Job Description

Senior Youth Worker

(Borough Leader)

Introduction

XLP operates youth work projects in schools and estate communities across several inner-city boroughs. Each borough has a Senior Youth Worker (internally known as a Borough Leader) who ideally lives and works in that community coordinating and developing all the activities taking place and managing key stakeholder relationships in the area. They take responsibility for the schools and community projects, leadership of student and volunteer teams, and share the vision and strategy for their particular borough as a key member of the South Quadrant team (comprising of Southwark and Lambeth boroughs).The role reports directly to a Youth Work Manager who is part of the XLP Senior Management Team based at Charity’s head office who oversees a number of such Senior Youth Workers.

Key Objectives

  • Demonstrate a passion and enthusiasm for the charity and its vision, commitment to the South Quadrant and wider XLP team, and to motivate and empower others to achieve agreed goals aimed at delivering the vision [1];
  • Deliver excellent youth work within an agreed portfolio of school and community projects, monitoring and reporting on outcomes and outputs, in line with approved plans and budgets, and required standards and practice [2];
  • Develop existing work further and establish new projects, in line with approved development plans and budgets [3];
  • Manage and oversee effectively student and volunteer teams,and the relationships with key stakeholders in the area[4].

Key Tasks

  1. Leadership and Management
  • Envision, motivate, empower and support the quadrant team of volunteers, students, and other youth workers,coordinating their involvement in delivery of the schools and community projects [2,4];
  • Model excellent youth work skills, time management and best practice to all within the team.
  • Develop and manage the portfolio of projects, and balance the ‘mix’ of work in the borough (i.e. schools, community, family), in line with agreed plans that meet the needs of the area and align with the charity’s chosen strategy [2];
  • Lead a team of gap-year and degree students including timetabling, planning, pastoral work, and making sure they get the most out of their year at XLP [2,4];
  1. Safeguarding
  • Ensure that all projects areoperating in the boroughare delivered in accord with agreed health and safety, equal opportunities and safeguarding, policy and procedures [2];
  • Acting as a point of escalation for students and volunteers and other youth workers, and escalating major issues to the Youth Work Manager and/or CPO if required [2].
  1. Development
  • Identify new opportunities and initiatives, taking a key role in the planning and development of new schools and community projectswithin the borough and south quadrant.[3];and
  • Develop project resources and build teams to deliver these projects to our beneficiaries effectively and efficiently [3].
  1. Reporting
  • Ensuring that outcome and output performance monitoring information is reported in a timely manner and is used continually to assess where improvements can be made to project delivery [2];

5Key Stakeholder Management

  • Manage the relationships with key stakeholders in the borough including [2]:
  • Councillors, Head Teachers or other key teaching staff.
  • Youth organisations, interest groups and the local Police.
  • Parents, children and young people.
  • Church leaders and youth workers.
  • Attending and advertising at church services, conferencesand local events.

Project Portfolio

6Schools and PRU’s

  • XLP’s work with schools can include leading a team and participating personally in:
  • Lunch-time clubs: these clubs provide a known safe place that is entertaining, informative, and does not tolerate bullying or other anti-social behaviour.
  • Small group mentoring sessions covering a range of issues facing the young people
  • 1-2-1 Class Support, reading and behavioural support and homework clubs.
  • Supporting arts or sports sessions in the school/PRU
  • Building relationships with new and existing schools and pioneering new projects.

7After-schools

  • XLP’s work outside of school hours includes leading a team and participating personally in:
  • After-schools clubs: organising and participating in activities with the young people who attend providing teaching, advice, entertainment and a sympathetic ear. Often these young people have educational and behavioural challenges that the team are helping address.
  • Detached youth work and estate specific project work (e.g. the XL-R8 bus, X-Mobile, XL-Sports, etc.). This will include scheduling activities in partnership with other project managers in the Quadrant team
  • Summer camps, excursions and trips, and access to employment preparation.

8Arts Showcase

  • XLP host an arts programme in the form of a “talent competition” that encourages those taking part in the regular arts sessions, and others across all the projects, to have a platform to perform and communicate their journey through the various arts (singing, drama, dance, spoken word and many more). The Senior Youth Worker works with the Arts Showcase project manager to arrange auditions and rehearsals, organise events and liaise with young people, teachers parents.

9XL-Mentoring (not all boroughs)

  • XLP operates amentoring programme targeted on those most at risk. The Senior Youth Worker works with the XL-Mentoringproject manager to liaise with referring agencies (e.g. schools, pupil referral units, police, etc.) and is involved with helping particular young people on the project.

10New projects

  • XLP is always exploring new and innovative ways to work with young people.

Person Specification

To qualify you will need to be able to demonstrate a successful track record of delivering at least 4 years’ experience of youth work relevant to an urban environment. You will need to have strong project management, communications and influencing skills, be familiar with relevant process and protocols, and be able to easily relate to young people and the challenges and issues they face. The role also requires excellent leadership and networking abilities; you will be skilled in mobilising volunteers and know how to get the best out of those working with you. You’ll enjoy taking initiative and love working as part of a close team and be confident in directing a group of gap year students. A suitable youth work related qualification is desirable.XLP is Christian charity that has an emphasis on being faith-based, but not faith-biased: XLP works equally with young people of all faiths and none.

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Ref: BL/001Confidential