Extern Organisation
Job description and person specification
Project Co-ordinator Moving Forward Moving On (AEP Partnership)
Section 1: Key job parameters
PROGAMME/PROJECT DESCRIPTION / Moving Forward Moving On Project (AEP)JOB TITLE / Project Co-ordinator
LOCATION: / Unit 6 Nelson Trade Centre, Belfast
ACCOUNTABLE TO: / Project Manager – The Pathways Project
ACCOUNTABLE FOR: / Mentoring Support Workers, bank workers, volunteers, students.
JOB PURPOSE: / · To be responsible for the implementation and development of the Moving Forward – Moving On Project
· To co-ordinate and oversee the delivery of direct services to young people (aged 16-18) Leaving Alternative Education Provision (AEP) across Belfast.
· To work in Partnership and establish good working relationships with relevant organisations in co-ordinating an interagency approach.
· To oversee and take responsibility for retaining statistical and evaluative information ensuring it is collected in line with evaluative requirements.
· To line manage Extern staff, providing support, supervision and appraisal.
in line with:
(a) Extern’s vision, mission and values;
(b) Extern’s Standards
(c) the legal and best practice standards relating applicable to post; and,
(d) the requirements of contracts and service level agreements with commissioning and funding partners
Section 2: Job description
1.0 Managing risk: risk management at the core of practice and management
The project co-ordinator will:
1.1 Systematically assess the risks and changing needs of young people referred through the AEP Forum members.
1.2 Comply with all statutory and Extern Health and Safety requirements and assist in maintaining healthy, safe and productive working conditions for the project team, the children referred and the carers.
1.3 Ensure on-going risk assessment in conducted in line with Extern’s risk management procedures.
1.4 Effectively plan and manage own work and that of designated staff, recognise and address own and team’s performance when below standard and seek advice from line managers when experiencing difficulties.
1.5 Report inappropriate practice in line with NISCC standards and Extern’s Child Protection standards.
1.6 Ensure the service adheres to Extern’s Lone Worker Policy to facilitate safe practice.
1.7 Use learning gained from academic / vocational training to ensure that practice complies with relevant statutory / Extern quality standards and best practice.
2. Managing quality: providing quality services
The project co-ordinator will:
2.1 Contribute to the consolidation of the AEP Forum by building on existing internal process to establish new systems in order to develop the quality and impact of AEP services.
2.2 Seek feedback from young people, partner organisations, staff and AEP Forum members about the Moving Forward – Moving On service and hear and deal with any informal complaints in accordance with Extern procedures and standards.
2.3 Design and implement a common assessment tool to identify and assess need and enable the service to measure progress in terms of soft and hard outcomes of participants in terms of engagement, retention and progression.
2.4 Keep abreast of research and new developments relevant to AEP and ‘NEET’ to enable continuous development and improvement.
2.5 Implement and develop the Moving Forward – Moving On service in line with identified objectives and desired outcomes, Extern’s quality standards and stakeholder and funder requirements.
2.6 Continually evaluate own work and the work of Post AEP Mentoring Support service to ensure sustained quality standards and improvements.
Promote innovation and assist staff to manage change and new developments over the life of the project.
3.0 Managing resources: people, money, physical assets and information
The project co-ordinator will:
3.1 Ensure the effective use, maintenance and security of all the physical resources within area of responsibility ensuring they are kept in good repair and used in a safe and cost effective manner.
3.2 Administer the project budget within Extern’s and Funder’s agreed procedures including recording financial transactions and provision of financial monitoring information as required.
3.3 Assist in income generation as required (small grants applications for example).
3.4 Contribute to the development of job descriptions and participate in the selection of Moving Forward – Moving On staff as required and in accordance with Extern’s recruitment and selection standards.
3.5 Take responsibility for the induction of designated staff.
3.6 Contribute to setting own, designated staff, team and service work objectives.
3.7 Assess and manage the work performance of designated project staff, providing regular feedback through the supervision and appraisal tools, and supporting staff who may be experiencing difficulties.
3.8 Contribute to the identification of own and designated staff learning needs.
3.9 Deal with poor performance of designated staff up to and including issuing recorded verbal warnings in line with Extern’s Disciplinary policy.
3.10 Develop and maintain information systems for the Moving Forward – Moving On Project and use information technology effectively in own work.
