Somali Youth Development Resource Centre

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Youth Worker

RESPONSIBLE TO: Project Co-Coordinator

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Volunteers and young people

SALARY: £13 pear an hour

HOURS OF WORK: 10 hours per week

Contract 1 Year Contract

Area London Wide

JOB SUMMARY To lead a team of volunteers and help the project coordinator the provision of outreach work, advice and guidance services and recreational activities that meet the needs of Somali young people in the London, particularly those who are at risk, disaffected, persistent truants, excluded, unemployed or within the youth justice system and engage more young Somali young people into LSYF network.

Principle Duties

 To help the project coordinator to co-ordinate outreach work among Somali young people in London recruit onto the positive activities and LSYF networks  To help the project coordinator to identify needs and gaps in services for Somali young people in greater London  To help coordinator to co-ordinate a programme of capacity building for the local youth organisation/youth forums in London  To liaise with services and agencies in the area working for the benefit of Somali young people to identify opportunities  To ensure that Somali young girls have a say in, and their needs are met by any future development of services by LSYF.  To provide advice directly and assist with negotiations, advocacy and interpreting on behalf of Somali young girls in their dealings with other statutory and voluntary agencies.  To co-ordinate support youth-lead community based initiatives  To set up and co-ordinate a programme of network meetings to engage and involve young Somali people.

GENERAL DUTIES

SUPERVISION  Lead regular team meetings and hold regular individual support and supervision sessions with volunteers  Ensure all LSYF activities and outings are adequately staffed

WORK WITH SOMALI YOUNG PEOPLE  Hold regular meetings with representative groups of Somali young people.  Develop LSYF programme of social, educational and recreational activities in consultation with Somali young people.

ADVICE  Organise general advice work with Somali young people which may take place at the offices of LSYF or at other locations within the community in London  Organise advice sessions looking specifically at issues around youth offending and crime prevention  Organise telephone advice sessions if necessary  Organise follow up work arising from the sessions, including referrals to other specialist services  Organise the accompaniment of young people to meetings with other statutory and voluntary agencies in order to interpret and advocate on their behalf

ADMINISTRATION  Record and collect statistics on work with Somali young people using LSYF systems  Submit and present reports to the LSYF Co-Coordinator and Management Committee  Keep accurate confidential case records  Keep monitoring and evaluation  Keep up to date with relevant legislation, policies and practices  Build up the resources of information necessary for successful youth advice work

FINANCE  Ensure the project operates within budget and, where necessary, small fund raise to ensure its continued success.

LIAISON  Represent LSYF and maintain links with other agencies, including sport groups, youth connexions, community and umbrella groups as directed by LSYF Coordinator and Management Committee HEALTH & SAFETY  Ensure that all appropriate measures are taken with regard to the health and safety of all people working at, using, or visiting any of LSYF facilities, services or activities, both on and off site.  To ensure action is taken to eliminate any reported hazards to health and safety.

GENERAL DUTIES  Attend staff meetings  Attend appropriate training courses.  Participate in supervision and appraisal meetings  Be administratively self servicing  Participate in office rotas as necessary  Adhere to LSYF Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety and Confidentiality policies and implement any agreed practice guidelines

Priorities and responsibilities may vary from time to time as LSYF service delivery changes. Any review and subsequent changes will be done in consultation and in agreement with the post holder.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

QUALIFICATIONS

1. NVQ Level 3 in Youth Work or Advice Work or an equivalent level of experience together with a willingness to undertake formal training.

EXPERIENCE

2. Working with Somali young people

3. General advice work, particularly giving advice to refugees and asylum seekers

4. Supervising staff and / or volunteers

5. Working / liasing with other organisations on the delivery of projects KNOWLEDGE

6. Issues affecting Somali girls especially within multi racial inner city settings

7. Education and training needs of Somali young girls , including school exclusions

8. Issues faced by young people regarding the criminal justice system

SKILLS / ABILITIES

9. Ability to speak and write Somali and English to a reasonable standard

10. Ability to communicate effectively with young people and adults on a one to one basis and in groups.

11. Ability to implement equal opportunities practices

12. Ability to maintain accurate and concise records including project monitoring and evaluation

13. Ability to work as part of a team

14. IT skills

15. Willingness to undertake a range of administrative tasks

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Scale £13 per hour

RATES OF PAY (Monthly payment)

HOURS 10 hours per week. The post will involve regular evening work and some weekend work. Where additional hours are worked, no overtime will be paid.

HOLIDAYS No holiday entitlement (because of Sessional post) LINES OF RESPONSIBILITY The Sessional Youth Worker will be employed by and will report to the Management Committee of LSYF.

The Sessional Youth Worker will be line managed by the LSYF Co-Ordinator.

The Sessional Youth Worker will line manage volunteers.

The Management Committee of LSYF will be responsible for determining the overall direction and setting overall priorities for the project.

REFERENCES / CRB CHECKS Because this post will involve working with children, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemption Order 1975) and the Children Act 1989, post holders will not be entitled to withhold information about any criminal convictions they might have, including those committed whilst a juvenile, which for other purposes are regarded as ‘spent’. Whilst we are committed to offering opportunities to ex-offenders, certain convictions may prohibit working with children. Any offer of the post will be subject to satisfactory references, a declaration of offences and a CRB check.