THE COMPANY
Croydon Youth Zone, named by young people as ‘Legacy’, is a charity and purpose-built facility for the borough’s young people aged 8 – 19, and up to 25 for those with disabilities.
The journey began when Croydon Council saw the amazing work being done in Youth Zones across the OnSide network and became determined to help young people in their borough in the same way.
Legacy is London’s third OnSide Youth Zone, located on Whitehorse Road, Croydon.
THE ROLE
POST: Youthwork Co-ordinator
SALARY: Full time (40 hours) - £29,598
LOCATION: Legacy Youth Zone, Croydon
REPORTING TO: Universal Youth Work Manager
LINE REPORTS: Sessional Youth Workers, Casual holiday club workers
CONTRACT: TERM TIME*
~ Tuesday, Thursday and Friday starting between 12pm and 1pm and finishing at 8.15pm or 9.15pm with a few office hours to complete admin tasks and then managing the recreational area of the youth zone on session with young people from 3.45pm
~ Wednesday is a full admin day where regular office hours can be worked (e.g. 9-5 or 10-6)
~ Saturday 10.30am – 3.30pm managing the recreational area
~ Sunday and Monday rest days
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
~ 40 hours, Monday to Friday managing the holiday club form 8-12 year olds
~ Saturday and Sunday rest days*Legacy will require an element of flexibility to suit the organisations business needs
BENEFITS:
33 days annual leave pro-rata including bank holidays (bookable off); free gym access; access to OnSide’s Talent Academy training programme; Employee Assistance and Staff wellbeing Programme; free staff meals during sessions; discounted holiday club for dependants on working days, team activity and training days.
MAIN PURPOSE
To develop and deliver an exciting Recreational Activity and Holiday Club programme of activities which will engage young people aged 8-19 (25 with disabilities) and 12-week holiday club programme (8-12 years). To provide direct line management support, coaching, and development for sessional youth workers and volunteers to ensure young people receive a high-quality service. The role will also oversee the training kitchen programme.
We are looking for an experienced youth worker with hands-on experience in delivering high-quality, open-access universal youth work. This person will be ambitious and will lead a team of part-time youth workers to provide an incredible service to young people.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES – PROGRAMME PLANNING
- Leading the development, implementation, and review of the universal Recreational activities offered and the holiday club programme
- Ensuring the programme and activities are varied in nature, making full use of the Youth Zones facilities and the diverse skill set of the staff team
- To ensure that the Recreational activities (rec area and training kitchen) and Holiday Club programmes are high quality and meet the needs of the young people
- To ensure that the programmes contribute to the wider youth work agenda
- To motivate, encourage and support young people to participate fully in sessions
- To identify during sessions any relevant issues or areas of development for young people and ensure that these are targeted in the Recreational Activities and Holiday programme delivery
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES – LEADERSHIP
- Providing clear, hands-on, line management, role modelling and coaching to ensure ambitious standards of programme delivery are maintained
- Ensuring clear structure, planning and purpose to underpin every activity
- Managing, inducting, training, supporting, and developing a team of full and part-time youth workers and volunteers
- To ensure all Recreational Activities, Holiday Club staff and volunteers are equipped with a range of resources and activities to engage, develop, and inform young people
- Support with HR people, support for your team at the Co-ordinator level
- Offering support across the whole Youth Zone’s operations as required which will take place on evenings, weekends and during school holidays
- To manage the delivery consumable budget and other resources effectively
- To maintain a comprehensive and detailed up-to-date inventory of all equipment
- To monitor, record and evaluate the activities and programme
- Support with the recruitment of youth workers and volunteers to ensure the Rec and Holiday Club is fully staffed and delivery is of a high quality
- Take ownership of leading on fun and exciting themes and events and be fully emersed in these
- Work with the Safeguarding Leads and Manager
- To cover sessions as Duty Manager as and when needed (training provided) to cover absences and annual leave
- To support the Youth Zone promotional work within the community and schools to promote the holiday programmes
- Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested by management
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES – SAFEGUARDING
- Ensuring that you fully understand and implement all the roles and responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding Children and Young People
- Ensuring staff and volunteers maintain safeguarding standards and contribute toward the safeguarding strategy at Legacy Youth Zone by ensuring safeguarding issues and themes facing young people are raised and addressed
- Attending and contributing towards safeguarding meetings and strategy procedures involving young people with whom you are working
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Be a role model for young people and present a positive “can do” attitude.
- Take personal responsibility for your own actions.
- Commit to a culture of continuous improvement.
- Work within the performance framework of Legacy Youth Zone and OnSide.
- Represent the Youth Zone positively and effectively in all dealings with internal colleagues, and external partners.
- Comply with all policies and procedures, with particular reference to safeguarding, codes of conduct health and safety and equality and diversity to ensure all activities are accessible.
- Represent the Youth Zone positively and effectively in all dealings with internal colleagues, and external partners.
- To be alert to issues of safeguarding and child protection, ensuring the welfare and safety of Youth Zone members is promoted and safeguarded, and to report any child protection concerns to the designated Child Protection Officers
- To assist with any promotional activities and visits that take place at the Youth Zone.
- To actively promote the Youth Zone and positively contribute towards increasing Youth Zone membership.
THE CANDIDATE
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the following experience, skills, knowledge, and attributes.
Selection Criteria* A = Application Form I = Interview T = Test/Personality Profile Essential or Desirable Method of Assessment Experience
Expereince
- Substantial experience in youth work - Essential (A & I)
- Proven experience in engaging vulnerable, disengaged or hard-to-reach young people - Essential (A & I)
- Experience of working in a team - Essential (A & I)
- Experience of monitoring and evaluation processes - Desirable (A & I)
- Experience in Safeguarding and dealing with safeguarding disclosures - Essential (A & I)
- Experience in managing and leading a staff team - Essential (A & I)
- Experience in leading programmes and activities for large groups of young people - Desirable (A & I)
- Ability to engage with schools and the wider community to reach young people - Desirable (A & I)
- Strong commitment to young people and ability to engage and build positive relationships - Essential (A & I)
- Experience supporting young people through coaching and mentoring - Essential (A & I)
Skills
- Using Microsoft Office 365 software packages (Word and Excel for example) - Essential (A & I)
- Ability to pay attention to detail, be thorough and organised - Essential (A & I)
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team - Essential (A & I)
- Able to effectively plan and deliver programmes and events - Essential (A & I)
- Ability to relate to young people from all backgrounds - Essential (A & I)
- Can manage several tasks at a time - Desirable (A & I)
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills - Essential (A & I)
- Using impact data to effectively influence programmes, practices and funders - Desirable (A & I)
Knowledge
- Knowledge and awareness of issues affecting young people - Essential (A & I)
- Knowledge of health and safety, diversity awareness and safeguarding best practices and how these relate to children and young people - Desirable (A & I)
Special Requirements
- A willingness to work unsociable hours when required - Essential (A & I)
- Demonstrate a commitment to the goals and drivers behind The Youth Zone/OnSide - Essential (A & I)
- Enthusiasm and ability to contribute to the successful development of The Youth Zone. - Essential (A & I)
- Enhanced DBS clearance and commitment to Safeguarding children - Essential (A & I)
