Family Support Worker (E2618) - New Wortley Community Association

Family Support Worker                                      

Pay: £16,500 (actual salary) 

Hours: 24 hours per week 

Holidays: 25 days plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata)

Responsible to: Team Leader - Children, Young People and Families 

About New Wortley Community Association

New Wortley Community Association manages New Wortley Community Centre & Wellbeing Centre and is based in the New Wortley area of Leeds.  We offer a wide range of services, projects and activities that aim to help local people living in Armley Ward to access what they need to live happy, healthy lives. We recognise the skills and assets within our community that can be drawn upon, developed, and progressed to tackle issues and come up with localised solutions.  We recognise the diversity in our communities and work with them to create positive change that makes people proud of where they live and to achieve their full potential. 

We are looking for a self-motivated individual to join our team working with the children, young people and families living in the New Wortley and Armley area. 

Application process:

Contact Andrea Edwards, Chief Executive Officer –andrea.edwards@newwortleycc.org  to request an application form 

Closing Date:  Thursday 15th February 2024

Purpose of Role

To deliver a comprehensive support programme for families in need living in the New Wortley and Armley area 

The role involves extensive outreach work identifying families in need, building trusted relationships with them and delivering a range of support interventions contributing to improved outcomes for family members 

To ensure delivery and impact is monitored and reported on via support plans and data recorded on the Lamplight system

Management Supervision and Guidance                                                          

You will be responsible to the Children, Young People and Families Team Leader for your daily tasks and duties 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Carry out extensive outreach work across the local community to identify those families most in need of support
• Actively promote good multi-agency working at all times with a variety of statutory and community partners ensuring they are aware of the support offered by NWCC and can refer families for appropriate support 
• Promote our projects and services on an ongoing basis at community events, host drop-in sessions with local schools etc to ensure they understand what New Wortley Community Centre has to offer in terms of support to families. 
• Hold a caseload of targeted families. Plan creative responses to families’ needs and deliver Family Support interventions and activities
• Provide practical support to parents/carers including attending appointments, providing support with applications for nursery places and advice with housing/money management issues
• Build effective relationships with local communities and support them to access our services.  Encourage them to make suggestions on how we can respond to their needs, interests and personal development and deliver projects that meet these needs
• Oversee the Stay n Play provision at the centre aiming to deliver family-led play session
• Aim to raise aspirations, build confidence and self-esteem as well as providing access routes into participation, education, employment, volunteering, housing and personal development
• Support parents to have the opportunity to feed into the service development
• Take the lead on the planning, facilitation and evaluation of parenting programmes and other appropriate training programmes (e.g. domestic abuse awareness) Explore opportunities to deliver training externally to other organisations
• Working as a safeguarding lead, ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are followed at all times liaising with the New Wortley Community Association Safeguarding Lead where appropriate
• Respect service users’ right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality and comply with GDPR
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times, whilst working in a person-centred way
• Provide practical or emotional support, particularly when difficulties arise around parenting and the well-being of children.
• Actively promote anti-discriminatory practice and equality of opportunities in dealing with staff, volunteer and service users being mindful of protected characteristics including race, faith, age, gender, sexual orientation and physical disability
• Contribute to collaborative teamwork supporting the work of the wider centre proposition 
• Capture statistical monitoring information to support the impact of NWCC’s work in the local community

General 

• Adhere to the NWCA policies and procedures at all times
• Undertake any other duties as appropriate to the post or which may from time to time be reasonably determined by the Chief Executive Officer or Board of Trustees

Qualifications required

• Educated to degree level
• Full, clean driving licence (desirable)

Experience required

• Experience of conducting extensive outreach in communities identifying those “hardest to reach”
• Experience of working with families experiencing multiple, compounding factors that impact on their everyday lives
• Experience of working in communities of high deprivation
• Experience of supporting families from diverse communities   
• Experience of delivering a range of services for communities including outreach work 
• Experience of case management, recording and report writing 
• Experience of working in a supportive and empowering role
• Demonstrable commitment to equal opportunities for all

Skills required

• Ability to build collaborative relationships establishing high levels of trust which can be evidenced through positive feedback
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures
• Ability to facilitate group working 
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to influence and negotiate
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to identify the needs of communities
• Understanding of Equality & Diversity and ability to challenge discriminatory behaviour
• Imagination and innovation to meet the changing needs of the programme
• Ability to foster an environment that is people/community led
• Flexibility in work patterns
• Good IT Skills
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of the wider team
• Highly organised with good time management skills

Personal Qualities

• Highly motivated to help other people
• Compassionate and empathetic
• Trustworthy and honest
• Approachable and friendly
• Understanding of working within professional boundaries
• Flexibility in work patterns to meet project requirements
• Committed to self-development 
• Positive advocate of New Wortley Community Association

NWCA reserve the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time in accordance to the needs of the business

NWCA are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We promote diversity to create a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s and Vulnerable Adults barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates.

The above post is not a Leeds City Council vacancy and has been advertised on behalf of the relevant organisation. To apply please follow their application instructions.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.