Dear Applicant,

Re: Right Here – Boys and Young Men’s Worker

Thank you for your interest in the above post.

Enclosed is a job pack containing the following:

  • Welcome to Applicants
  • Job Profile
  • Principal terms and conditions
  • Policy on the Recruitment of Ex Offenders
  • Guidelines for working with Young People and Vulnerable Adults
  • Aims & Purposes of the YMCA

I have also enclosed an application form for your completion. Please be aware that the closing date for this vacancy is Wednesday 22nd March 2017 at 9am, and the interview dates are 29th and 30th March 2017.

Please return email applications to or hard copies by hand or post to Human Resources, Reed House, 47 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BE.

When completing the application form, make sure you refer to the requirements of the role as set out in the job profile, as short listing for interview rests on how well you meet these criteria.

We look forward to receiving your completed application. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application was not successful on this occasion.

YMCA DownsLink Group requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Yours faithfully,

Emily Whiter

Recruitment & HR Systems Co-ordinator

Welcome to Applicants

Thank you for your interest in this role and I hope you find this pack and our website answer your questions. You probably will have heard of YMCA, the largest and oldest youth charity in the world but you may not have heard about us. YMCA DownsLink Group is a grouping of local YMCAs across Sussex and Surrey, who over the past seven years have taken the decision to work more formally together to increase the capacity and impact of YMCA work in the region. Our last merger was in 2014 when we welcomed YMCA Guildford into the organisation. This collaboration was the point we changed our name from Sussex Central YMCA to YMCA DownsLink Group to reflect the increasing geography of our organisation. We took our name from a well-known bridle path that connects the South and North Downs called the Downs Link Way. So while we have a long heritage, we are a young organisation with a new team of Chair and Chief Executive. This creates opportunities that I hope you will relish.

We believe that the work of the YMCA is transformational and our vision is built on transforming young lives. At YMCA DownsLink Group our work is targeted towards young lives on the fringes of our society with the aim of helping them to belong, contribute & thrive. Our services are focused on five key themes:-

  1. Helping young people belong
  2. Supporting wellbeing in young lives
  3. Keeping children & young people safe
  4. Helping young people achieve
  5. Empowering young people to influence

Last year our services reached over 15,000 young lives across Sussex & Surrey. We are an ambitious organisation committed to further increasing our reach and the impact of our work.

I hope that you are sufficiently interested to read on and find out more about YMCA DownsLink Group and this role. I shall look forward to receiving your application and wish you well.

I welcome your interest.

Chas Walker

Chas Walker

CEO, YMCA DownsLink Group

The YMCA Movement

YMCA

The YMCA is the largest and oldest youth charity in the world. It is a global, faith-based movement responding to the needs of young people around the world. From its humble beginnings in the City of London in 1844, the YMCA has grown to become a worldwide organisation reaching around 45 million members in 119 countries. As the founding ‘country’, YMCA England plays an important role in the worldwide movement and YMCA Europe.

YMCA England

The YMCA Movement in England, Wales & Scotland is a federation of over 125 YMCAs each of which is an independent, self-governing charity that affiliates to the YMCA Federation. YMCA England supports and represents the 125 YMCAs in England helping them transform communities; it gives the YMCAs a national voice, by speaking with government, key policy makers and national media. As a representative body, it is able to advocate for the needs of the most vulnerable young people in England. It supports the YMCAs by promoting high standards of working, sharing best practice, fundraising on their behalf, partnering with them to pilot new projects, and providing training opportunities for their staff and volunteers.

Our Vision

Our vision is of an inclusive Christian movement transforming communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.

You will need to demonstrate a commitment to our aims and ethos, but do not have to be a practicing Christian to be part of our organisation. We value diversity in our staff team to reflect the people that we work with and our aim to be inclusive and accepting.

About Us

YMCA DownsLink Group has around 360 staff and 150 volunteers and our current turnover is £11million. On an annual basis, We accommodate over 700 young people every year, provide community based support, learning and advice services to over 5,000 young people and our specialist therapeutic services works with over 7,000 children, young people and families.

Salary and Benefits

  1. Salary

£27,590 annual FTE

  1. Benefits

-Competitive stakeholder pension: with Legal and General.

-Health shield cash plan: covers the cost (up to an agreed limit) of health and well - being treatments.

-Life assurance policy: 2x annual salary

-Childcare voucher scheme

-Cycle to Work scheme / interest free bike loan

3.Holiday entitlement

27 working days, plus all public holidays (pro rata for part time staff). This increases by 2 days after 5 years completed continuous service.

