Participation Officer (12 month temporary contract)
- Full time
- £26,692
- Any of includem’s offices – Glasgow, Stirling, Fife, Aberdeen or Dundee
- Closing 21st April 2021
- Advertised from 7th April 2021
- 35 hours per week including weekend and evening working and travelling to all includem offices across Scotland
Role
We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a Participation Officer to deliver a 12 month project developing a comprehensive culture and practice of participation with the children, young people and families that includem support, in line with the aims of The Promise. This will be achieved by reviewing current policies and practices in promoting the views, experiences and rights of the children, young people and families and the development and implementation of a participation framework.
At includem we value and celebrate peoples’ diversity and believe this strengthens our team. As an organisation serving children in care and care leavers, we are keen to receive applications from people with experience of care and recognise the importance of having care experienced staff within our team. We are seeking an individual who is committed to promoting children’s rights, hearing the voices of those we support and ensuring that they can influence the decisions and structures that affect them. We believe that the life experience of the Participation Officer will be key to delivering the change we need to best promote children’s rights.
What does the role involve?
- Review relevant includem policies, processes and practices to ensure that children, young people and families are able to contribute to decision making, policy making and service planning which affects them in an informed and supported way, and in a way that support and promotes their rights.
- Review and enhance participatory skills and confidence of staff at all levels of the organisation to ensure meaningful participation of children and families in activities, consultations and events in order to represent their views and experiences of the care and support they receive.
- Model participation practices by working alongside support delivery staff and directly with children and young people and families, to identify appropriate and accessible ways for them to participate meaningfully in activities designed to help them share their views and experiences and influence practice across all levels of the organisation.
- Ensure that processes are identified and agreed to ensure the views of those children and young people about includem services and issues affecting them are recorded and considered in planning and decision making at an individual and service level.
- Develop, along with children, young people and families and support delivery staff a participation framework, with consideration to the strengths, gaps and challenges identified in the review period of the project, framework to ensure that this will represent the views, opinions and experiences of children and young people both in internal service development and improvement and to a range of external audiences, including decision makers and policy makers at a local and national level.
- Develop an agreed method of consultation and involvement that supports the wider work of includem in supporting children and young people to contribute to includem’s campaigning and influencing work.
- Recommend changes to policies and practices to ensure that participation of children, young people and families is embedded across all of includem’s services.
- Work with staff across all roles of the organisation to ensure that all includem services can demonstrate the active and meaningful participation of children and young people in decision making, policy making and service planning.
- Develop, in conjunction with relevant staff, appropriate methods of recording, monitoring and evaluating the views and opinions of children and young people to inform decision making, policy making and service development.
- Recognise the confidential and sensitive nature of personal information relating to children, young people and families, and how this should be communicated, used, published, shared, recorded and handled appropriately.
- Become a member of the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) Scheme (paid for by includem)
Person Specification
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of effectively supporting and promoting children and young people’s meaningful participation
- Knowledge and understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity, anti discriminatory practices, and inclusion
- Good verbal and written skills and the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively
- Self-motivation, team working and ability to use initiative
- Experience of working in a social care setting within one of the following areas:
- Youth work
- Community learning and development
- Children and young people with disabilities services
- Children and young people in either a residential or community setting
- Experience of group facilitation to promote meaningful activities and events for children and young people
- The ability to work in partnership with a wide range of agencies
- Flexibility to work weekends and evenings when required and to travel to includem offices across Scotland
We value our staff and employee benefits include:
- A full and robust induction programme
- Holiday entitlement of 28 days rising to 31 with length of service and 9 public holidays
- Enhanced Employer Pension Contributions
- Free Confidential Employee Counselling Service
- Access to Mental Health First Aiders across the organisation
- Company Mobile Phone and Laptop
- SCVO Credit Union
- Discounted gym membership
- Discounted holidays and associated benefits
- Access to discounts for charity workers
We are actively seeking to bring more diversity of perspectives and experience and especially welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are currently underrepresented in our organisation.
Application notes
If you would like more information regarding this role, please contact our HR department on 0141 212 8800 or Meg Thomas, Head of Policy Participation on 07870 223567.
You can apply directly online via the Includem website (includem.org). Alternatively you can request a pack by e-mailing hrassist@includem.co.uk or contact our Head Office on the number above.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 21st April 2021 at midnight.
For applicants who are successfully shortlisted interviews will take place week commencing 3rd May 2021.
Community Volunteers Enabling You (COVEY) has operated across Lanarkshire for 31 years supporting 4,500 children, young people and parents/carers to become more resilient, safe and better equipped to reach their full potential. COVEY provides 1-1 and group-based befriending, mentoring and intensive family support.
COVEY has an exciting opportunity available for a Coordinator to manage delivery of 1-1 and group-based befriending/ mentoring support to children and young people.
COVEY’s consistent relationship-based support, which is centred on the participant’s needs, interests and hopes, improves health and wellbeing, social connections, confidence and increases their engagement with education, training, volunteering or employment.
As a Coordinator, you will have the ability to work collaboratively with children, young people, their families and others who support them. This will involve engaging with various, community, statutory and voluntary agencies and working in close partnership to support vulnerable families.
You would ideally have experience of supporting volunteers, managing a caseload, evaluation and monitoring. We are looking for someone who has a real passion around supporting those who are most vulnerable in our community.
