Welfare Officer

**Job Title **Welfare Officer

**Team **WeDiscover

**Reporting To Job Title **WeDiscover Skipper, Flintshire Community Maker

**Date of Issue **08/08/2023

**Overall Purpose**

In any other setting this role would be called a ‘Welfare Officer’, but our WeMindTheGap ethos means that we much prefer the title First Mate. The role is to be just that: a First Mate is there to make sure that our young people can make the most of every opportunity presented to them over a 12-week programme and further.

You will facilitate learning through a predominantly virtual programme, by grabbing the attention of young people, developing memorable and engaging sessions. You will mentor young people in a one-to-one setting, providing a safe space to express their hopes and dreams. You will also facilitate in-person days for young people to engage in activities in their local community. You will be based either in our Flintshire/Wrexham Hub and also work remotely.

You will live by the values of our Magic C’s:

- Care & Compassion
- Curiosity
- Can-do
- Courage
- Connectivity
- Constancy
- Commitment
- Confidence
- Capacity
- Celebration

**Key Responsibilities as facilitator**:

- You will facilitate learning through interactive group sessions, developing the knowledge and skills of young people in an informal educational setting.
- You will encourage curiosity in learning, incorporating digital technology where possible.
- You will host interactive live sessions with a guest speaker or workshop facilitator.
- You will provide a safe learning space, encouraging participation, discussion and debate.
- You will represent WeDiscover and WeMindTheGap when attending local events and connecting with external partners.
- You will Plan - Do - Review in your own practice and role model this process to others.
- You will facilitate in-person days, supporting with organisation, transportation, and implementation, adhering to all risk assessments provided by the Skipper or Community Maker.
- You will prioritise safeguarding procedures, documenting and escalating when necessary.
- You will provide energy and create a space to have fun.

**Key Responsibilities as a mentor**:

- Compassion & Care - Listen, build trust and be patient.
- Can do - Encourage young people to engage with the programme, to problem solve and overcome barriers to engagement effectively.
- Capacity - Make the time to create a safe space for young people to feel understood and supported in a one-to-one setting.
- Curiosity - Find out young people’s hobbies, passions, hopes and dreams.
- Courage - Exploring barriers to engagement, have challenging conversations and doing what’s right by each individual.
- Confidence - In the power of mentoring, the impact it has, always remembering the ‘why’.
- Commitment - Showing dedication to improving a young person’s choices in life, exploring opportunities, and empowering them to make decisions.
- Constancy - Do what you say you’re going to do, persist with young people when they are showing signs of disengagement.
- Connectivity - Collaborate with a young person and relevant local services in creating a progression plan.
- Celebration - Recognise and celebrate every win, big or small

**Other responsibilities**:

- Communication and Feedback - Linking with referral partners, feeding back progress, and connecting young people with relevant progression routes.
- Social Media - Supporting with the creation and publishing of social media content on relevant channels.
- Recruitment - Playing a key role in a rolling recruitment cycle, reaching out to potential participants, and attending local events.
- WeBelong - Supporting WeBelong, WeMindTheGap’s ever growing alumni community. This includes facilitating events and activity days, delivering group workshops and one-to-one support, and maintaining contact with young people who have engaged with any WeMindTheGap programme.
- Flexibility - Supporting other WeMindTheGap programmes and teams in locations across North Wales.

**Competences**
- Great communication and listening skills, as well as the confidence to raise any issues with your colleagues as appropriate.
- A sense of humour, the ability to have fun that is balanced with an ability to call the young person to account when the need arises.
- A willingness to learn best practice in how to support young people with complex needs and embrace the mentoring and supportive techniques which drive the programme.
- You will uphold and communicate the values and culture of WeMindTheGap.
- You will have a real passion to enable young people to enhance the choices in their life.
- During the programme you will have to be adaptable and remain calm under pressure.
- Teamwork is a key competence, sharing experience and knowledge with the whole team.

**Person Criteria**
- Experience as a mentor or voluntary role with young people with challenging needs would be advantageous, as would experience of working with young people