Purpose
* Support our participating dioceses and their parishes in their identified approaches and routes to addressing racism within church youth groups, children’s groups and their work with children and families, enabling young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds to be supported in their discipleship journeys.
* Working collaboratively with the participating dioceses and their parishes, and facilitate gatherings and other opportunities for sharing experiences, good practice, and learning across church‑based youth and children’s and families work.
Role Contextual Information
* Understand how racism intersects with youth culture and the diverse ways in which families work.
* Be able to work for transformational change within the diverse contexts across the region.
* Scope existing children and youth work provision in which GMH/UKME communities are engaged across the participating dioceses, and identify where there is need but absence of provision.
* Establish and develop a collaborative programme of activity to meet the aims and outcomes of the Initiative, and work with diocesan children and youth work teams to develop strategies for addressing gaps in provision, connecting need with resources.
* Work with diocesan children and youth work teams to identify and facilitate the sharing of good practice in this field, supporting diverse local contexts.
* Effectively connect learning from youth and children’s work into the wider Initiative’s board and the diocesan racial justice groups.
* Be a good communicator and networker, able to make meaningful relationships with people of all ages in their diverse contexts and to engage meaningfully with diocesan and parish structures.
* Be a good listener able to translate learning into appropriate action.
Specific Responsibilities
* Identify and report on diocesan activities that increase connection with young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds (priority: complete within the first three months).
o Work collaboratively with participating dioceses to collect information/data and report to the Initiative’s Board.
* Identify appropriate and available training resources for diocesan youth and children’s work around racial justice.
o Collaborate with RJU nationally and participating dioceses to collect a detailed record of all training used, being developed or delivered.
o Review evidence of evaluating the impact of this training.
o Research what training needs analyses are undertaken and review outcomes.
* Support diocesan teams and seek opportunities where further advice and support may be required.
o Create and develop supportive and positive working arrangements with each of the participating dioceses and relevant staff/roles.
o Work with diocesan teams to support churches in areas where people of GMH/UKME backgrounds are the majority in engaging with those young people.
* Work in collaboration with dioceses and local communities to bring opportunities for children’s, families workers and youth leaders in churches to come together to grow their networking, skills, knowledge, and confidence.
* Organise and lead events, including Black History Month and Racial Justice Sunday, and facilitate shared learning experiences around racial justice.
o Facilitate the sharing of experiences and expertise about children and young peoples’ experiences.
o Work with children and young people to include their voices, perspectives and experiences in the formation of learning experiences.
o Collect and curate stories from young people and families in the GMH/UKME community.
* Provide regular reporting on activities, updates and plans to the Regional Racial Justice Director, Project Manager and Board.
* Maintain visibility and support in national and regional networks that grow positive collaborative working relationships.
o Identify key networks whose priorities align with the WMRRJI Directors; use such networks for personal and professional development.
* Champion the highest standards of safeguarding practice within the remit of the role.
o Ensure key relationships with diocesan safeguarding teams, linking up for training and safer recruitment of role models and mentors.
o Maintain up‑to‑date safeguarding training and liaise with Diocesan safeguarding teams to stay current on practice.
o Accurately follow relevant safeguarding reporting procedures.
* General responsibilities include safeguarding training, data and GDPR training, and health and safety.
General Requirements
* Because of the nature of this post, the holder will be required to work within the under‑represented GMH/UKME communities of the six dioceses, understanding the contexts which individuals of a GMH/UKME background serve in their Christian discipleship, mission and ministry and any barriers they may face. This constitutes a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) under the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is of a GMH/UKME background and a practising Christian.
Person Specification
* Supportive of the Church of England and able to work within and navigate its frameworks.
* Passionate to eliminate racism within church youth groups, children’s groups and work with children and families.
* Capable of creating, developing and sharing resources and good practice to support the active inclusion and participation of GMH/UKME individuals in leading and receiving young peoples work; supportive of young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds in their discipleship journeys; produces clear and well‑structured written work, including reports.
* Employ qualitative and quantitative data to evidence impact of their work against the required outcomes and outputs of the Initiative.
* Ability to listen, communicate and be a natural networker who can build meaningful relationships across a variety of levels.
* Arrange and facilitate effective and inspiring events and gatherings to enable sharing of stories, resources and good practice.
* Effective team worker, following the Director’s reasonable directions regarding duties that support other roles and the overall aims of the Initiative, even if outside their specialism.
* Ability to travel the length and breadth of the six dioceses of the project.
* Flexible, team player able to attend occasional evening and weekend activities for which time off in lieu will be given.
Additional Information
* Pension provision – Church of England’s Church Worker Pension Scheme – 12% employer contribution.
* Annual leave: 25 ordinary leave days, plus all bank/public holidays and an additional 3 days between Christmas and the New Year (7.2 weeks).
* The employing body is the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance.
* The West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative is committed to safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment, provide satisfactory references, receive a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check (with barred list check) and undertake relevant training.
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