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SalaryFixed Term Contract/Secondment until 31 st March 2026
Salary: Band 6 - £26,073 - £29,777 p.a. (£6,342 - £7,243 pro rata)
9 hours per week (during evenings)
The Service:
The youth service aim to improve the outcomes for young people aged 11-19 years and up to 25 years for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. We do this through information, advice and guidance, and a range of activities provided through our clubs and projects. We support vulnerable young people who are at risk or future risk of further problems such as substance misuse, youth offending, teenage pregnancy, domestic abuse, and homelessness.
What is the role?
To work within a small team as directed by Senior Detached Co-ordinator to develop, initiate, and maintain relationships with children and young people across the City of Portsmouth. The detached provision supports young people to transition into adulthood by enabling and encouraging young people to take an active part in their own lives. You will therefore help young people to make informed life decisions, which helps to raise their confidence and self-esteem.
You will also encourage young people’s participation in positive diversionary activities and help divert them from anti-social behaviour and crime by providing information and guidance. You will be able to plan activity sessions and hold discussions with groups of vulnerable young people on a range of issues, including but not limited to healthy relationships, education/employment, substance use, physical and mental health, etc.
You will support a culture of respect for staff, young people, and the wider community, and at times will have to deal with challenging behaviour. You will be working across various areas of the City, including but not limited to Paulsgrove, Hilsea, Stamshaw, Buckland, Somerstown, Portsea, and Southsea. You may also be working within a variety of Youth club settings across Portsmouth and helping to engage young people on the streets into this provision.
Who is the person?
You need to:
- Have previous experience of working with young people aged 11 - 19.
- Have excellent communication skills and be able to engage effectively with young people, staff, local services, and the wider community.
- Be able to converse at ease with young people and provide advice in accurate spoken English.
- Be able to plan group activities onsite and off-site that engage young people and encourages learning and self-development.
- Be self-directed and able to work as part of a team, in line with organisational policies.
- Be able to role model professional practice to other staff and demonstrate effective ways of engaging young people.
- Be able to recognise when young people are having issues and be able to respond appropriately, offering support and signposting to other agencies if necessary.
- Be able to make sound decisions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people, staff, and the wider community.
- Understand anti-discriminatory practice and work in a non-judgemental way.
- Be open minded, whilst recognising and challenging inappropriateness in a young person's behaviour or language when necessary.
- Be flexible in your hours of work as you will need availability to work in the evenings and occasional weekends for off-site activities, and to work City-wide to meet the needs of the service.
- Be prepared to attend supervision, appropriate training relevant to the post, and team meetings as required.
- Attend debrief sessions before submitting accurate monitoring data to the coordinator or service manager(s) so that progress can be evidenced to partners and commissioners.
Closing date: 16th April 2024
Interviews: 24th April 2024
When completing the application form, please thoroughly tailor your application to the 'Who is the Person' points above with the use of examples from your experience and attach this as a cover letter in the Supporting Documents section. This is important, or you are likely not to be shortlisted. Please click HERE for the full job profile!
If applying as a secondment you will need permission from your current line manager, releasing you for this secondment. Please state you have this on your application form.
We are a disability confident employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and election process is inclusive and accessible and welcome applications from all areas of society.
We really appreciate our employees and fully realise they are essential to our success and look to offer an inclusive, supportive working environment where employees can reach their potentials with a healthy work life balance, offering the following rewards:
- A generous pension scheme
- Up to 31 days annual leave per year pro rata + bank holidays
- A range of retail discounts via our reward portal offering discounts at retailers
- Free Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellbeing support
- Access to a range of training & development opportunities including apprenticeships
- Potential to purchase additional annual leave
- Business travel support and initiatives, including bike loans
Email recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk if you require support to complete the application.
