POST: Mentor

SUPPORTED BY: Keys 16 plus and mentoring division

REPORTS TO:Service Director

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

To mentor young people with criminal convictions, providing one to one face to face support

AIM OF THE JOB

  1. To be a positive role model to the young person matched to you for mentoring providing assistance with; for example
  2. social skills
  3. consequences of their actions
  4. drug and alcohol awareness
  1. To offer honesty and encouragement to the young person
  1. To provide structured mentoring sessions whereby a young person’s progress can be evidenced
  1. To engage the young person in the mentoring relationship helping them to take positive steps and make changes in their lives
  1. Work with Keys and relevant stakeholders to agree target areas and areas of focus
  1. Work in partnership with other agencies and support the young people to attend professionals meeting
  1. Maintain confidentiality for young people and report any concerns regarding the young person’s welfare to your superior
  1. To recognise not only the young person’s everyday needs but also their dreams and aspirations and help them to take steps to achieve this
  1. To maintain written sessions records and participate in formulation of review reports and meetings where required
  1. Understand and implement the policies and procedures of Keys 16 plus
  1. Work independently and reliably ensuring your commitments to each young person is met
  1. Attend staff meetings and training sessions as and when required
  1. Take part in supervision as and when required

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL / DESIRABLE
Personal attributes and child centred approach /
  • Ability to engage with young people in a positive and proactive approach
  • Sense of humour
  • Self motivated and a positive nature
  • Self organisation
  • Sensitive and reflective
  • Calmness
  • Honesty and reliability
  • Ability to listen and empathise
  • Ability to assess risks
/
  • Motivate others
  • Influence others and persuasiveness
  • Positive leadership skills
  • Develop innovative solutions
  • Coaching skills

Job related knowledge and skills /
  • Effective communication skills: recording and report writing and verbal communication.
  • Awareness of non verbal communication i.e. eye contact and personal space etc
  • A professional and caring value base i.e. consistency and empathy
/ Knowledge of:
  • Children’s Rights
  • Every Child Matters
  • Ability to assess risks
  • Driving licence
  • IT literate

Work Experience /
  • Working individually and within a team
/
  • Experience of working with children.

Qualifications /
  • QCF/ NVQ3award in Health & Social Care (Children & Young People) or Caring for Children and Young People.
  • Youth work award

Training /
  • Openness and commitment to personal development identified training and professional development

Working Conditions /
  • Ability to lone work with individual young people
  • Willing to work additional hours to cover sickness and holidays and to work in other homes within your area.
  • Willing to work Bank Holidays & Christmas Holidays
  • Have good medical health
  • Flexible to work around the child’s commitments

Employment Status /
  • The post of Mentor is permanent.

Hours /
  • You will be employed on a 0 hour contract. Actual hours are determined by the young people in residence and will include weekend-work, sleep-ins (see below).

Allowance /
  • An allowance of £28.00 will be paid per sleep-in

Annual leave and public holidays /
  • Basic annual leave is 20 days per annum pro rata plus 8 statutory holidays
  • You May be required to work bank holidays and Christmas and New Year holidays, enabling the children and young people in our care to be supported through, essentially, family orientated occasions.
  • If you are not required to work during a Bank holiday you will receive a payment of 7.8 hours calculated at your basic hourly salary rate.

Probation /
  • You will be subject to a 6 month probationary period.

Pension /
  • We observe our right under auto enrolment

Equal opportunities /
  • In line with our Equal Opportunities, Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Discrimination policy contained within our Employee handbook every effort is made to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and equitably, and decisions on recruitment, selection, training, promotion and career development are based solely on objective and job related performance criteria

Notice period / Appointment to the position of Key Worker is subject to one weeks notice during your probationary period and one calendar month’s notice thereafter, by either party