The Children’s Society’s PACT Project, which provides direct services and development initiatives to support and empower disabled young people, require Sessional Workers to join our busy and committed team.

Key to the delivery our Reaching Out initiative, you’ll support the Senior Project Worker to identify and secure appropriate voluntary and work placements in the community for disabled young people. You’ll be required to work alongside disabled young people to enable their inclusion as employees and volunteers and support their individual learning programmes and outcomes.

To succeed in this role you should have a relevant qualification related to working with children and young people, or working towards this, and have direct experience of working with disabled children and young people. Working hours will be variable but are not likely to exceed 10 hours per week.

As well as a strong commitment to your development, we offer a generous holiday entitlement, a contributory stakeholder pension, childcare vouchers and flexible working.

Sessional Project Worker

Location:

PACT Project, George House, 18 George Street, York, YO1 9QB

Reward Band:

SAN £8.30 - £9.46 per hour

Reporting to:

Programme Manager

Job purpose:

• To deliver the work of the PACT project, which provides a wide ranging programme of services and training, and promotes research and development initiatives which benefit disabled children and young people.
• To support the delivery of the ‘Reaching Out’ initiative to enable the participation of disabled young people in positive and inclusive community volunteering and work experience.

Key activities:

• To support the ‘Reaching Out’ initiative with the development and delivery of volunteering and work placements for disabled young people in accordance with the project outcomes, current legislation and safe practice.
• Support disabled young people to develop skills, knowledge, increased independence and self-confidence in the community, and help them to set and accomplish agreed learning targets and outcomes
• To help project staff identify suitable work placements and volunteering opportunities in the community and seeking appropriate support to enable providers to make essential disability equality adjustments as needed
• To work with supervision to ensure that care and medical plans, risk assessments, reports and records are maintained to the recommended standard, adhering to confidentiality in accordance with legal and Children’s Society requirements.
• To provide and promote a culture of safe practice demonstrating adherence to accurate case note recording and a readiness to follow the agreed referral procedures for children and vulnerable young adults at risk.
• Compile and provide accurate and timely reports and information to support the evaluation and reporting of the project’s work
• Assist young people with their personal care needs maintaining their dignity, privacy and respect at all times8.
• Attend all relevant training, planning meetings and supervision

Attainments:

In order to be considered for this post you will have to demonstrate that you already have:

Experience

• Direct work experience with disabled children and young people to help them achieve positive outcomes in a professional or volunteer capacity

Qualifications

• A relevant professional qualification related to working with children and young people or working towards this eg qualification in social work, teaching, youth and community work or equivalent .

Work based knowledge

• An understanding of the issues affecting disabled young people
• Effective methods of working and communicating with disabled young people
• An understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity, along with anti discriminatory practice

Skills

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to self manage and prioritise workload
• Effective methods of communicating with disabled children and young people
• Networking internally and externally
• An ability to work effectively with disabled young people to help them achieve their potential and promote increased participation in the community.

Core competencies:

In order to be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate that you have the ability to:

Agreeing and meeting targets:

• Provides a reliable, quality service meeting deadlines and working within agreed boundaries

Providing service to others:

• listens to and respects the contribution and concerns of disabled young people and responds to these effectively.  Complies with safeguarding requirements.

Communication:

• able to communicate with disabled children and young people, parents and professionals clearly and accurately on day to day matters.

Manage yourself:

• Seek opportunities for learning and use time efficiently.  Take the initiative and is aware of own learning needs.

Leading others:

• Co-operate well with Programme Manager and colleagues and works well as a team.

Managing resources:

• Use the project’s resources in an appropriate manner and shares relevant information with others.

Building and maintaining partnerships:

• Maintains friendly, helpful and supportive relationships with immediate colleagues and participates fully in team activities.

Innovation:

• Engage in all relevant training and be willing to try to do things differently.   Demonstrate commitment to improving standards of work and achieving higher levels of efficiency.
  

Special Job Circumstances:

This post has the following special circumstances:

• Requirement to work occasional weekends and evenings
• Direct work with disabled young people with individual care needs which may include administration of medication, moving and handling and personal care tasks

(Please note: if you have difficulty meeting these conditions because of a disability or family circumstances the appointing manager will discuss it with you in order to consider reasonable adjustments to the job or working conditions)

Relevant Personal Characteristics:

So that you personally can succeed in this role and The Society you will require:

• An understanding and acceptance of the principles and values of the organisation
• At all times to carry out your responsibilities with due regard to the Children’s Society’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe.
• A commitment to ensuring the needs and rights of children and young people are upheld through their active participation in the work of the project and the Society
• A commitment to diversity and equality in working relationships and practice
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• To maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the work of the project and of the Society
• To be adaptable and able to cope with changing priorities and demands
• To have a commitment to dignity at work and equality in working relationships and practice