Engagement Worker

Children and Young People's Engagement Worker

Location: Bristol and South Gloucestershire

Contract: Permanent (Option for Part-time)

Working Hours: Full-time (35 hours per week)

Starting Salary: £23,000 (based on skills and experience) (pro-rata for part time)

Who we are:

We support children and young people living in Bristol, South Glos and the surrounding areas, providing engaging play and youth work embedded in communities. We also provide personalised part-time and full-time alternative education environments for children and young people to overcome barriers to engagement and learning.

What we do:

At LPW, we provide safe, emotionally supportive and enriching spaces where children and young people can: build trusted and trauma-informed relationships; grow in confidence and independence; overcome challenges; and have ownership of their learning and future.

LPW values

• Inclusive: We celebrate and embrace diversity and ensure everyone is seen, heard and valued.
• Collaborative: We work in partnerships alongside children, young people, families, communities and other professionals to achieve success.
• Innovative: We are bold and creative in our approach to inspire confidence, independence and free-thinking.
• Compassionate: We are trauma-informed – offering safe, emotionally available spaces for children and young people to learn and thrive.
• Brave: We foster strength and perseverance, even in the face of challenges and diversity

Job Purpose

• Engage Children & young people (CYP) from a range of different communities, to build resilience and improve their life chances;
• Work with partners, managers, other colleagues and CYP to shape direct delivery across the organisation.

In this role, your primary areas of responsibility will be:

• Work with CYP on a 1:1 basis to improve behavioural and social outcomes;
• Manage a caseload of CYP effectively;
• Plan, monitor and evaluate targeted group activities;
• Undertake assessments in order to identify CYP's strengths and barriers to progression;
• Produce action plans with CYP based on their individual needs and implement them in order to achieve outcomes;
• Involve CYP in service design;
• Provide ways for CYP to have their say in developing, delivering and evaluating services so that they are accessible, attractive and relevant for them and their families;
• Complete and review comprehensive risk assessments;
• Work within a budget;
• Maintain accurate and professional records relating to interventions with CYP using our database;
• Support, engage and maintain good working relationships with families to ensure positive outcomes for CYP;
• Liaise regularly with partners, schools, other providers, specialist support agencies and community organisations;
• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects commitment to safeguarding CYP in accordance with LPW's policies;
• Ensure that Child Protection requirements are complied with and where appropriate reported in accordance with agreed criteria;
• Ensure the welfare of CYP and highlight any safeguarding issues to relevant agencies;
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of legislation and opportunities relevant to CYP;
• Implement delegated tasks from LPW's strategic and operational plans;
• Any other duties that may be required from time to time.

What you will bring to this role:

Awareness, knowledge and understanding of:

• Bristol's diverse communities;
• the effect of social and economic disadvantage on CYP;
• issues that affect vulnerable CYP;
• best practice in safeguarding CYP from harm;
• other support agencies within Bristol and multi-agency processes of support for CYP;
• best practice in promoting inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity;
• The right candidate should ideally be qualified to Level 3 or above in a discipline related to working with Children e.g. Playwork.

Experience of:

• Working within a similar role either paid or voluntary;
• Using a variety of information technology i.e. Microsoft Office and the ability to maintain accurate and detailed records in a case management system or database;
• Planning, delivering and evaluating outcome focussed buildings and non- buildings based activities for CYP;
• Engaging and working with a wide range of CYP on a 1:1 basis and in groups to secure positive outcomes;
• Working with partners, with families and within communities to secure outcomes for CYP;
• Safeguarding CYP from harm;
• Experience of risk assessing activities;
• Promoting equality of opportunity and challenging discrimination;

The skills and ability to:

• Effectively plan and manage own caseload to achieve targets and evaluate outcomes;
• Contribute to team targets and evaluate outcomes;
• Effectively deal with challenging and confrontational situations;
• Engage and communicate effectively with CYP, parents, carers, teachers, managers and other professionals;
• Problem-solve, innovate, plan, organise, overcome barriers and implement solutions effectively;
• Provide a range of ways for CYP to have their say in their services.
• Be flexible in approach to working locations, enabling travel around Bristol;
• Be culturally competent and able to challenge inequality
• Work effectively with CYP from a diverse range of backgrounds;
• Work effectively in a team situation and on own initiative;
• Form confident professional relationships with CYP.

Your attitude means you will have:

• Commitment to LPW vision and values;
• Commitment to developing own learning, knowledge and skills;
• Ability to work flexibly at times that CYP need support, including occasional evening work;
• Willing to travel across Bristol and Surrounding counties throughout the working day and week;
• Willingness to respond positively and effectively to change;
• Ability to champion and promote equality of opportunity, discrimination and stereotypical behaviours.

Reporting into:

Service Lead

Service Manager

Accountable for:

This role has no direct reports

With LPW you will get an opportunity to work for a community interest company that has a social mission at its core driving everything we do. In addition we have an attractive range of benefits, such as 26 days annual leave (plus a 3 day seasonal shut down at Christmas), 4% employer's contribution to our pension scheme, travel loans, and a cycle to work scheme. LPW is a Living Wage, and Disability Confident employer.

To apply please complete the recruitment application form that can be found on our website at explaining your motivation for applying for the post, and send this to our email found on the LPW website. Please note that any CVs received without an accompanying recruitment application form will not be considered for interview

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From £23,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: Engagement Worker