November 2017

Dear Applicant,

Outreach Engagement and Development Worker – Lancashire

Thank you for your interest in working for Gingerbread. It’s an exciting time for us. We’re working to reach even more of the UK’s 2 million single parents, making sure they know we’re here and are using our support services. We’re also campaigning on a national scale to improve the lives of single parents and their children and ensure their voices are heard.

How to Apply

Please read the job description for the role. The person specification sets out the skills and experience we are looking for. To apply please complete the application form. The application form includes a personal statement section for you to set out how you meet the person specification for the role. Please e-mail your completed application form to , stating your name and the post you are applying for in the subject line.

Key Information

The closing date for applications is Monday27November 2017 at 5.00pm.

As the role will involve contact with vulnerable adults and children, the offer will be subject to an enhanced criminal records check.

Interviews will be scheduled for Monday 4December 2017. To keep our administration costs to a minimum, we will only be contacting candidates who we have been shortlisted for interview.

Equality and Diversity

We want to recruit people from a range of backgrounds. To help us monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment, please complete a Diversity and Equality Questionnaire on Survey Monkey. This data is completely anonymous, is stored confidentially by our HR team and will not be seen by the selection panel.

If you have further queries or would like to discuss the role, please contact me on 07974 429 809 or

Yours sincerely,

Steve Harding

Head of Programmes

Job Description

Job title / Outreach Engagement and Development Worker
Reporting to / Service Delivery Manager
Location / North West / Wales / London

Overall Purpose of Job

Supporting the Learning Skills and Employment team in achieving targets by assisting with project delivery, such as engaging single parents onto projects, providing suitable development opportunities including routes into employment, and some administrative tasks.

1. Key Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Recruit suitable participants for Gingerbread’s programmes and meet recruitment targets.
  • Source suitable progression and development opportunities, including work placements, employment vacancies, and further learning opportunities.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with single parents to provide and implement effective solutions to any issues raised and ensure a high quality service.
  • Ensure contract compliance in line with set targets and service delivery.
  • Marketing employment related services to employers and single parents.
  • Maintain professional relationships with colleagues, employers and other stakeholders.
  • Administration of all associated paperwork, ensuring it meets audit compliance and funder requirements.
  • Ensure all data, both electronic and hard copy is recorded and regularly updated.
  • Checking eligibility of participants and providing information, advice and guidance where appropriate.
  • Being responsible for delivering specific aspects of programmes including outreach, recruitment, and participant engagement - as agreed with your Line Manager.
  • Work alongside colleagues to ensure Gingerbread maintains a high quality delivery framework.
  • Liaising with contract providers, partners, and other external agencies to ensure that relevant information is received and communicated to fulfil the programmes.
  • Identify case studies to help the communication team achieve the Case Study targets for Gingerbread’s regional programmes.
  • Ensuring that information about programmes is communicated accurately to internal and external contacts.
  • Take initiative for identifying problems and proposing workable solutions to issues that arise within your own areas of responsibility.
  • To work with the colleagues and managers to plan tasks that need to be completed, including attending regular meetings.
  • As a member of the team, undertaking a wide range of project work and providing cover for absences where required.
  • Providing an efficient client-focused service.
  • Working co-operatively, flexibly and supportively as a member of the Learning, Skills and Employment Team.
  • Contribute ideas for development of Gingerbread.

Corporate Responsibilities

  • To champion and promote equal opportunities and diversity both in your area of work and the wider organisation.
  • To maintain awareness and ensure compliance with corporate policies including safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety and data protection
  • To work in line with Gingerbread values and How we Work.
  • To actively contribute to organisational cohesion, encouraging cross-team working, and a problem solving approach
  • To take personal responsibility for keeping up to date with issues affecting single parents, the work of the charity and maintaining professional skills and expertise
  • To take a flexible approach to work and duties, within an appropriate level of responsibility, carrying out other duties as directed by Directors/Managers

This post is offered subject to enhanced DBS clearance.

Terms and Conditions

This information gives you an overview of the terms and conditions of employment for the post, but is not part of any future contract of employment.

Salary

The salary for this post is £19,837 per annum.

A review of salaries will occur each year.

Hours of Work

This post is a full time post of 35 hours a week.

Our offices are staffed between 8.30am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. Staff may work flexitime in accordance with our flexitime policy.

Location

This post is based in Lancashire Region with project delivery in areas specified by the contract.

Contract

This is a fixed term contract to 31 July 2018.

