Mentoring Programme Coordinator

Please note that this role can be based anywhere in the UK. Travel across the East of England will be required, and the position is offered on a fixed-term basis for two years. Working hours: Minimum of 35 hours per week (with occasional evening and weekend working).

We are looking to recruit a Mentoring Programme Co-ordinator that will work to expand The Salvation Army’s Starfish programme across the East of England Division. Starfish is a mentoring programme designed to work with children and young people in schools, aged 9-16 years. Working within a school’s student wellbeing support, Starfish provides committed and trusted adults (mentors) to work with young people who need Early Help without which they would be at risk of not meeting their full potential. Their identified needs may relate to their health, educational or social development.

Key responsibilities:

• Establish and grow the Starfish Schools Mentoring Programme within local primary and secondary schools ensuring efficient and effective delivery and monitoring.
• Recruit and support volunteer Starfish mentors from the local Salvation Army corps and other churches in line with Salvation Army volunteer and Safe & Sound guidelines.
• Support and supervise volunteer coordinators/mentors including identifying and facilitating relevant training.
• Oversee all pupil referrals to the programme, ensuring all relevant information and reports are submitted to schools.
• Attend multi-agency meetings when required.
• Provide one-to-one mentoring with pupils to increase participation in education, with a focus around emotional health and wellbeing including personal development and life skills, guided by a Trauma Informed Practice approach.

The successful candidate will have:

• A degree with relevant qualification in children’s or youth work qualification and/or extensive experience of working with children and youth in education ages 9-16 and or in the wider community. Applicants with transferable/relevant skills will also be considered.
• Knowledge of issues affecting young people (e.g. education, poverty, mental health) creative and cultural landscape.
• Excellent people skills with extensive experience in managing staff, volunteers and working with children and young people (individuals and groups).
• Ability to create and run age-appropriate positive mentoring activities.
• The credibility, confidence and skills to represent The Salvation Army appropriately and professionally in a variety of settings and be able to develop strong and effective partnership opportunities and relationships that will extend the reach and impact of the Starfish programme across a wide area.
• Experience conducting effective monitoring and evaluation to increase effectiveness.

This role has an occupational requirement that the successful candidate must be a committed, active and practising Christian and will be in sympathy with the doctrines of, and supportive of, the purposes and the aims and objectives of The Salvation Army. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory references, a criminal record check DBS: Enhanced with barred list for the child workforce and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK in line with Home Office requirements. As we are not a licensed sponsor, applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.

The Salvation Army actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, and we welcome applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. Please note that any Salvation Army employees who are under notice of redundancy and apply for this position will be given priority consideration. We reserve the right to close this advert earlier if we feel that we have received sufficient applications. Promoting equality in the workplace and as a disability confident leader scheme employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet all the minimum essential criteria for the vacancy.