Project Assistant

Dublin South initially Barnardos Family Support, 4 Dublin Rd, Little Bray.
At Barnardos we seek to ensure that we have the best people working with us to support our work with children and families.
The benefits of working with Barnardos are designed to promote continual professional development and a work-life balance for the most rewarding working experience.
Barnardos offers a competitive salary
- recognising the experience you bring to the role Generous annual leave entitlements plus discretionary Company days Positive working environment with family friendly ethos and work
- life balance policy Tax saver and bike to work schemes in operation Employee pension scheme with employer contribution Company Sick Pay Scheme An opportunity to help improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families by working in a trauma informed way Access to regular trauma informed support and supervision Ongoing support and access to training and professional development opportunities An opportunity to be part of a supportive team Access to the Employee Assistance Program for employees and their immediate family members Regular Breath, Body and mind sessions to support staff well-being The core aim of Bray family support is to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of children affected by parental drug or alcohol misuse in Bray and surrounding areas.
Improving children's emotional well-being Promoting resilience in children Enhancing children's capacity for learning and development Building safety in the home, increasing children's and parents safety and support networks.
What does our Bray Project do? particularly children and young people
- whose lives are negatively affected by another member's substance misuse.
How do we help children and families impacted by parental substance misuse? Barnardos projects in partnership with the task force aim to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of children affected by parental drug or alcohol misuse.
We aim to break the cycle of intergenerational addiction by improving children's emotional wellbeing.
Enhance children's capacity for learning and development.
Promote resilience in children.
Build safety in the home and increasing children's safety networks.
At the heart of this approach is providing children and families with a number of protective factors, which may buffer some of the negative impacts associated with parental addiction.
Assessment of the needs of the child and family Partnership with Parents (in home parenting support program) Practical Support Individual work with parents Crisis Management Interagency work Parents' Groups Individual work with children (This is Me) Friendship Group Strengthening Families (delivered in partnership with other agencies) offered as required Seasons for Growth Just Right State Program Non Violent Resistance (NVR) Program What do you need to know? All referrals received are complex with children, parents and loved ones impacted by drug and alcohol use.
Working with this high level of need can be challenging and requires project workers to engage in regular support and supervision (both formal and informal), team reflections and wider organizational supports that are available.
The suitable candidate must have an understanding of addiction through a trauma informed lens and how parental addiction can impact the individual, their children and overall family functioning.
Job Description Post: Project Worker Location: Wicklow with attendance at team meetings in Ballyogan family support project, Samuel Beckett building, Ballyogan, Dublin 18.
Responsible to: Project Leader Works with: this is a lone working post however there is link in and collaboration with Ballyogan Family Support Team, and wider family support staff in Dn Laoghaire, other Barnardos staff and local agencies and service providers/users Job purpose To develop and implement programmes that respond to the needs of children and families referred to the service working in partnership with families and other organisational, community and voluntary bodies.
Core Job Requirements To assess the needs of the children and the families engaging with the project.
To plan, implement and review programmes for children/young people/carers/families based on an assessment of their individual and group needs.
To be vigilant for signs of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and any concerns regarding the welfare of children.
To consult with the Designated Person and take appropriate action in accordance with Barnardos Child Protection policy.
To work with children/young people/carers/families in a variety of ways, including group work, individual work and family work, centre based and outreach work.
To key work individual children/young people/carers/families in order to meet their needs and to advocate on their behalf.
To liaise effectively with families and other statutory, community and voluntary bodies and to attend and contribute to reviews and case conferences as required.
To work in partnership with other Barnardos services to best meet the needs of children and families by collaborating resources with planned interventions targeting groups/families of shared need.
To gather information statistics and prepare reports as required, including administration of databases as appropriate to the role.
To identify and document to the line manager any unmet needs of children/young people/carers/families within the service and to participate in the advocacy work of the agency.
Requirements Specific to this Post This role involves working with children and families referred to the Family support teams in Bray and surrounding areas of Wicklow.
This post has responsibility for direct work with children and families referred to the service.
It will involve one-to-one intensive interventions supporting parents and children following difficult life events, as well as collaborative interagency delivery of some group work as required.
Note: This Job Description will be reviewed and updated in line with the needs of the work Person Specification Personal Attributes Commitment to the delivery of quality services to children, young people, families and carers.
Ability to form objective relationships with children, young people, families/carers, colleagues and other agencies.
Experience A minimum of 2 years' post qualification experience of working with vulnerable children and families.
Experience of planning, implementing and reviewing effective programmes with children and/or families.
Experience of working with hard to reach children and families is highly desirable.
Qualifications A recognised third level practice qualification (minimum Level 7 on the QQI, Course content should include relevant student placements) in one of the following: Early Childhood Care and Education Social Care Education Social Work Youth Work Or related discipline (e.g.
Full driving licence and access to the use of a suitably insured car essential.
The post-holder is initially assigned to work in the Bray family Support service as applicable but may be required in the future to work in other project(s) in the Dublin area in line with organisational needs.