3.11 Ensure all information, electronic, verbal or otherwise, is recorded, handled, stored, transferred and shared in a safe, secure and confidential manner in line with Extern’s Child Protection standards and procedures, Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information legislation.
4.0 Managing communications: internal and external communication
The project co-ordinator will:
4.1 Ensure that own communication with others is always appropriate, clear, respectful and maintains appropriate confidentiality where information has been gained during the course of the work (unless by doing so there is a risk to personal safety, the safety of others or an obvious breach of the law).
4.2 Establish and maintain an effective tracking system for young people transitioning from AEP into Post 16 provision.
4.3 Represent Extern and the AEP Forum appropriately in formal and informal settings both internal and external to Extern.
4.4 Develop effective working relationships with AEP Forum staff, own staff, carers, young people and relevant others within and external to the service.
4.5 Represent Extern and the AEP Forum in maintaining service contracts relating to Moving Forward – Moving On and Post 16 AEP Mentoring Support.
4.6 Facilitate regular team meetings and encourage full participation of staff.
4.7 Prepare written reports, statistical information, monitoring and evaluative information as directed by line manager and in compliance with funder requirements.
5.0 Miscellaneous
5.1 Carry out any other duties reasonably requested by your Line Manager within your competencies.
5.2 Take part in relevant promotional activities to showcase the work of the Service and promote service users rights for example.
5.3 Be available to work evenings and / or weekend hours as required and take the lead in encouraging and facilitating a flexible approach to the work among the Moving Forward – Moving On team.
MOVING FORWARD – MOVING ON
‘Moving Forward – Moving On’ Programme is a development of the work of the Alterative Education Providers (AEP) Forum. The AEP Forum was established in 1999 in response to the identified need of school age young people who were outside the mainstream school system. The Forum members have developed an integrated, holistic and multi-disciplinary model of service delivery which effectively ‘engages the disengaged’.
The ‘Moving Forward – Moving On’ Programme, of which The Extern Organisation is the lead partner, aims to provide a framework that will ensure the better co-ordination of AEP Provision across Belfast and bridge the gap between AEP and the transition into further education, training and/ or employment through the delivery of a co-ordinated and effective ‘wraparound service’ for young people who have previously been identified as ‘at risk’ of educational and social exclusion.
The aims of the service include:
· Identifying and sharing good practice within and across the Forum and establishing new systems in order to offer a more co-ordinated, responsive and pro-active service provision
· Identify the key factors/ processes any programme should have in place in order to effectively engage our most vulnerable young people
· To consolidate and document the AEP Model of delivery
· To collate and develop a range of social and personal development resources which effectively engage young people in the learning process
· To design a ‘resiliency toolkit’ which builds resiliency and lifelong coping skills of young people
· Section 3: Person specification
Qualifications/Experience
1.0 Essential Criteria
The successful candidate must:
1.1 Hold a minimum of NVQ level 4 in youth work/ family work/ education
OR
1.2 Hold a relevant HND/HNC for example diploma in Youth/ Community/ Family work
OR
Degree in a social science for example sociology, psychology or in combined social and behavioural sciences.
1.3 Be NISCC registered or in the process of registering.
1.4 Have a minimum of 3 years cumulative experience in a paid or voluntary capacity (where citing voluntary experience you must provide evidence of number of hours / days worked and over what period of time) of direct work with children and young people aged 15-18 years in a structured environment for example youth project, alternative education project, social care, which MUST include 1 year’s relevant managerial experience (for example managing staff, managing resources managing a function).
1.5 Have a full driving license with access to a car and motor insurance which stipulates that you can use your car in connection with your business. (Please note these criteria will be waived in the case of an applicant whose disability prohibits driving but who is able to demonstrate their ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post).
1.6 Must be available to work flexible hours including regular evening and weekends and occasional overnights.
2.0 Desirable Criteria
2.1Hold a professional qualification in social work/ social care or youth and community work/ teaching/ careers guidance.
2.2 Hold a qualification in family support work for example Systemic Family Psychotherapy.
2.3 Knowledge of or experience in delivering creative therapies for example art therapy, dance, music, drama.
2.4 Category D1 driving license. (Licenses prior to 1.1.97 automatically include category D1).
Extern reserves the right to reasonably alter the above criteria.
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