Job Profile

Job Title / Boys & Young Men’s Worker
Reporting to / Right Here Project Manager
Service Area / Children and Young People
Location / West Sussex
Contract Type and Employment Period / Fixed from 08.05.16 to 31.03.18
Working pattern as follows-
2 days (6.5 hour days) p/w from start date- Autumn half term (May-October 2017)
3 days (5.5 hour days) p/w for the second half of Autumn Term (Nov-Dec 2017)
2 days (5.5 hour days) p/w for the Spring Term (Jan-March 2018)
This role is term time only
Salary Band / C2

Job Purpose:

To work closely with the Right Here Project Manager, and a pilot secondary school in West Sussex to deliver an innovative ‘whole school’ approach to support and engage boys & young men to develop positive help seeking behaviour.

To develop and deliver a range of targeted emotional wellbeing support services to male identified students including time limited, solution focused counselling approaches, coaching and youth work approaches. To offer preventative work, crisis support and assistance with transitions & onward referrals that will increase positive engagement existing services (e.g. school counselling services).

The post holder will be based at Steyning Lower Grammar School for the 2016-17 academic year and Steyning Upper Grammar School for the 2017-18 academic year. The post holder may also be required to travel to 65, Blatchington Road, Hove for occasional meetings.

Because of the nature of the client group, there is an occupational requirement that the Boys & Young Men’s Project Worker is male.

Responsibilities:

  • To embody a commitment to gender equality to students, staff, parents and carers. To promote a positive gender relations perspective and actively model an inclusive, egalitarian, non-discriminatory attitude toward issues relating to identity and gender (eg sex, gender, sexuality etc) at all times.To disrupt the use of gender stereotypes by showing how they limit emotional expression and impact on self-esteem and wellbeing.
  • To facilitate a ‘whole school’ conversation about gender equality and how gender stereotyping limits healthy emotional development and expression in boys & girls.
  • To co-develop a targeted group work programme for male identified year 9 students designed to deconstruct traditional or narrow notions of masculinity, highlight more helpful ‘alternative masculinities’ and support students to explore, create and express their own ideas for what it means to ‘be a man’.
  • To carry out a broad range of emotional health & wellbeing interventions to male identified students who may find it difficult to ask for help. This will include but not be restricted to, individual support assessments, one-off support meetings, time limited counselling, coaching, and phone/email/face-to-face consultations.
  • To provide a weekly ‘drop in’ for male identified students during lunchtimes.
  • To work within solution-focused frameworks.
  • To work within the BACP Ethical Framework or the International Coach Federation Framework and to uphold the clinical standards that are expected from a BACP Accredited Service.
  • To attend fortnightly supervision, team meetings and line management meetings as required.
  • To build strong working relationships with students, school staff, YMCADLG staff & managers.
  • Liaise with appropriate statutory and voluntary sector agenciesworking in Education, Public & Mental Health and Social Care and build up appropriate networks that promote a rapid response to support for students.
  • The post holder will benefit from being able to work creatively and flexibly.
  • To support and promote an online school consultation about attitudes to gender.
  • To plan and coordinate an end of programme event.
  • To support and promote a student led campaign at the end of the programme.
  • To work systemically, e.g. liaise with and include parent/carers, educators, counsellors, mental health professionals when appropriate and as agreed by the service users.
  • To actively promote participation and for all service users to be offered the opportunity to have a voice, get involved and to influence operational and strategic direction within YMCADLG, and to influence the future delivery of mental health & emotional well-being interventions.
  • Responsibility for the implementation and maintenance of local administrative systems and record keeping.
  • Co-ordinate with the project manager to keep databases updated, handing in monitoring and evaluation data promptly and assist in the production of service reports as required by Commissioners. Produce high quality data demonstrating project impact and advising as necessary on developments required to improve effectiveness and impact.
  • To contribute to the programme evaluation by participating in interviews or focus groups as required.
  • To be an active staff member of YMCA DownsLink Groupand attend meetings as required. Working constructively as part of a team and being involved in the development of good practice.
  • To work in accordance with all YMCA DownsLink Grouppolicies and procedures and to work in accordance with appropriate Local Authority policies and procedures in the settings.
  • To carry out, from time to time, any other appropriate duties in line with capabilities as directed by the line manager to support and promote the work of the project.
  • To work within all YMCA DLG policies and procedures at all times and to abide by the Code of Conduct.
  • To attend YMCA DLG mandatory training and abide by our policies and procedures on Safeguarding, Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
  • To attend appropriate continuing professional development and training events and be committed to team events

Nature and Scope:

To work alongside the project manager to deliver high quality mental health & wellbeing promotion campaigns and wellbeing interventions for young people.

To refer and alert the YMCA Downslink Groupproject manager/supervisor/Social Care of any potential risks in terms of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults.

To refer and alert the line manager/supervisor of any professional concerns and/or critical incidents.

To maintain an up to date working knowledge of legislation, regulation and codes of practice that might impact on the project.

Person Specification
Knowledge, Job Related Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

Experience
Experience in delivering face to face counselling and/or coaching, and carrying out assessments with young people, including working with high risk and complex issues.
Experience of offering clinical supervision
Experience of facilitating groups and/or delivering training
Experience of writing training workshop/group work programme content
Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
Experience of working independently as well as in a team
Experience of working in a community setting to short-term model
Experience of managing administrative tasks to include monitoring & evaluation and report writing
Experience and/or knowledge of local statutory and voluntary agencies
Experience of project development
Experience of working directly with boys and young men
Skills & Abilities
Flexible interpersonal approach and ability to establish positive working relationships
Good written and verbal communication skills
Computer literate & able to use standard software e.g. Word, Excel & Outlook to facilitate working practices
To be able to work competently using a solution-focused model
Experience of working alongside volunteers
Ability to demonstrate a working understanding of the principle of equal opportunities as it applies to the context of the post.
Qualifications & Training
At least one of the following
1. Post-qualified at graduate or post graduate level Counselling Diploma or equivalent [of two years minimum duration including personal counselling or psychotherapy] or
2. Recognised Coaching qualification
3. Recognised Post Grad Youth Work qualification
BACP Registration or Accreditation and/or eligible for other accreditation with equivalent professional bodies
Mental Health training
Boys & Young Men engagement training
Knowledge
An understanding of the ways in which gender is socially constructed, and of the role popular culture plays in perpetuating gender stereotypes
An comprehensive knowledge of the issues facing boys & young men
A sound understanding of Child Protection & Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding issues and procedures
An understanding of child developmental processes and the role of trauma and attachment in establishing supportive relationships
General
A commitment to gender equality
A commitment to the aims and purposes of YMCA Downslink Group.
A commitment to the aims and purposes of a Trauma-Informed organisation
Driving licence and access to a car for business use

Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders:

YMCA DownsLink Group actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, and applications are welcome from a wide range of candidates.

We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any applicant on the basis of a criminal record or other information revealed. Criminal records and other information will be taken into account for recruitment purposes only when they are relevant.

We select all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience. We ask all applicants called for interview to provide details of their criminal record. Depending on the nature of the position applied for, YMCA DownsLink Group may request details of your entire criminal record or only of ‘unspent’ convictions as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We request that this information is sent under separate, confidential cover to a designated person within YMCA DownsLink Group and we guarantee that this information is only seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process. We would point out that for the successful candidate, this information will be verified by requesting a Disclosure[1] statement from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed.

Failure to reveal information that is relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment or subsequent dismissal.

We ensure that all those in YMCA DownsLink Group who are involved in the recruitment process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex offenders e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

At interview, or in separate discussion, we ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matters that might be relevant to the position.

For those positions where a Disclosure is required, application forms and guidance notes will contain a statement that a Disclosure will be requested in the event of the candidate being made a conditional offer of employment.

We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with YMCA DownsLink Group. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of any offences. However, as the nature of the YMCA DownsLink Group’s work brings its employees & volunteers into contact with young people (those under 18 years old) and/or vulnerable adults, a criminal record or other information which makes an application unacceptable for a position of trust will render the applicant unsuitable.

As an organisation using the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, this policy complies with the DBS Code of Practice.

Declaration of Criminal Background & Guidelines for Working with Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 sets out to help people who have been convicted of a criminal offence and have not been convicted again in a specified period. This period is known as a rehabilitation period. Once a rehabilitation period has expired and no further offending has taken place, a conviction is considered to be ‘spent’. Once a conviction is spent, the convicted person does not have to reveal it or admit its existence in most circumstances.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order) gives some exemptions from the Act, whereby details of ‘spent’ convictions have to be declared. One of these exemptions is working with young people and/or vulnerable adults. When recruiting people to work in such positions of trust an employer is entitled to ask for details of all convictions, spent and unspent.