Advocacy and Participation Worker - Spark of Genius
- Full time
- £23,674 – £29,592
- West Central Region – Spark of Genius
- Closing 26th March 2023
- Advertised from 10th March 2023
- Permanent contract. 35 hours per week
Role
Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3500 Care Experienced members.
At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual lifelong relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory and engagement opportunities for Care Experienced people across Scotland. We work alongside Corporate Parents and communities to broaden understanding and create change. We work with policy makers, leaders, and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy, and practice, working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.
This unique role offers the opportunity to listen to and work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy position. This means we listen to what young people say and support them to ensure their voices are truly heard regarding the decisions which are being made about their lives. This role will see the postholder take responsibility for providing this service to children and young people across all Spark of Genius locations, covering a vast geographical area. The varied locations of Spark of Genius services means that significant travel is required in this role.
The post-holder will also be a key member of the West Central Advocacy and Participation team, with the opportunity to provide independent advocacy, children’s rights, and participation opportunities for children and young people who are looked after, Care Experienced or subject to formal processes and structures. The role will see you actively participating in child’s plan meetings, children’s hearings, and other formal processes, as well as assisting children and young people to prepare for them. In partnership with professionals, carers, and organisations, you will help to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people by keeping detailed records of the work you undertake, writing liaison reports, and monitoring statistics.
As a vital part of the work of Who Cares? Scotland, your role will include facilitating group opportunities for and with children and young people across Spark of Genius services. This includes providing engagement and participation opportunities throughout the Who Cares? Scotland local and national network, as well as meeting with care experienced children and young people to introduce the service in agreement with the local authority. Raising awareness of Who Cares? Scotland and its services with children, young people, professionals, and carers you will also be responsible for facilitating training amongst care corporate parents.
The right candidate for this post will be able to form positive relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills. You will feel confident communicating with individuals and groups, both in writing and verbally, and be able to adapt to a wide range of contexts. Secure in making effective plans, as well as evidencing your work, you can prioritise and meet deadlines. You take enjoyment from working collaboratively with partners, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working. Committed to children’s rights, you are someone who knows that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity. You can demonstrate knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. You are also flexible, given the remit of the role, as some evening and weekend work will be necessary, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.
While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.
The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the West Central team at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively - bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change.
Application notes
If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal conversation about this opportunity please contact Jamie McAnally, our West Central Advocacy and Participation Manager on jmcanally@whocaresscotland.org.
Closing date for applications is Sunday 26th March.
Interviews will be held remotely/in person w/c Monday 3rd April.
To apply, please visit whocaresscotland.org/get-involved/work-for-us
Downloads
Young People’s Worker – Wakened Nights
- Part time
- £28,583 pro-rata
- Options Fife – Respite and Outreach, Glenrothes (On site)
- Closing 28th April 2024
Do you have relevant experience of working with children and young people with a disability/and or autism or relevant experience in a similar sector or work environment?
About Aberlour Options Fife - Respite and Outreach
Options Fife Respite and Outreach provides a range of flexible support through outreach and overnight short breaks at weekends, evenings and school holidays to children and young people with complex learning disabilities and autism. We offer a high-quality child centred service providing positive and enabling experiences for the young people, supporting them through the challenges and complexities that enable them to work towards their individual outcomes and personal goals. We work closely with families and other professionals in providing support tailored around the child’s plan.
What we are looking for....
We are looking to recruit two Young People’s Worker Nights, working four nights on (10 hours per night) every second week. You will play a fundamental role in ensuring that the young people you work with have the best possible experience in working towards their objectives in line with their care plan, supporting children to progress within their individual outcomes. Whilst not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role, where the work we do has a demonstrable impact on each young person's progress. Using a person-centred approach, you will provide enabling support ensuring the highest level of physical, personal, and emotional care. We support young people who have epilepsy, need personal care and need gastrostomy feeding. Aberlour, in conjunction with NHS, provides all staff with training.
We are looking for candidates who have a passion for working with young people with disabilities. It is desired but not essential that candidates hold a relevant qualification at an SCQF level 7 or above. Due to SSSC requirements you may be required to gain qualifications after starting with Aberlour.
At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team.
What we offer...
As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity on our website.
About Sycamore Inverness
Our residential service in Inverness is one of two houses that Aberlour runs in the Highlands. Our experienced teams of staff seek to create a comfortable home for the young people where they can grow and flourish, participating in educational and community activities to achieve their goals.
What we are looking for....
