Us Keyworker

**Job Description / Person Specification**

US
PO Box 479
Newcastle upon Tyne

Post Title: Keyworker

Hours: Casual / Bank Staff

Rate: £10.90 per hour

Reports to: US Referral and Activities Co-ordinator

**Background to Post**

US was established in April 2016. It is a North East based children and young people’s charity which funds a range of sport, fitness and other physical activities for individuals and small groups of young people identified as experiencing or being at risk of developing mental health difficulties. Agencies from the health, care, education, justice and voluntary sectors introduce young people to US, whilst some young people and their parents self
- refer.

**The Post**

Keyworkers will support young people throughout their US journey: meeting with and identifying needs and interests, successfully supporting in to an activity, monitoring progress and providing progression support.

Keyworkers may: support US groupwork sessions, facilitate a young person engaging with an US trainer, or accompany a young person to attend a sport / fitness activity in the community. They will check that young people are travelling safely to and from activities, and where applicable support the young person to develop their confidence to travel and engage independently.

The keyworker will build a face to face, professional working relationship with the young person and will liaise closely with the Referrals and Activities Co-ordinator, referring agencies and parents/carers as appropriate.

Applicants should ideally have a background in one or more of the following: sport and fitness: health and social care; education and youthwork.

Successful applicants will become part of a team of casual keyworkers who will be offered hourly paid work as activities demand. In order to meet the needs of the young people we work with hours could be any day of the week, but are most likely to be weekday afternoons and early evenings, weekend daytimes and school holidays. There is no central US office and so any administrative duties would be completed at home. Travel and work-related expenses will be paid.

**Application Method**
- Provide a detailed CV including your education and work experience, qualifications and names and contacts of two referees including your last/current employer.

(References will be taken up if a conditional offer is made, and return of satisfactory references will be required for a full offer to be confirmed)

**Post Title**:US Keyworker

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

The US Keyworker will:
1. Working face to face, meet and engage young people at programme start and as appropriate on-programme

2. Identify young people’s particular needs, concerns, interests and personal goals
3. Monitor progress on programme with both young person and provider
4. Proactively work with the young person and their support network, including providers, to keep or re-engage them in activities.
5. Support young people with their chosen exit strategy be it to another uS or community activity as appropriate
6. Support providers delivering groupwork
7. Contribute to the evaluation of activities / engagements with young people by completing and returning feedback forms
8. Accompany young person to sport / fitness activities in the community e.g. a Zumba class
9. Ensure that young people are travelling safely to and from activities, and where applicable support the young person to develop their confidence to travel and engage independently.

10. Take proactive action, in line with policies and procedures, should safeguarding issues arise

11. Gather feedback from young people to encourage engagement, and to support programme development.

12. Liaise closely with the US Referral and Activities Co-ordinator, referring agencies and parents/carers as appropriate

13. Use and contribute to ICT packages to record and monitor work with young people
14. Attend relevant meetings
15. Attend relevant training
16. Promote the benefits of exercise and fitness of mental well-being
17. Carry out other reasonable duties requested by the Chief Operating Officer

**PERSON SPECIFICATION**
Post Title: US Keyworker

Assessment
Essential Desirable (Application /Interview)

**Knowledge**

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults I

Children and Young People’s Mental health and Neurodevelopment difficulties A / I

**Qualifications**

Level 3 qualifications in any of the following: youth work, care, education, sport and fitness, mental health A

Level 2 qualifications in Maths and English A

Level 4/5/6 qualifications in any of the following: youth work, care, education, sport and fitness, mental health (desirable) A

ICT qualifications at Level 2 (desirable) A

**Experience**

Experience of working with children and young people A / I

Experience of providing support in a range of settings in the community and schools
A/I

Experience of partnership / multi-agency working A / I

Experience of working with children and young people with complex