Annual leave

Full time staff are entitled to 28 days leave per year, rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service, and all public holidays. Entitlements are pro-rata for part time staff. In addition, our offices are closed between Christmas and New Year, and staff are not required to work between these dates.

Sick pay

Gingerbread sick pay is linked to length of service. Entitlement starts with 1 week’s pay in your first three months of service, and rises to 6 weeks’ pay per 12 month period during your first year of employment. This rises according to length of service to a maximum of 26 weeks’ pay per 12 month period after two years’ service.

Work life balance policies

Gingerbread understands the need for staff to balance personal commitments and family life with work. We are proud of our range of policies to support staff, which include dependent care leave, flexitime, enhanced maternity and paternity provisions, working at home, flexible working and sabbatical leave.

Pension

Gingerbread contributes 5 per cent of gross salary per employee to its own employers’ pension scheme. This is open to all staff after three months’ employment. Staff are expected to make a minimum contribution of 1.25 per cent.

References

All appointments are subject to receipt of satisfactory references. This post is subject to a DBS check.

Probationary Period

The first 6 months of your employment will be a probationary period, during which you will be expected to demonstrate your suitability for the post. During the probationary period your work and role will be reviewed with your line manager, and if you meet the required standard you will be confirmed in post.

Further Information

If candidates have any queries relating to the above terms and conditions, please contact Versha Divani, HR Officer at

About Gingerbread Training

"Your programme really helped me, boosted my confidence and gave me the willpower to go out there and do what I enjoy. I am now employed full-time as a care worker."

For single parents who have been out of the workplace for a while, trying to make their way back into employment can be a daunting prospect. Contrary to so many of the headlines we read in the press, single parents want to work to provide for their families and to set a good example to their children.

Skills for work

Gingerbread’s training courses for single parents help build confidence, increase skills and prepare for work, education or further training at a pace that matches the learner’s needs and ambitions.

Our courses run across the country from our training hubs in London, Wales and the North West. We offer free training in a variety of work-relevant skills, from IT and basic administration to customer care, and many of our courses lead to a recognised qualification. Learners are taught by experienced trainers who understand the issues facing single parents and can give tailored support and information to match each individual’s situation.

“The instructor was brilliant – he taught the course as a mixture of listening and getting involved. He explained everything so clearly and in layman’s terms. It was really good to learn in a way that didn’t feel really difficult.” – Samantha, Gingerbread course participant, now running a successful dessert-making business.

Marks & Start

Gingerbread has been running the highly acclaimed Marks & Start programme for single parents in partnership with Marks & Spencer since 2004. Marks & Start combines employability training on key areas like interview preparation with a two week work placement in-store with M&S.

Since 2004, almost 3,000 single parents have gone on a placement through Marks & Start and 48 per cent have moved into work in the weeks afterwards

Marks & Start helps single parents gain experience with a respected high-street employer, build confidence in their abilities, prepare for work alongside other parents in a similar situation and gain a solid understanding of the support available to them as they move into employment.

Despite the challenging economic climate, Gingerbread has consistently achieved exceptionally high into-work rates for single parents.

“The kids can see I’m much happier now I’m working. I’ve got my independence back. I feel better within myself and I’m 100 fold more confident. I know now that I’m just as good as anyone else.” – Panida completed the Marks & Start course in Ellesmere Port in 2012 having been unemployed for four years. She now works in the food department of a nearby M&S.

Skills for life

Many single parents experience loss of confidence and self-belief, particularly if they have faced challenges or been out of the workplace or education for some time. Gingerbread runs training courses specifically to help single parents build their self-esteem and make links with other single parents in their local area. Since 2005, more than 4,500 single parents have benefited from our skills for life training courses.

In 2012, Jenny and Beth attended our course, Building Futures for teenage parents, which is designed to increase skills and boost confidence by helping young single parents who are not in education, employment or training to plan a community event. Both became mothers at a young age and had struggled to adapt to the demands of parenthood. Beth had suffered severe post-natal depression, while Jenny’s confidence was so low she barely left the house.

“I was very nervous about coming on the course, however, once there I felt a bit better as it was a group of single teenage parents and no one was judging anyone else. Over the weeks I became more and more relaxed, having something to look forward to and planning the event really helped me focus.” – Beth, 18

Jenny and Beth excelled on the course, and their belief in themselves both as parents and as young people increased dramatically. Since then, both have been nominated to receive a ‘Celebrate YOUth’ award from Lancashire County Council in the Beyond Barriers category which recognises the achievements of young people in overcoming personal difficulties.