Digital Design and Technology Lead

**Digital Design and Technology Lead**

**Location**:Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone

**Contract**: : 37.5 hours per. Evenings and Weekends
- (minimum of four delivery sessions with young people per week)_

**Reporting to**: Head of Service

**Salary**: Up to £27,000
- (dependent on experience and qualification) _

**About Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone**

Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone, opened in May 2012 as an independent Charity, but we are proud to be part of the growing OnSide Network.

We work with young people aged 5-19 (up to 25 with additional needs) and offer youth work, health and wellbeing and employability services, giving young people somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to. Whilst our building and activities provide a hook for young people to initially engage with us, the relationships they develop with our team of Youth Workers ensures they return night after night. We pride ourselves as being one of the leading youth organisations in Blackburn and Darwen.

Our service to young people is focussed around a state-of-the-art, multi million pound facility that is purpose-built and remains dedicated to young people. This facility has recently undergone a 3 million pound transformation thanks to the Youth Investment Fund. This funding has allowed us to redevelop our Blackburn site to be able to offer a wider range of services for young people whilst celebrating the history of the building. Our newly developed Fusebox is the site where electricity was first generated in Blackburn. Alongside our history we also have a football pitch on our roof, this is one of Blackburn’s best kept secrets

Our services for young people are needed more than ever and despite the prevalent challenges around the lasting impact of the pandemic, young people feeling isolated and the cost of living crisis, our team continues to provide a home from home for young people.

**The Role**

Making, alongside sport, the arts and Youth Work is at the heart of B&DYZ’s offer to young people. The purpose built ‘Making Zone’ offers a wide range of technical and creative opportunities for young people including, 3D printing, electronics & programming, STEAM, moulding & casting and much more. Together with our partners The Making Rooms - an organisation dedicated to creative and technical training, you will help develop and deliver a diverse and exciting programme of activities aimed at young people aged 5 to 25 years, that stimulates, develops and meets the needs of young people from all backgrounds and abilities. You will utilise creativity and technical problem solving in the wider youth work agenda supporting and encouraging young people to express themselves, develop their technical abilities and facilitate personal development by developing their skills through positive engagement and experiences.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**
- To schedule, design, coordinate and deliver a comprehensive making programme for young people aged 5 to 25 at B&DYZ which will enable them to build their confidence, creative and technical skills, social skills and overall well being.
- To have line management responsibility for the arts and creative team, helping guide, support and coach so their delivery meets our quality assurance framework standards.
- Provide a universal service to all children and young people that is well marketed and reaches across the borough to ensure membership is reflective of local demographics promoting social mix within the sessions.
- To ensure that the programme is high quality and meets the needs of the young people, including young people with additional needs and disabilities and young people who may typically not engage in these provisions.
- To ensure that the programme contributes to the wider youth work agenda, supporting the development of personal and art skills of young people
- To ensure all sessions are equipped with a range of resources and activities to engage, develop and inform young people.
- To ensure all programme delivery is safe.
- To organise events, challenges, competitions and showcases, both internally and externally on a regular basis.
- To support the promotion plan and work in the community to attract young people.
- To motivate, encourage and support young people to participate fully in sessions.
- To network with local appropriate groups and community providers and other partner organisations to develop joint working programmes.
- In conjunction with other partners, identity, support and develop talented young people.
- To work closely with our partner organisation, The Making Rooms, to feedback about the delivery of the programme, and engage with the other Making Zone leads from other Youth Zones.
- To keep The Making Zone in a clean, tidy and safe state.
- Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested by management.
- To work with youth work managers to plan and deliver specific funded projects such as science week and other relative projects.
- To support, deliver and