Young Carers. If you are organised, like planning and leading activities, and have a passion for helping vulnerable children and young people, please apply.
This role is a fantastic opportunity to work with Young Carers in an active youth work setting, assisting with maintaining health and wellbeing whilst improving individual social skills and self-esteem. You will supervise a Club Assistant and a team of volunteers, liaising with parents and engaging Young Carers in planning games and activities. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your role within a charity which benefits from great support from the local community in Essex and which achieves a positive impact for local families.
Action for Family Carers is a thriving charity which for over 30 years has been providing support for adult carers and young carers – people with unpaid, caring responsibilities for others. We are a Carers Trust Network Partner and Trusted Charity. We provide information, counselling, wellbeing activities, Young Carer Clubs, Activity Groups and Day Care across Essex, working within schools, with GP practices and in a variety of community settings.
Young Carers Club Lead
Working with Young Carers aged 8 and over
Office base in Harlow (CM20 1QP), Young Carers Club in Loughton (IG10 3SB)
Salary: £ 21386 – 22682 (band 4) pro rata
7 hours per week (£4277.2)
Your role will be to deliver a high-quality support service:
· Run the Young Carers Club.
· Give Young Carers the chance to mix socially with others and to and participate in fun activities.
· Provide emotional support and build confidence and self-esteem.
· Challenge inappropriate caring roles and identify appropriate support.
· Help Young Carers to have a break from their caring role and to enjoy their childhood.
You will need to be:
· Passionate about helping disadvantaged young people
· Skilled and experienced in working with children young people
· Confident in working with groups and promoting the service
· Creative in planning activities to engage children of different ages and interests
Email: recruitment@affc.org.uk
Or
Post: Action for Family Carers, Rainbow Services, Wych Elm, CM20 1QP
For an informal discussion about the role please feel free to call our Young Carers Service manager Chris Vince on 07702 858656
Closing date 5pm 17th May 2024
Action for Family Carers is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from all sections of the community. If you have difficulty reading this please call us.
Registered Charity No: 1127164
Job Description
ROLE PURPOSE:
Planning and delivery of club nights and other trips and activities for Young Carers
Key Generic Activities / Decision Areas
Service Delivery
- Planning and delivering a regular respite club evening for Young Carers aimed at building confidence and assertiveness, enabling them to meet their full potential and make informed choices.
- Completing initial assessments and reviews with Young Carers
- Ensuring individual needs including support and access needs are identified and addressed
- Maintaining the client database and assisting with completion of monitoring
- Supporting promotional efforts including sharing material and resources with families, schools and external organisations to raise awareness of Young Carers.
- Working closely with statutory, voluntary and independent organisations in the identification, development, provision and promotion of Young Carer support services.
- Identifying where Young Carers have additional needs and referring onto other services where appropriate.
- Undertaking mandatory training including first aid and food hygiene.
- Completing risk assessments and reviews
- Delivering continuous improvement in service quality and performance
- Carrying out any reasonable task, as requested by the Chief Executive Officer.
People
- Assigning tasks to staff, including Club Night assistant and volunteers, and overseeing all activities during club sessions.
- Liaising with staff to ensure that club sessions and respite trips have an appropriate staff: Young Carer ratio.
- Involving relevant staff in the planning and delivery of youth club activities and respite trips.
- Ensuring necessary paperwork is completed accurately by all club staff and in a timely manner.
- Providing newly appointed Club Assistants and volunteers with an induction that covers topics including confidentiality, child protection and health and safety.
- Supporting colleagues, providing cover when required
- Supervising and motivating local Young Carer volunteers
- Communicating and engaging with colleagues across the Charity
Finance and Budgeting
- Complying at all times with financial procedures
- Keeping accurate records of expenditure
- Supporting efforts to obtain funding for respite opportunities, activities and transport
- Working with Young Carers Service Manager to ensure spend within budget
Quality Assurance
- Complying with organisational and service quality standards and procedures
- Leading on local engagement with service users, with staff and volunteers in driving quality improvement.
- Contributing to organisational quality assurance activity
Monitoring & Evaluation
- Leading on identifying and collecting local evidence of impact and outcomes
- Contributing to reports for funders, website and social media
- Supporting efforts to identify needs and share learning
Health, Safety & Risk Management
Ensuring full compliance with all Policies and Procedures including but not limited to:
- Financial Procedures
- Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
- Equal Opportunities
- Health & Safety
- Data Protection
Taking responsibility for self-development, identifying learning opportunities and attending relevant training.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Working with children/young people 1 to1 and/or in groups in an education or community setting
Desirable
- Planning activities for children/young people
- Responding to safeguarding concerns
- Supporting staff and/or volunteers
- Carrying out service user needs assessments
- Managing projects through planning, delivery and evaluation
- Maintaining accurate client records on a CRM (database)
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children and/or vulnerable adults
Desirable
- Understanding of the issues facing Young Carers
- Knowledge of the health and social care sector
Skills & Qualifications
Essential
- Ability to engage with and communicate clearly and effectively with children and young people, with families and with other professionals
- Strong IT skills
- Full clean driving license
Desirable
- GCSE at A-C, NVQ level 2 in youth work or equivalent
Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Creative with interest in and enthusiasm for delivering activities with and for vulnerable children and young people
- Ability to empathise with and offer emotional support to Young Carers
- Positive and solution-focused
- Proactive and organised – able to manage own workload and work within a responsive environment
- Ability to work flexibly, including regular evening working and occasional weekend activities
