Relentless Youth Worker (Social Justice) in Belfast

LOCATION: Northern Ireland Youth Forum, 68 Berry Street, Belfast BT1 1FJ

REPORTING TO: Senior Youth Work Manager

SALARY: The salary will be equivalent to: NJC SO1 PT23 (£33,366)

TERM: 12 month fixed term contract

About NIYF

The NI Youth Forum is a radical, youth-led organisation that supports and empowers young people to speak truth to power and challenge disadvantage and inequality.

About the roles

We are seeking highly motivated and innovative Relentless Youth Workers to promote the voices of young people and build transformational relationships.

Conditions

• 35 hours per week
• You will be required to work unsocial hours including evenings and weekends. (Flexible working with Time off in Lieu)
• 30 days holidays (plus 12 additional customary holidays)
• Travel expenses will be paid
• Pension Scheme @ 8%

Further details

The duties associated with these posts are outlined in the Job Description. Appointment will be based on application, shortlisting, and interview.

JOB PURPOSE

The NI Youth Forum is a radical youth led organisation who work to support and empower young people to speak truth to power and challenge disadvantage and inequality. We seek to recruit a highly motivated and innovative individual to deliver a programme of work that will include:

• Engaging in one-to-one support, groupwork and advocacy work with young people.
• Promoting youth voice in the policy making process and supporting young people to ‘speak truth to power’ on issues that affect their lives.
• Establishing and maintaining links with relevant voluntary and statutory agencies.

The RYW’s core function is to engage with young people, with the purpose of building transformational relationships to effect change on personal, peer, community and societal levels.

Responsibilities

• Raise awareness of social justice issues among young people.
• Establish transformational relationships with young people enabling them to explore issues that are important to them.
• Provide opportunities for young people to speak to adults with power / influence with regards to these issues.
• Adopt the Youth Forum’s existing ‘Champions 4 Change’ methodology and use a relentless approach to support young people to effect change in their lives including the development of consultations and production of youth-led research.
• Engage in outreach/ networking opportunities with other stakeholders, organisations and youth providers on a local, regional and national basis, connecting young people together across communities and supporting a partnership approach to the delivery of programmes.
• Act as an advocate in strategic environments to influence positive change with and/or on behalf of young people.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To support the delivery of youth social justice programmes as assigned by your Line manager.
• Engage and maintain a caseload of participants / mentees as prescribed.
• Support the implementation of personal/social development programming.
• Support the implementation of bespoke programmes including youth-led consultations, research and campaigns.
• Support national/international/overseas learning experiences; when appropriate.
• Seek to establish relationships with the key adults in the lives of the young people.
• To provide regular reports to Line Manager, funders and other key partners on projects where necessary.
• To carry out administration duties including maintaining accurate records and providing reports, case studies, work development plans on an ongoing basis to the management team.

This description of tasks is not intended to be definitive and may be changed to meet emerging needs of projects.

Person specification Relentless Youth Worker

Essential elements

• Qualifications: Hold a professional qualification, in Youth work as recognised by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) with a minimum of 1-year full-time experience gained within the last 5 years of working with young people in youth work settings.
• Or Hold a professional qualification in education, community development, policy, law, social work or social sciences with a minimum of 2 years full-time experience or 4 years part-time experience gained working directly with young people.

Experience

• Experience of the development and delivery of innovative projects/programmes to young people.
• Experience of working with youth and community-based organisations.
• Experience of working with young people from marginalised/underrepresented communities.
• Hold a driver’s licence and have full access to a form of transport.

Skills & Attributes:

• An ability to act on own initiative, to prioritise and manage own workload.
• Skills in the use of I.T software applications including social media and Canva.
• Ability to inspire and motivate young people and those working with them.

Personal

The post holder must be committed to the principles of Equity, Diversity and Interdependence and to the principles of participation and empowerment of young people. They must be flexible, willing to work unsocial hours and able to perform well under pressure. They must be creative, imaginative, well organised, a good team player and capable of planning and directing their own work.

Desirable elements:

• Experience and qualifications:
• Understanding of young people’s rights.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and best practice in creating safe, inclusive spaces for young people.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches and how these can be applied in youth work practice.
• Knowledge of relevant policy/legislation that impacts on young people’s lives.

General conditions of service

The period of employment is for a fixed 12-month contract. There will be an entitlement of 30 days annual leave plus customary/public holidays (pro rata). The salary will be equivalent to NJC SO1 L23 (£33,366). The successful candidate will be entitled to a pension with an 8% contribution from the employer. The post holder is expected to have a current driving licence and vehicle or access to transport to enable them to commute outside of normal public transport timetables and/or routes to carry out the duties of the job. The post holder will be expected to work unsocial hours including residential-based work and overseas travel.

Secondments are welcome/will be considered.

Modification to Job Description:

This job description is not definitive but may change to meet the evolving needs of the Youth Forum, however changes will be within the scope of the Position. There will also be an Appraisal for the post holder, which will provide the opportunity to negotiate aspects of the job description.