We are looking to recruit a Residential Worker to join our team in Inverness, you will work 37.5 hours per week working in a residential house which is home for up to five young people. We have a core team of Residential Workers who support our young people, helping them to achieve and overcome the challenges they face. At Aberlour, we believe that every child deserves the change to flourish regardless of their background and the circumstances that have brought them to live with Aberlour. The children we support are presently not able to live safely with their own families and many of them have suffered from trauma and loss in their young lives. Working therapeutically with the young people, using a Dyadic Developmental approach, our aim is to help the young people to develop their confidence and self-worth and therefore to maximise their potential and opportunities for living fulfilled and happy lives. As a Residential Worker, you will play a fundamental role in ensuring that our young people are working towards their goals through supporting them with different daily activities. These activities can include college, different hobbies and attending fun groups. Not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role.
This service operates a residential rota and, as part of this, you will be expected to work evenings, weekends, nights and public holidays. Shifts are set on a monthly basis and follow a rolling pattern, however may be altered to suit the needs of the service.
At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team.
What we offer...
As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.
Young People’s Worker
- Full time
- £28,583 – £31,896
- Options Lothian, Prestonpans (On site)
- Closing 2nd May 2024
Aberlour Options Lothian, Prestonpans
Aberlour Options Lothian offers a range of short break services to children and young people with complex needs. We offer a safe, homely environment for a child to come and stay for a short break that gives their families a rest from their caring role. During that break, children enjoy a range of fun activities and experiences with our staff. Our service is very much a ‘home from home’ for the children who stay with us. We are within easy commuting distance of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian with access via the number 26, 111 and 124 bus routes.
The difference we make to families:
“It’s not easy to accept that sometimes you need help. We had reached rock bottom but Aberlour Options Lothian was that lifesaving buoyancy aid.
It wasn't easy accepting leaving my son there especially in the early days when it was new to everyone. It is a safe and welcoming place and a second home in many respects now. Somewhere he is safe, cared for and has loads of fun with the carers and other children.
It’s not just about respite; we have received help with managing behaviour, preparing for hospital visits and operations. Help and advice when there seemed to be no one else listening or who understands. It’s hard to look back to where we were but no we wouldn't be here today without their help and support.
To sum it up: Saved our lives. Peace of mind. Finally a rest.”
What we are looking for....
As part of a small team, you will ensure that the highest level of physical and emotional care is provided to the children and young people. Experience in this type of work is preferred however we will consider all applications. The requirement is to work mainly weekends with occasional week nights, depending on the needs of our young people. Weekends can include sleepovers and wakened night shifts. There are various part time hours available which can be discussed at interview.
At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. At Aberlour we have strong values - Respect, Integrity, Innovation and Challenging - which influence our everyday work. If you choose to apply for this role please tell us about your values in your supporting statement.
What we offer...
As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do.
About Sycamore Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel is our newest residential house for children who are unable to live with their own families. Aberlour is Being Brave for these children, fulfilling The Promise to provide a safe, loving home for the three children who live in the house, enabling them, over time, to reach their full potential. We do not seek to provide a quick fix for the children but to secure transformational change which secures real results and gives our team a really rewarding job experience.
What we are looking for....
We are looking for an individual who can integrate seamlessly into our existing team, working alongside it and relief adults to support excellent service delivery. We are looking for a Residential Worker to work 37.5 hours per week on a residential rota including early, late, waken nights, sleepovers and weekend shifts. You will have a knowledge and understanding of the importance of attachment, trauma and how this can impact on an individual’s development. At times our children express their distress through their behaviour and the role can be emotionally and physically challenging; we are therefore looking for someone who is resilient, understands that behaviour is a means of communication and is trauma responsive.
You will be skilled in building therapeutic relationships with the children, young people and young adults to enable them to feel safe, loved and cared for.
You must have the ability to quickly build your relationships with the adults within the house. The nature of the role is such that you could be working to cover a shift or longer periods as required, including days, wakened nightshifts and sleepovers and you may also be supporting young people to attend school or participate in other learning programmes. You must therefore be able to quickly adapt to the working environment within each house.
You will be comfortable with working within Aberlour’s culture embracing respect, integrity, innovation and the ability to challenge. Demonstration of these qualities will be particularly important in this role given that you will be dipping in and out of the different teams. You must be able to be an exceptional role model for other staff and the young person.
Through a wide variety of learning and development opportunities we support our staff to be as effective as they can be, equipping them to employ best practice in their work and to be exceptional role models for the children and for staff.
At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team.
For an informal discussion please phone Caitlyn Ross, House Manager on 07919192605
What we offer...
As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with a competitive salary and allowances, generous annual leave, an excellent pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.
Latest news See more
