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Form of workDo you have the drive, passion and experience of delivering 1:1 person-centred support to young people (aged 15-25)? Young people who face multiple disadvantage and those classed as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training)?
Step Together Volunteering is proud to be celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2024 and you will be joining us at an exciting time when we are looking to expand our support.
With repeat funding in place, we are looking to an experienced youth worker to work with young people across the Dumfries & Galloway region who face multiple disadvantage.
Permanent Vacancy (subject to funding) – ideally to start as soon as possible
This is a part time hybrid post working 21 hours a week, ideally over 3 fixed full days between Monday to Friday. Consideration will also be given to candidates who would like to split their working hours across 4 or 5 working days or other working patterns.
Location: This is a role working from home, but with regular travel to meet with young people, referrers and charities across the Dumfries & Galloway region. A car and clean driving licence is essential.
Salary & Benefits: We offer a competitive starting salary of £26,265 (FTE),33 days annual leave (full time) including bank holidays and time off at Christmas;stakeholder pension scheme with employer contributions up to 5%; life insurance; enhanced sick pay scheme; employee assistance and staff wellbeing programme; childcare vouchers; cycle to work scheme; full induction, regular supervisions and training; laptop and mobile phone; regular team communications, away days and support.
About Us: Our Charity aims to make a difference to young people’s lives through positive volunteering experiences and, by working with them for as long as it takes, we help them build their self-esteem, confidence, skills and aspirations. Our staff team are key to this work and we are a “family” of caring individuals who strive to give people a new focus and a fresh start in life. We also care about each other and have a strong work ethic, sharing our learning and experiences through reflective practice and peer support. Our ethos is to ‘connect, engage and empower’ our clients – using strengths-based coaching, we help them play an active role in identifying and achieving their own goals. We know that progress is not linear and effecting this change takes time, patience and understanding. Our non-time limited support ensures that no support is hurried and so you will work with people for as long as it takes.
About You: We are looking for a personable, highly self-motivated and determined individual with a good understanding of the issues young people face as well as a strong knowledge of the Dumfries & Galloway region, and the key stakeholders in the children and young people sector. It is likely that you have been working in a similar role, perhaps in another charity, social care setting, education or youth support team and are motivated to helping young people who are facing perceived and very real barriers in their life. Gaining their trust, you will show them how to build their resilience and take positives steps towards a brighter future by tailoring suitable volunteering experiences that meet their needs and circumstances. It might be that you have a deeper insight into the challenges young people face, through your own personal lived experience and this drives you to wanting to work help others. Either way, you will be passionate about helping change young people’s lives for the better.
The Role:
We have been delivering support to young people across Dumfries & Galloway for over 13 years and we are looking for a proactive and highly motivated individual who is able to step into an established region, to maintain our presence and develop our work further.
Our service is unique. It is non-prescriptive and non-timed, allowing us to work with young people for as long as they need us – on average for around 6-8 months. You will have a relatively small caseload on a day to day basis but can expect to work with around 25 clients over the year and reach around 100-200 young people through talks and presentations in school, colleges, youth events and alike.
Working remotely from your home base, this is a role that will see you working peripatetically across a wide geographical patch, encompassing Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Moffat, Lockerbie, Newton Stewart and across to Stranraer.
This is a role where you can make a real difference to the lives of young people, those who are aged 15-25, classed as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and facing multiple disadvantage.
On a day-to-day basis, you will aim to help your clients build their confidence and self-esteem, explore new opportunities, skills and interests. Through personalised action plans you will help them tackle any challenges and barriers they face and find ways to help them improve their overall wellbeing and find their purpose. Many of the young people you support will be facing multiple disadvantage and living in what are recognised as highly deprived areas where employment opportunities, the cost of living, rurality, remoteness and poor access to travel can hinder their progress. Their multiplicity of needs may include, but not limited to: mental and/or physical health issues; an adverse childhood experience (ACEs); learning difficulties; autism/ADHD; not being in education, employment or training (NEET); having a criminal record or being at risk of offending; care leavers; substance misuse; homelessness; being LGBTQ+; and victims of abuse or violence.
Additionally, as Project Manager, you will be responsible for maintaining existing referrer and charity partner relationships and help provide reporting and feedback to our funders with the support of your line manager based in Bristol. You will also have regular input into shaping our service in the future, looking at ways to continually improve and finding new ways to reach young people in need of our support.
We encourage and support creative thinking and fresh ideas and are currently exploring potential avenues to run a Volunteering Project such as a young people’s allotment or recycling scheme, volunteering taster days within the local community. You really can make this project your own if you have the energy, drive and passion.
To Apply: Visit our website for more details at https://step-together.org.uk/vacancies
We do not accept CVs. Once you have had a full read of the job description and person specification for this role, please do complete our online application form in full, telling us why you are interested in this role and what specific skills and relevant experience you can bring.
If you have any questions or would like to hear more about what we are looking for, don’t hesitate to contact Deborah Saw, Operations Manager on 0754 5437772.
Step Together Volunteering is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all groups. The Charity also adheres to Safer Recruitment practices and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. Where appropriate, we will undertake enhanced or standard DBS, health and criminal checks to ensure the safety of all. Permanent contracts are offered on successful completion of a three month probationary period. Further details can be found on our application form.
If you need documents in an alternative format or require any adjustments or support, please contact us at admin@step-together.org.uk or 0117 955 9042.
