JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:ADAPT Co-ordinator

Reporting to:Senior Team Leader

Location:Foundation House, Jo Street, Salford

Salary:£18,000 - 20,000

Hours:Full Time post (35 hours)

Introduction

The ADAPT Co-ordinator will work with young people aged 15-25who have served a custodial sentence, enabling them to resettle effectively in their local community in Salford, Trafford or Manchester. Whilst the project is open to all young people and young adults who fit the eligibility criteria, the needs of young women and young men with learning difficulties or disabilities are of particular interest to the project. A significant majority of those the project works with are males aged 19-24 who have served their most recent sentence in an adult prison.

You will provideintensive support and mentoring which help service-users to develop skills, attitudes and competencies which enable them to deal with problems and challenges proactively and effectively. You will support them in resettling effectively into their local community and avoiding re-offending. You will assist service-users toidentify personal development goals and develop action plans to meet them. You will enable them to increase their self-esteem, confidence, health and general wellbeing.

The Co-ordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day management of their case-load, liaising closely with project partners to ensure each mentee receives a joined-up package of support and developmental opportunities. This will include liaison with other agencies (especially Probation, YOS and Police), contributing to effective multi-agency working.

Specific Tasks

  1. Supporting the Senior Team Leader to facilitatereferral proceduresfrom the Youth Offending Services, Probation, YOIs and other universal and targeted support services
  1. Engaging in intensive mentoring support to develop service-users skills, attitudes and competencies so that they can address problems and challenges pro-actively and effectively
  1. Engaging in multi-agency work to meet the needs of young people andensure that the support for a young person is coherent, co-ordinated and consistent
  1. Engaging in outreach work in YOIs, prisons and community venues as directed by the Senior Team Leader in order to recruit potential service-users into the project
  1. Producing an individual action plan with each service userand tracking and monitoring their progress including attendance on education, training or vocational development programmes.
  1. Identification or creation of appropriate opportunities and programmes to meet the development needs of service users
  1. The provision of personal support and advocacy to assist service users in overcoming personal issues that present as barriers to progress
  1. Acting as an advocate or supporter in assisting service users to better access mainstream services
  1. Providing a signposting and introduction service to access specialist advice and guidance or support
  1. Recruiting public, private and voluntary sector organisations as ‘opportunity hubs’, providing a range of vocational and developmental opportunities to service users
  1. Supporting both service-users and opportunity hub staff to ensure developmental opportunities are well managed and successful
  1. Directing and supporting the work of the Peer Ambassadors and collaborating with them to secure the active engagement and participation of service-users
  1. Taking part in project team meetings and other project activities (e.g. ‘Open House events’, external evaluation) as required and directed by your line manager
  1. the maintenance of relationships with key organisations thatwork with young people on the programme
  1. the capture of appropriate qualitative and quantitative information to support the management information requirements of the contract
  1. ensuring evaluation evidence is captured on an ongoing basis to determine the value of the service to users and as a source of management information for further programme development
  1. To implement and comply with all the Foundation’s policies, including the Safeguarding Children Policy and procedures and ground rules for implementing appropriate behaviour with children and young people.
  1. Any other duties as reasonably required by the Foundation Management Team

Person Specification

Knowledge and Understanding

  • Understanding of the issues and challenges facing young peopleleaving YOIs and prison and resettling in local communities
  • Knowledge of relevant universal and targeted support services of relevance to the beneficiary group
  • Knowledge of government policy in relation to offender management, rehabilitation and resettlement and the operations of the criminal justice system
  • A good working knowledge of child protection, vulnerable adult, equal opportunities and health and safety policy and practice
  • Understanding of the mentoring process

Experience

  • Experience of working with young offenders aged 15 – 25 or other ‘hard to reach’ groups of a similar age
  • Producing and implementing individual action or development plans with service-users
  • Managing projects to deadlines
  • Working to personal targets
  • Experience of working in voluntary/community settings and/ or offender settings
  • Experience in the use of IT software and of Microsoft Office

Skills

  • Excellent written communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to relate well to young people from a wide range of backgrounds, engage them in activities which support their development and relate sensitively and confidentially to the needs of young people and their families
  • Demonstrable ability to work effectively with the most disaffected and hard-to-engage young people who have multiple and complex needs
  • Ability to plan, prioritise and organise own workload
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Ability to work to targets
  • An empathetic approach

Values & Attitudes

  • Committed to young people’s personal and social development and to providing opportunities which enable them to reach their full potential
  • Committed to treating people equally, respecting differences and challenging prejudice and discrimination
  • A positive and enthusiastic approach to work
  • Committed to your own learning and development

Special Conditions

  • This post is subject to an enhanced-level DBS (formerly CRB) check
  • The post-holder must hold a full driving licence and have a car available to be used for business purposes
  • Successful candidates will be expected to work occasional evenings and weekends, for which time will be given back in lieu.