SHiFT Guide

Growing up is risky business. Current responses to children who are caught in, or at risk of, the destructive cycle of crime, often don’t give children and families the support they need to move to a place of safety and strength, Middlesbrough Council in partnership with SHiFT, is determined to change this, for the better.

SHiFT Middlesbrough are looking for exceptional practitioners from all backgrounds – creative, tenacious and flexible changemakers – to work intensively alongside the most vulnerable children in the Middlesbrough to break destructive cycles of crime and influence system change. If this sounds like you, and you’d thrive in a fast-paced, outcomes focused culture, then we want to hear from you!

SHiFT Middlesbrough will work consistently, using the Breaking Cycles ingredients, with a small number of children and young people and their families. Unconstrained by age, geographic or professional boundaries, Guides start with aspiration and belief in all young people. Guides work alongside and across the statutory system, ensuring duplication is avoided and scarce resources are directed and purposeful. Guides will be singularly focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for the children and young people it works with – doing whatever it takes to get results.

SHiFT practitioners are highly skilled professionals who come from a wide range of backgrounds - experienced social workers, teachers, youth workers, youth offending practitioners or other professionals with strong leadership experience who want to invest in meaningful, skilled and direct work with children. We are more interested in your values and experience than your qualifications, so if in doubt, please ask!.

Challenging disproportionality is a key priority for SHiFT. In seeking to achieve this, we understand the value and importance of recruiting and retaining a workforce which represents the children we seek to support. We therefore actively encourage applications from under-represented groups.

SHiFT Middlesbrough will be located within the Education service area of Middlesbrough Council and have the support of Youth Justice, Education, and the wider Children’s Services, in addition to the national SHIFT team. There are 3 separate roles available: Lead Guide, Guide and Practice Co-ordinator all on 3 year fixed term full time contracts.

Working directly for the Middlesbrough Council and benefitting additional from high support and high challenge from SHiFT, a national charity

A wide range of employment benefits

About the Role:

SHiFTGuide

SHiFT Guides work intensively with 5-6 children or young people who are caught in the destructive cycle of crime, doing whatever it takes to break those cycles of crime for good. Guides provide flexible expert support tailored to each child and family’s individual circumstance and lived experience. Guides are a consistent, high support and high challenge presence in children’s lives, working with them, their families and professional network to develop strengths and reduce risks and, through skilful influencing and advocacy, challenge narratives. Guides work around what children and families need, not the other way round. This means highly flexible working and you can expect to work during weekends and evenings.

Possess relevant qualification or equivalent relevant experience of working with children caught in the destructive cycle of crime - DipSW, Degree in Social Work, Qualified Probation Officer PCEP (Professional Certificate in Effective Practice), NVQ Level 4 in Community Justice

Knowledge or experience of systemic approaches is a bonus, or enthusiasm to learn

Passion for breaking cycles of crime and working with children and families to achieve best possible outcomes and track record of delivering exceptional outcomes for and with them

Excited and equipped for the challenge of being part of innovation programme that seeks to influence system change

Not quite the role for you, but excited to join the SHiFT movement in a different way? We are also advertising a SHiFT Lead Guide and SHiFT Practice Co-ordinator role, follow the link for more info.

The above post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

• Confident and articulate, adapting your approach to suit your audience
• Passionate about data analytics
• Focussed on the detail
• An excellent communicator, creative and adaptive in your approach
• Creative and proactive, contributing towards changes and seeking improvements
• Confident in the use of technology and have experience of using related software, including SQL, Excel, Power BI, ETL tools
• Focussed on the detail, with excellent analytical skill

Telephone: 01642 727088
Email: