Young Person’s Mentor – Waking Nights (16+ accommodation services) in Bracknell

We are Storyy Group: www.storyy.group/

At Storyy Group, we believe that every young person deserves a champion who will ensure that each one of our young people has a brighter future. To make this dream a reality, we provide residential care, semi-independent accommodation, alternate school provision and positive pathways for children and young people. The 16+ accommodation-based services provide intensive support to care-experienced young people. There are between 5 and 6 young people living in our homes at one time; we do not provide personal care but instead support young people towards independent living.

We also have several bases across Berkshire, including primary and secondary Alternative Provision sites that offer creative arts, boxing, and construction experience, in addition to children’s homes and supported accommodation. Some of our young people also attend our Alternative Provision, ensuring they can access education and are encouraged to learn in different ways. We collaborate with local authorities, schools, parents, and carers to engage children and young people in learning, positive activities, and pathways for their future. We give them the support and tools they need to write their own Storyy.

Hours: On average 42 hours per week, working on a 2-week rolling rota pattern (including weekends and Bank Holidays); you will work one weekend in 2.

Shift: 20:15 – 08:15, Lone working.

Work Base: Bracknell (You will be based at one home; however, flexibility is required to travel to other homes if needed).

Key Objectives:

• Your role as a Young Person’s Mentor is to provide support to young people in a compassionate and caring home environment, with a focus on each person being able to:
• Be Healthy
• Stay Safe
• Enjoy and Achieve
• Make a Positive Contribution

What your day-to-day responsibilities will look like:

• To provide exceptional person-centred and innovative support when and where it is needed.
• To adopt and provide “Trauma-Informed Support”.
• To build supportive, trusting, and positive relationships with young people.
• To encourage ‘positive risk taking’ within a safer risk-assessed framework.
• To provide support with daily living skills and activities to ensure the young people enjoy a high quality of accommodation that is both safe and enjoyable.
• To involve the young people with the design, delivery, and development of the service.
• To empower each young person to apply for and receive all housing and welfare benefits they are entitled to.
• Support the young people to develop resilience and manage their adverse experiences.
• To fully understand the aims, objectives, and ethos of ‘outcomes focused support services’ and reflect these in your daily work.
• To ensure that all Storyy Group and local authority safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.
• To ensure that regular opportunities are given for young people to feedback on the service and for consultation and to ensure that this information is used to improve the service.
• To keep accurate, confidential, and up to date support records for effective and efficient working.
• To maintain the cleanliness of the premises.
• To attend regular meetings, training, and supervisions to help your own professional development.
• Collaborating closely with external professional teams that support the young people.
• Ensuring the young person and the service is safe and to raise safeguarding concerns as soon as you become aware.
• Work within Ofsted regulations and Quality Standards.

A Day in the Life of a Young Person’s Mentor:

No two days will be the same, but that is the beauty of working for Storyy Group. You will help support our care experienced young people with cooking, maintaining their rooms, alongside arranging and travelling to health appointments. You will also assist the young people when it comes to applying for access to benefits, upskilling themselves, helping with CV writing and travelling to and from professional interviews or meetings. You will be working in the home of these young people, helping them learn life skills and work towards independence. You will also have to deal with sometimes destructive behaviour, substance misuse, barriers with education and self-harm; in these instances, the wider team is there to support you and aid you where they can.

Activities are also hugely important for our young people, as they help to build relationships with professionals and peers. We always incorporate equality and diversity, taking into consideration cultural needs alongside individual hobbies and interests. All in all, we want you to have fun and find enjoyment every day whilst working with our young people.

Person Specification:

We are searching for altruistic people who want to make a difference. This role is ideal for a proactive character who is willing to take initiative in sometimes challenging situations, but that also wants to make a difference in the lives of young people. If you have a kind, caring and compassionate nature, this Young Person’s Mentor position will suit you to a T!

Key Criteria:

• Skills and qualifications – DESIRABLE
• NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care.
• Experience working with children and young people.

• Competence Summary – ESSENTIAL
• Ability to engage with young people with challenging behaviour and/or complex emotional and behavioural needs.
• Strong commitment to working as part of a team.
• Ability to work flexibly and be available if needed in an emergency.
• Good organisational & time management skills.
• Basic IT skills when it comes to using Office 365 and other internal software, to keep records and notes up to date.

Work-related Personal Requirements:

• Ambitious standards of professional integrity, whilst being resilient, determined, and confident.
• Ambitious, driven, and energetic.
• Visible, approachable, and accessible.
• Able to problem-solve.

Please note we do not provide sponsorships.

Other Work Requirements:

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with Barred List. Holding a full UK driving licence (or valid equivalent) is desirable; this is not essential, but as you will be required to help young people attend appointments, interviews and meetings, it would be beneficial. If you do not hold a UK driving licence, you will need to help young people travel using public transport. Non-UK licences must be converted to UK licences in the first six months of employment. They must also evidence they have business insurance on their vehicle used for work.