Link Worker

**Link Worker (West End)**

**Salary**: £25,000 Per Annum

**Location**: Newcastle

**Report to**: Zone West Project Manager

**Contract**: Full time. School secondment and job-share also considered

**Who They Are**

Our client is an early intervention, social prescribing project for children; inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone and The West London Zone. They are a collaboration between health, education and the community resources of West Newcastle.

**Their Vision**

The charity’s vision is of vulnerable children flourishing at the centre of integrated care to become positive influencers and drive change.

**Roles and Responsibilities.**

**Supporting children and families**
- The ability to rapidly engage with children and families to build rapport and establish a safe relationship
- Deliver 1-1 mentoring and therapeutic group work
- Develop personalised engagement plans in partnership with children, family members and professionals to determine strengths, and identify goals alongside the necessary support to achieve them
- Act as a trusted adult and role model in the lives of the children, young people and families enabling them to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes
- Making timely and appropriate onward referrals to special support services
- Providing scaffolding support to a child or family awaiting specialist intervention; for example, regarding emotional regulation or parenting.

**Managing data and reporting**
- Maintain case notes recording all instances of engagement on the case recording system
- Complete assessments, data collection and evaluative feedback in a timely manner to inform good practice
- Convey data transparently when necessary, according to confidentiality agreements between the PCN, social sector partners, schools, and the charity.

**Wider network building**
- Promote social prescribing, its role in self-management, and the wider determinants of health
- Establish links and build relationships with support services and community assets to develop and maintain active referral and feedback pathways
- Represent the charity at local group meetings to forge positive relationships with other organisations.

**Management and administration**
- Attend regular team meetings, clinical and case supervision, and half-termly meetings with schools and social sector partners to provide feedback regarding provision, the Link Worker Role and the charity’s model
- Take responsibility for developing and improving your own professional knowledge and skills
- Contribute to the development of the charity, including policies and procedures
- Support colleagues through co-working, mentoring and peer supervision

**General Responsibilities**
- Understand and comply with all relevant charity policies and practices including Safeguarding and Diversity and Equality
- Maintain and develop competence in the use of IT systems
- A flexible approach to work is essential. All staff may sometimes be required to adapt their duties to take account of changes in work practices
- Maintain professional practice standards as outlined in legislation, guidance and consistent with the charity’s policies and procedures

**Link Worker Person Specification**

**Essential**
- Relevant experience, e.g. family support work, education, social work, teaching, youth work, mentoring, counselling or similar
- Experience and interest in supporting children and families to flourish
- Ability to network and manage relationships across multiple settings
- Excellent communication skills, able to communicate professionally and flexibly with a wide group of stakeholders
- Good understanding of safeguarding in relation to children and young people
- Able to plan work and manage competing priorities in a busy, fast paced environment
- Fluent written and spoken English
- IT competence for case recording and producing data reports in a variety of formats (at a minimum, experience with Microsoft Office suite including Excel, Word, and Google Apps)

**Desirable**
- Driving licence and access to roadworthy vehicle