Youth Support Worker

**Main Purpose of Job**:
As part of the Bright Young Futures team, you will be responsible for supporting vulnerable young people aged 16-21.

The post holder will work in partnership with various stakeholders to achieve the successful independence of our young people, by equipping them with essential life skills and maintaining a high quality of support which meets their emotional, intellectual, social and cultural needs; Adhering and working to the guidelines of the 1989 Children’s Act, National Minimum Standards, Every Child Matters and any other relevant legislation.

**Duties and Responsibilities Specific to the Post**:
**1. **To undertake Key Work/ Engagement sessions with each resident on a weekly basis and ensure that these are recorded and placed in a residents file.

**2. **To keep daily accurate records as a basis for regular monitoring and tracking progress of young people.

**3. **To adhere to identified plans of support including care plans and risk assessments.

**4. **To complete the ‘assessment of skills’ document to monitor and record developments in the young person’s independent living skills.

**5. **To act as an advocate for young adults in a variety of situations/circumstances.

**6. **To work in partnership with a range of voluntary, statutory and community agencies where necessary.

**7. **To attend team meetings and training as required and appropriate to the role.

**8. **To represent the company in a positive manner at internal/external events.

**9. **To manage own time and tasks effectively i.e. complete all required tasks for each shift.

**10. **To ensure all residents files are well maintained i.e. returning items to the correct sections.

**11. **To complete incident reports. Ensure these are completed in as much detail as possible within 24 hours and sent to management.

**12. **To complete health and safety checks. Ensure these are carried out on a daily basis and are accurate.

**13. **To be knowledgeable of what actions to take in any given scenario.

**14. **To carry out daily cleaning duties to a good standard.

**15. **To give a thorough handover at the end of each shift.

**16. **To follow Policy and Procedure/Employee Handbook without deviation i.e. contact management in timescales outlines regarding sickness.
- The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation._

**Person Specification**

**EDUCATION/TRAINING**:

- NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent

**EXPERIENCE**:

- A minimum of 2 years’ previous experience working with Young People
- Experience of meeting the needs and support of service users
- Experience of developing professional relationships

**KNOWLEDGE**:

- Understanding of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
- Understanding of regulations and legislation within the social care profession i.e. Children Act 1989 and the Care Standards Act 2000
- Knowledge of confidentiality.

**SKILLS**:

- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Record keeping and report writing (electronic and hard versions)
- Ability to manage challenging behaviour when presented
- Negotiating skills
- Ability to work in team and with the management structure
- Ability to develop creative key work sessions to promote independent living skills and positive relationships.
- Ability to participate in meetings i.e. professional conduct, minute writing
- Ability to work within policy and procedure and professional boundaries

**QUALITIES**:

- Empathy and compassion
- Integrity and honesty
- Patience
- Resilience
- Commitment to personal development
- A genuine passion for care and to be motivated by contributing to the progression of others.

**ADDITIONAL**:

- Must be over 21 years of age
- Flexible approach to work required
- Must be able to do sleep-ins as required
- Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate (DBS).

**Safeguarding Statement**

Bright Young Futures is committed to ensuring that children and young people are protected and kept safe from harm. It equally recognises the importance of its services to children and young people and its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people entrusted to its care in particular to the employees it employs, hence the process of ensuring a robust recruitment and vetting process, which includes Disclosure and Barring Service certification, health questionnaire and reference checks are undertaken. Once staff have been employed, we have an induction, probationary and training process.

Bright Young Futures Ltd is therefore committed to:

- ensuring that all children and young people involved with Bright Young Futures have a basic right to be protected
- providing safe recruitment, supervision and training arrangements for all staff
- following a clear procedure for dealing with concerns of