JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Talent MatchSenior Mentor

Salary:£25,000 per annum

Hours:37.5 hours a week

Responsible to:YMCA Wolverhampton Hub Lead

Based at Small Street Centre Walsall (and other venues as appropriate to the role)

Main Objectives of the Post:

Talent Match is an ESF funded project operating across the Black Country that will be working alongside young people aged 19-24 who have been out of education, employment and training for at least 6 months and who face additional barriers to fulfilling their full potentialplus young adults aged 25-29 with specific barriers to employment.The project, very much directed by young people, will work to support customers towards and into employment.This post will supervise and provide support to a team of mentors. Mentors will provide intensive person centered support, guiding the young person through support mechanisms and into employment or self-employment. Mentors will work on a ratio of 10:1 and will be expected to adopt a solutions focused approach alongside the young people they will be working with.

Working Relationships with:

  • Young People
  • Talent Match Senior Mentors
  • Talent Match Mentors
  • Young Persons Engagement Advisor
  • Relationship and Referral Coordinator
  • Host Managers
  • Hub Leads Manager
  • Business Engagement Advisor
  • Commissioning and Monitoring Worker
  • Delivery/service partners including mentor hosts and Communication Hub
  • Other partners across private, public and voluntary and community sectors

Key Tasks

The post holder will operate and work flexibly to ensure that the project delivers its outcomes for young people and other stakeholders. The role will include:

Development and Delivery

  • Support the Relationship and Referral Coordinators, to implement an effective referral processes adhering to agreed protocols
  • To provide line management support a team of Mentors
  • Ensure Mentors adopt and deliver a young person centred and solution focused approach to mentoring ensuring project priorities and outcomes are achieved
  • Manage a case load of up to 10young people identified from the thematic groups as appropriate
  • Ensure young people influence and are actively involved in the procurement and monitoring of activities/services
  • Work effectively with the Young Persons Engagement Advisor and Commissioning and Monitoring Workerto ensure procured activities are in line with project priorities and meet the needs of young people
  • Develop effective working relationships with other Senior Mentors, meeting to share best practice
  • Work effectively with Business Engagement Advisor keeping up to date with work experience, voluntary and job opportunities ensuring young people have clear access pathways into these opportunities
  • Contribute to the ongoing development of the Communications Hub to meet the needs of young people
  • Regularly review and support team of Mentors, providing support as required and ensuring project priorities are adhered to
  • Implement an effective lone working policy and procedure for Mentors
  • Report concerns to Commissioning and Monitoring Worker where delivery/service partners fail to meet the needs of young people and/or project priorities
  • Ensure positive actions to safeguard young people Mentors come into contact with, following policies and procedures around the safeguarding of those young people
  • Maintain effective relationships with all delivery/service providers
  • Support Commissioning and Monitoring Worker to source new delivery/service providers as required to meet the needs of the Talent Match cohort
  • Develop effective channels of communication with and between Mentors and Host Hub organisations
  • Maintain accurate records in line with European Social Fund requirements, including details of Young Person engagement, involvement, delivery undertaken and relevant outcomes achieved
  • Complete contractual documentation within required timelines and in line with European Social Fund requirements – Individual Learning Plan, Baseline and Follow Up questionnaires, Outcome Star and Action Plans
  • Produce monthly progress reports as directed by Host/Hub Manager and/or Talent Match Project Manager

Other

  • Promoting and championing the ESF Talent Match Project
  • Providing verbal and written reports to Host/Hub Manager and/or Talent Match Project Manager
  • Undertaking regular supervision with the Host/Hub Manager
  • Actively participate in relevant staff training and development opportunities
  • Attend and actively contribute to team meetings including the sharing of best practice
  • Adhere to and implement all relevant policies and procedures
  • To undertake out of hours working as required
  • Other activities as required for the success of the ESF Talent Match Project
  • Other duties commensurate with the post

Qualifications

JNC youth work or equivalent.

Mentoring and or coaching award or

Supervisory/Management qualification

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be able to demonstrate a successful track record ofleading a team of staff. Coupled with a successful track record of engaging and supporting/ mentoring/coaching young people. Adopting and delivering a young person centred and solution focused approach and, ensuring project priorities and outcomes are achieved.

Skills, knowledge and Experience

  • Demonstrable substantial experience of working with challenging and vulnerable groups, particularly around E.E.T
  • Ability to engage, develop and build relationships with young people from thematic groups
  • Ability to develop and maintain through direct face to face work with individuals a programme which reflects the expressed needs and enthusiasm of the individual
  • Experience of undertaking intensive one to one work with young people that is solution and outcome focused
  • Experience of advocacy
  • Ability to facilitate the personal, social and educational development of individuals
  • Ability to organise and deliver to small groups
  • Knowledge of the employment and skills landscape, particularly as it relates to the ESF Talent Match cohort
  • Demonstrable experience of relationship building with a range of partner organisations
  • Anunderstanding of the voluntary and community sector and its key drivers
  • Experience of supporting, mentoring or coaching young people
  • Extensive experience of negotiating goals and achievement strategies with individuals
  • Knowledge of legal, financial and personal welfare issues and regulations relevant to our thematic groups/individuals
  • Experience of delivering against targets
  • Experience of line managing and supervising teams
  • Ability and experience of keeping accurate and timely client records in line with ESF funding requirements
  • Working knowledge of confidentiality and data protection
  • Computer literate including databases, Microsoft office and Word

Personal Attributes

  • A clear commitment to young people as “experts by experience”
  • Solution and improvement focused
  • A willing and active listener
  • A participatory style of working
  • Patient and flexible with an ability to encourage and support
  • Ability to build confidence, motivation and optimism in an individual
  • A strong commitment to collaborative working
  • Ability to prioritise and manage own work load
  • Ability to negotiate and influence
  • Tolerant and respectful of individual differences, non-judgemental
  • Ability to build and maintain effective relationships internally and externally
  • An effective and clear communicator
  • High level of self-motivation
  • Ability to work as part of a team

Other

  • Participate in staff meetings, providing regular feedback.
  • To be responsible for the delivery of work with due respect for the Christian Ethos of staff, clients and other external partners.
  • Ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff, service users and volunteers in accordance with the YMCA’s Health & Safety Policy and conduct risk assessments as appropriate.
  • Ensure all work practise is inclusive, expressed through a wholehearted commitment to welcome those of all faiths and none.
  • Undertake any other duties that are consistent with the job.

The ability to travel around the Black Country on a regular basis as required by the demands of the post.

This post is subject to an enhanced check by the Disclosure & Barring Service regarding any previous criminal record.