What we offer
We offer a rewarding role with the opportunity to develop your skills and future career in an enriching environment with the following benefits:
- 6% employer pension contribution
- flexible working (including flexi-time)
- access to learning and development opportunities
- one special leave day to celebrate your birthday
- annual staff and volunteer recognition awards
- quarterly staff wellbeing activities
- annual all staff outing/activity
- HSF Health plan for employees (and their spouse/partner and children) including dental and optical claim back, physio claim back, personal accident coverage, GP, mental health counselling, legal support, discounts for gym, cinema and shopping
- access to ScotWest Credit Union offering loans, mortgages and savings accounts
Essential requirements:
- Available for at least two evenings per week where required
- Enhanced PVG required for this post
- Full Driving License with access to a car for business use/purposes
Community Volunteers Enabling You (COVEY) has operated across Lanarkshire for 31 years supporting 4,500 children, young people and parents/carers to become more resilient, safe and better equipped to reach their full potential. COVEY provides 1-1 and group-based befriending, mentoring and intensive family support.
COVEY are seeking a passionate, professional, proactive and caring individual to provide support to families who are experiencing difficulties or challenges in their everyday lives such as loneliness and isolation, poor mental health, illness, disability, poverty, gender-based violence, separation, or trauma. We provide 1:1 and/or group support to families in their home and within the community.
COVEY are looking for an experienced Family Support Worker to join our team. The successful candidate will provide person centred support to children, young people and adults.
The focus of our work involves the ability to quickly build rapport with a wide range of individuals, to ensure positive longer-term outcomes for families. Experience of working with families who have complex issues, such as trauma, is highly desirable.
Working hours are generally through the week, with occasional evening work required. (Hybrid office-based/working from home)
What we offer
We offer a rewarding role with the opportunity to develop your skills and future career in an enriching environment with the following benefits:
- 6% employer pension contribution
- flexible working (including flexi-time)
- access to learning and development opportunities
- one special leave day to celebrate your birthday
- annual staff and volunteer recognition awards
- quarterly staff wellbeing activities
- annual all staff outing/activity
- HSF Health plan for employees (and their spouse/partner and children) including dental and optical claim back, physio claim back, personal accident coverage, GP, mental health counselling, legal support, discounts for gym, cinema and shopping
- access to ScotWest Credit Union offering loans, mortgages and savings accounts
Essential requirements:
- Available for at least two evenings per week where required
- Enhanced PVG required for this post
- Full Driving License with access to a car for business use/purposes
We are looking for a Fundraising and Operations Lead: a brand new role growing and supporting Hot Chocolate Trust’s outstanding youth work.
Hot Chocolate Trust have worked with young people, aged 12-25, from across Dundee since 2001. We support them on their own terms, grow their confidence and fullest lives, do extraordinary things together and amplify their voices to affect wider change.
This post will consolidate and build the fundraising and operational platforms of Hot Chocolate to support and improve effectiveness and innovation in our youth work.
Fundraising
- To support the Executive Director in ensuring the organization has sufficient funds for its planned operations and for its sustainable future.
- Writing grant funding applications and reports.
- Supporting Teckle Data trading venture.
- Developing relationships with actual and potential funders.
- Planning or supporting periodic community fundraising.
- Ensuring fundraising closely serves Hot Chocolate’s purposes and values.
Operations
- Leading and supporting implementation and development of effective, efficient practices and policies, serving the core purpose and values of the organization.
- IT systems (with contracted IT service).
- Health and safety (with Executive Director).
- Risk management (with Executive Director and youth work managers).
- PVG signatory (with Executive Director and Volunteering Manager).
- Resources & property management (with Executive Director, Finance Manager and youth work managers).
You will bring
- Experience of charity fundraising (especially grant-funding).
- Excellent bid and report writing skills.
- Excellent ICT knowledge and skills.
- Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
- Commitment to best practice and effective policy in a purposeful, values-based organization.
- Able to work collaboratively and unsupervised with initiative, enthusiasm, and adaptability.
- Commitment to personal continuous learning, and ability to reflect on practice.
- Disclosure through membership of the PVG Scheme.
Hot Chocolate Trust has a Christian ethos in its roots and approaches. You will be part of a team who hold various faith positions and none. You should have a readiness to understand and work positively with this ethos, be yourself, and respect the spirituality of others.
If you have skills or experience in fundraising, especially grants, and are ready to play your part in a committed, creative, hands-on team we would love to hear from you.
Benefits:
- Annual salary will be £32,500.
- Hot Chocolate Trust pays contributions of 10% of salary while employees pay 3.75% of salary which is subject to tax relief.
- Salary exchange is available to support pension value.
- You will be entitled to two “Retreat days” supporting wellbeing each year, in addition to 33 days annual leave.
Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people? Do you want a flexible, varied and meaningful job in a supportive team? Do you value great employee benefits such as 360 Wellbeing membership and an annual training budget? Apply to join us!
Bridges Project is a leading youth work charity that helps young people aged 12-25 in East Lothian and Midlothian overcome challenges and adapt to adulthood. For nearly 40 years, we have helped young people develop their life skills, improve their educational attainment and move into employment or further education.
We have a vacancy for an Educational Support Worker to deliver an effective casework and group work service to young people experiencing a range of challenges such as non-attendance at school, low attainment, poor mental health and family poverty.
The successful candidate will:
- Support young people to gain employability skills, life skills and accreditation; helping them in to work, apprenticeships, further education or vocational training
- Provide vocational/industry specific accreditation and training to groups of young people alongside individual support to address particular barriers
- Take the lead on the service and to provide an effective interface between young people, partners and stakeholders involved in the service.
This is an exciting position in which the successful candidate will take pride in developing a programme of delivery which will provide young people with clear pathways to positive destinations.
It is essential that candidates have a full, clean driving licence and constant use of a car. Membership of the PVG scheme will be an essential requirement of the post. A contributory company pension scheme is offered with a 10% employer contribution.
Latest news See more
